Ames, Iowa
March 16, 2009
Lawrence Johnson,
Iowa State University
professor of food science and human nutrition, has been named
director of the BioCentury Research Farm, a biorenewables
production and processing research facility under construction
west of Ames.
“I am excited about this opportunity to help our faculty,
producers and industry make this revolution in agriculture a
reality that’s for the good of all Iowans,” Johnson said. “We
must meet consumer and producer needs for energy with
sustainable technologies to preserve our soils and water
resources. Iowa State’s BioCentury Research Farm will provide
unprecedented capabilities to develop improved crops and
agronomic practices, more efficient harvesting, storing and
transporting technologies, and advanced conversion processes.”
The BioCentury Research Farm, formerly called the New Century
Farm in initial planning, is under development as part of ISU’s
Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm west of
Ames. Johnson, who has been involved in the planning and
development of the facility, praised the central location for
crop production and processing and the goal of considering
systems integration before research is undertaken.
“Iowa State’s BioCentury Research Farm will be the world’s first
fully integrated biomass production farm and processing
facility,” said Johnson. “It’s a place where ISU faculty and
industry can partner to develop advanced biorenewable fuels,
biobased products and industrial chemicals from grain,
agricultural residues and cellulosic crops as feedstocks. These
new tools will make Iowa State the best place to carry out
research and development focused on advancing biorefineries and
Iowa the most logical location to grow the crops and to place
new processing plants.”
The BioCentury Research Farm is scheduled to begin processing
operations this summer. ISU research on biomass crop production
has been ongoing and will be expanded this year. Buildings for
field equipment development, storage and processing also are
under development at the site.
Johnson has extensive research and administrative experience.
For more than 20 years, he has led ISU’s Center for Crops
Utilization Research, which develops or improves commercial and
industrial uses for corn and soybeans. He holds 12 patents,
alone and with other researchers, covering food and industrial
technologies. Last month, he shared the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences Team Award for leading a group that developed
new and environmentally friendly technologies that use water and
enzymes to extract oil for food or biodiesel uses. |
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