The next farm bill offers an opportunity to examine innovation’s influence on the resiliency of our economy in the face of global challenges, BIO wrote in a statement for the record to the Senate Agriculture Committee's Nov. 15 hearing on energy and rural development programs in the 2023 farm bill, featuring BIO Agriculture and Environment Section Governing Board member Christophe Schilling, Founder and CEO of Geno, as a witness.   “A farm bill centered on innovation stands to incentivize the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and practices, resulting in benefits to the environment and rural economies,” said Beth Ellikidis, BIO’s vice president of agriculture and environment. “Further, supporting biobased technologies, such as sustainable fuels, renewable chemicals and biobased manufacturing, is crucial to agriculture being part of the solution to protecting our climate and fostering energy security.”   The farm bill energy title can build on the Executive Order on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, issued by the White House in September, to “catalyze domestic biomanufacturing,” BIO added.   Specific recommendations in BIO’s statement include the following:   BIO recommends the next farm strengthen the BioPreferred® program with significant mandatory funding and enforceable procurement requirements. The Biobased Markets Program or BioPreferred® directs federal agencies to increase purchases and use of renewable chemicals and biobased products.   BIO urges the committee to work with USDA and the Office of Management and Budget to update North American Industry Classification System codes for renewable chemical manufacturers and producers of biobased products.   Dr. Schilling of Geno also testified to the importance of strengthening the BioPreferred program to “meet its goals of spurring economic development, creating new manufacturing jobs and providing new markets for farm commodities.” Dr. Schilling also…

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is pleased to announce that Beth Ellikidis has joined BIO as Vice President, Agriculture and Environment. In her role, Beth will lead the policy and market access strategies for BIO’s Agriculture and Environment section, which includes member companies developing and producing breakthrough technologies in food and agriculture, biobased manufacturing and renewable energy.   “Beth brings to BIO a blend of public policy expertise across the agriculture and health care sectors,” said Rachel King, interim president and CEO of BIO. “Beth’s leadership will be instrumental as we continue to promote new solutions by companies that are working to address all the critical issues we face, from food safety and security to animal health, climate change, and soil and water conservation.”   Beth comes to BIO from the animal health company Zoetis, where she has been head of U.S. public affairs for almost six years. She previously directed public policy for ethanol, energy and renewable products at the National Corn Growers Association and headed up legislative affairs and political advocacy for the National Grain and Feed Association. She was previously legislative director for Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) and legislative assistant for Reps. John Salazar (D-Colo.) and Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.). Beth earned her master’s degree in political management from the George Washington University, a certificate in global business from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in government and international politics from George Mason University. Beth grew up on a dairy farm in central Virginia that her father still operates today.   “I’m excited to join BIO, an organization that recognizes the importance of agricultural innovation both today and in our future,” said Beth Ellikidis. “BIO is uniquely positioned to open doors to policy makers, and I’m honored to be part of its work to grow trust in biotechnology and…