A bipartisan bill recently proposed by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) aims to help create new markets, increase demand for farm products, and spur job creation in rural America by improving the biobased markets program.
“For too long, we’ve allowed China and other foreign nations to eat our lunch in biomanufacturing,” Sen. Ernst said on Aug. 7. “As leaders in corn and soybean production, Iowa’s farmers are uniquely positioned to supply the ag feedstocks used to make biobased products and play a key role in reshoring valuable manufacturing jobs.”
“I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to reduce our reliance on our adversaries while supporting our farmers and jobs in Iowa,” she added.
The senator on Aug. 1 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act of 2025, S. 2654, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) to expand domestic manufacturing of renewable, biobased products, which are materials made from agricultural commodities like corn and soybeans.
If enacted, S. 2654 specifically would bolster the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) BioPreferred Program, which promotes the use of American-made biobased products as sustainable alternatives to conventional, petroleum-derived materials such as plastic.
By doing so, the bill would support innovation in rural communities, expand economic opportunities for farmers, and reduce dependence on foreign-made products, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Ernst’s office.
“Forces beyond a farmer’s control often make reaching new markets difficult,” said Sen. Slotkin. “Our bill works to strengthen USDA’s programs around biobased products so that we support our farmers and improve their ability to sell their products to biobased producers.”
The Plant Based Products Council, the Corn Refiners Association, and the Ag Bioeconomy Coalition endorsed the measure, which has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.