Pillen and leaders tout Nebraska BioEconomy Initiative as key to future economy

KEARNEY, Neb. — Nebraska’s leaders believe a new economy is taking shape and it’s putting agriculture in front.

In fact, Gov. Jim Pillen says the BioEconomy is the economy. State officials say it means “exploring how the state can feed the world and fuel the future, while contributing to a cleaner environment.”

Pillen made the Nebraska BioEconomy Initiative a focal point of his Ag and Economic Development Summit in Kearney this month. Julie Bushell leads the initiative.

“It means that it is Nebraska’s time to put our name on the map. It is our time to give agriculture the power in the market," Bushell said. "By that, I mean getting out of commodity agriculture and adding value to all of our products.”

“It’s the first time we’ve ever seen the general consumer, the millennials, look for bio-based products," Bushell said. "We need to connect them to how and where it came from. It is our time to tell the story.”

Pillen and Bushell champion the fact the state already has 24 ethanol plants. Now, they say it’s time to move to the second generation of that type of economic growth.

They point to projects under construction like a $750 million fertilizer plant in Gothenburg and a $600 million renewable diesel plant in Hastings.

Just this month, the state partnered to announce a sustainable aviation plant coming to Phelps County that will supply 650 jobs and a $307 million climate pollution reduction grant from the EPA.

Bushell says the next step is to tell Nebraska’s story in an effort to secure more projects.