Association Addresses National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology

 The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology hosted a meeting in conjunction with BEAM Circular at UC Merced this past week, and Association President/CEO Roger A. Isom was there to address the group and plead for solutions to the State’s growing biomass problem. Isom was part of a key Agriculture Roundtable led by CDFA Undersecretary Christine Birdsong, Joining Isom and Birdsong on the panel were Peter Ansel, California Farm Bureau Federation; Christine Gemperle, Gemperle Orchards; Lisandra Vitorino, California Dairy Campaign; and Dr. Joshua Viers, UC Merced. Isom highlighted the current plight by pointing out the state had more than 40 biomass plants operating at one time. Now there is only one in the San Joaquin Valley, and due to the implementation of SGMA, low commodity prices and the elimination of funds to chip and incorporate biomass materials back into the ground, the problem is exponentially greater now. Isom commented “We have met with more than 50 different biotechnology companies working to resolve the biomass issue and we can’t get any of them to the finish line and become operational at any significant level. We need viable solutions, and we need them yesterday!”