The 2012 Farm Bill cleared the Senate Agriculture Committee this week, and includes Senator Debbie Stabenow’s “Grow It Here, Make It Here” initiative, which will provide bio-based manufacturers access to capital, strengthen market opportunities for bio-based products, and spur commercialization of agricultural innovations.

The initiative will benefit the ag biotech sector by increasing investment in bio-manufacturing processes, such as the production of biofuels, that require inputs of staple crops like corn and soybeans. Additionally, the initiative’s implementation will lead to job creation in the agricultural sector, contributing to economic rejuvenation in several states. Read more.