Using Science and Agriculture in the New Bioeconomy

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Featured Presenter at Indianapolis Meeting

Chuck Conner, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, is one of several speakers participating in a Bioeconomy Symposium and Panel Discussion on Nov. 14 as part of the Annual Meetings of the American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America in Indianapolis. At the conclusion of Conner's presentation, five speakers representing academia, industry, and government will present information and participate in a panel discussion, reporting on the opportunities and roadblocks for developing agriculture as a bio-based energy source.

EVENT: The New Bioeconomy: Opportunities and Roadblocks Symposium and Panel Discussion DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006TIME: 9:10 am to Noon PLACE: Sagamore 3, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis

Using agriculture to produce bioenergy is receiving great attention throughout the U.S., especially as fuel prices soar. Production of bioenergy has the potential to provide growers with an additional source of income, reduce farm subsidies, expand the rural industrial base, and reduce reliance on increasingly scarce fossil fuels. Many agree that agriculture has a role in addressing the nation's projected energy problems, but it's not without its own set of issues. The agricultural and forestry sectors will be tapped for its resources, but questions arise regarding the production capacities of these sectors given existing food, feed, fiber, and export demands. The symposium and panel discussion seeks to also answer questions related to the economic and environmental impacts of producing bioenergy on a large scale. According to symposium organizer Victor Lechtenberg, Vice Provost for Engagement, Purdue University, innovative tools and management practices from the academic and industry sectors working together are needed to support and guide the future direction of developing agriculture as a significant source for the new bioeconomy.

One of the panelists, Dr. Stephen Myers, will report on how The Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center seeks to integrate academia and industry towards development of renewable specialty chemicals, polymers/plastics and advanced materials. The Center is a new research alliance that leverages industry involvement with extensive core research commercialization capabilities at Battelle and The Ohio State University as well as strong linkages with associated DOE and USDA National Labs.

For a full list of panelists and their presentation abstracts, go to: http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2006am/techprogram/S3008.HTM

Members of the media are invited to attend the presentations and panel discussion, as well as the Annual Meetings' full scientific program. The Annual Meetings are held Nov. 12-16 in Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center. Thousands of scientists from around the world will be in attendance, presenting papers on such topics as climate change, urban planning, crop production, hazardous waste, human health, bioenergy, and more. For more information, and to view the exciting program, including searching for sessions by keyword, author, and affiliation is online at: http://www.acsmeetings.org.