"For generations, American farms have powered the country's food, feed, and fuel. Now, crops like corn and soybeans are at the core of homegrown industrial innovation. From adhesives and cleaners to renewable fuels, manufacturers are finding new uses for agricultural inputs in place of traditional materials. The crops themselves haven't changed, butthey're now entering new value chains and reaching industries they haven't historically served."
"Biomanufacturing uses tools like fermentation, molecular science, and biotechnology to convert plants and other living organisms into industrial materials. The results are already embedded in daily life, in packaging, construction materials, personal care products, and more. For example, dextrose made from corn can replace formaldehyde in insulation, reducing indoor emissions. Corn-derived adhesives are being used in cardboard packaging to replace petroleum-based glue."
"Across the U.S., fast-growing infrastructure is supporting the production of biobased materials like these at commercial scale. New and retrofitted facilities are turning crops into renewable materials, supported by advancements in digital traceability, logistics, and science that link farms to industrial sectors they've never served before. Three forces are accelerating this growth: Scientific advances in fermentation, stronger demand for U.S.-based supply chains, and federal investment in domestic production."
Agricultural crops such as corn and soybeans are being used as feedstocks for industrial materials, replacing traditional petroleum-based inputs. Manufacturers are adopting crop-based inputs for adhesives, cleaners, renewable fuels, insulation components, and packaging. Biomanufacturing applies fermentation, molecular science, and biotechnology to convert plants and organisms into commercial materials. Growing infrastructure across the U.S. — including new and retrofitted facilities, logistics, and digital traceability — enables commercial-scale production. Scientific advances in fermentation, rising demand for U.S.-based supply chains, and federal investment are accelerating deployment. These trends expand farm-to-industry linkages and create new value chains without changing the crops themselves.
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