By JANE HOUIN
Ohio Correspondent

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Bioproducts are commercial and industrial materials than can be made from agricultural products, rather than petroleum.

The Ohio Agriculture to Chemicals, Polymers and Advanced Materials Task Force, also known as the Bioproducts Task Force, is charged with developing strategies for the state to become a leader in this new industry. The task force was created by House Bill 233, which went into effect Feb. 14.

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher is a member of the task force as the director of the Ohio Department of Development.

“Never before in our history has a commitment to renewable energy been as important, or as necessary,” Fisher said. “This task force and its recommendations illustrate that Ohio’s economic sustainability is at the intersection of our historic agricultural strengths, our burgeoning advanced materials industry, and our innovative entrepreneurial community.”

The Ohio Department of Agriculture chaired the Bioproducts Task Force. Other task force members included the Ohio Department of Development, the governor’s energy advisor, state lawmakers, representatives of Ohio’s agricultural, chemical and polymer industries, and the Ohio Bioproducts Innovation Center.

Since its first meeting in February, the task force received more
than 40 suggestions from industry experts and stakeholders from across Ohio. Based upon its findings, the task force unanimously approved 11 key recommendations.

Among those proposals is the creation of an Agbioproducts Technology Center to facilitate greater statewide coordination in developing Ohio’s bioproducts industry.

The report also recommends improving the understanding of market potential by conducting an in-depth analysis of the input and output of Ohio’s existing chemical and polymer companies, as well as a study of the technological and economic feasibility of producing bioproducts.

Additionally the report supports the expansion of Ohio’s capacity to refine the materials needed to grow the bioproducts market as well as increasing Ohio’s support for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

With it’s creation, the task force was charged with providing and overview of the agriculture industry and specialty chemicals and polymer industry in Ohio as well as describing the conditions of and trends in those industries in Ohio. The task force is to identify and describe potential alignments between those industries and advise the General Assembly for ways to expand those industries in Ohio.
After the submission of its report, the task force will be disbanded.

The task force report is online at www.ohioagriculture.com