Multiagency plan aims to boost biotechnology workforce

Biomanufacturing is the latest emerging technology industry the Biden administration intends to grow in the U.S., with officials unveiling a new action plan Tuesday that aims to jumpstart a domestic bioeconomy through workforce development and federal programming.

The plan was co-authored by several offices, including the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Domestic Policy Council, the National Science Foundation and the departments of Commerce, Labor, and Education. 

It emphasizes growing a strong talent pipeline to fill anticipated biomanufacturing jobs, along with other core recommendations like education and curricula development and sector collaborations.

“This initiative aims to ensure that cutting-edge products resulting from biotechnology invented in the United States are manufactured in the United States,” the report reads. “By doing so, we will create jobs at home, build stronger supply chains and lower prices for American families.”

Goals from the biotechnology infrastructure plan will be executed by the groups that coauthored the strategy over the coming years, the report says. A progress report will be submitted to the president in the next two years.

Some of the focus sectors that biomanufacturing stands to impact range from agricultural production of food and biomass substances to chemicals and DNA technology. To help cultivate the talent and job growth in these fields and more, the strategy notes that consistent and robust funding will be critical to success.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order in September of last year to help facilitate the development of a stronger biotechnology sector in the U.S.