BioP2P Staff
The U.S. bioeconomy is expected to grow to $30 trillion in the next two decades from about $1 trillion today, but to realize its potential it is critical that the nation address a lack of standards for biomanufacturing, according to Congressman Jake Auchincloss, D-Massachusetts.
In an interview with the Federation of American Scientists, Auchincloss said “standardization will help advance industrial biomanufacturing, create a more resilient and dynamic supply chain, and establish a durable, competitive U.S. bioeconomy. In turn, strengthening the U.S. bioeconomy will improve Americans’ well-being, promote well-paying jobs, and create a competitive and advantageous U.S. science and technology enterprise to achieve our national and societal goals.”
In March, Auchincloss and other Congressional representatives sent a letter to Laurie Locasio, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to stress that it was imperative for NIST to prioritize establishing standards within the U.S. Bioeconomy. He laid out several steps for NIST to take including a landscape analysis; engaging stakeholders from industry, academia, and government; and taking other steps to engage the community in a process to establish standards.
Auchincloss told the Federation of American Scientist that he’d like to see standardization, or at least the start of it, within the next year.
He also touched on various other steps need to bolster the bioeconomy including expanding productive capacity, funding for R&D, workforce development, and tax credits for R&D.
“I am working towards legislation that advances all of these different components to strengthen and secure the U.S. bioeconomy,” he said.
Read the full interview here.