In the first year of President Biden’s Bioeconomy Executive Order (EO), federal agencies produced key strategy documents and tools, but tough work is ahead, a tracking report finds.
A whole-government approach: The EO involves several agencies in promoting the $950 billion U.S. bioeconomy. It requires coordinated federal R&D funding, streamlined regulation, stronger data-based research, more opportunities for bioenergy and biobased products, and support for education.
What’s been done: According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), key documents have been produced thus far, including:
What’s missing: Foundational elements that should have been put in place earlier, including consensus on how to measure the size of the bioeconomy, as well as a coordinating body to oversee and unite federal agencies’ diverse efforts.
What’s next: The tracking report is a living document. FAS will monitor the progress of the EO and continue to update the document.