New
soybean institute anticipates innovative possibilities
Sean Comstock, posted Oct. 18, 2006
U.S. senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent were in attendance at
the ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 1 for the newly developed
National Center for Soybean Biotechnology located in the Agriculture
building.
The facility was created as a “multi-disciplinary program
to improve soybeans through innovative biotechnology and genomic
approaches,” said Dean of Agriculture Thomas Payne.
A near $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation
along with federal funding raised by Bond and Talent financed
the project.
Bond took a moment to comment on the Tiger’s undefeated
season before discussing what he refers to as, “an ambitious,
forward-looking vision.” Bond commented on what seemed
to be a running theme throughout the conference, the successful
partnership between researchers, scientists and everyone who
brought the center to light. “Many lives will be touched
and changed by the actions here today,” said Bond who
is also responsible for the previous $2 million that was raised
to finance the construction of the Life Sciences Center.
The development of the NCSB counted as a big win for Talent
and his administration’s efforts for further research
into bio-fuels. Known as the “father of bio-fuels,”
Talent expressed the need for soybean research to manage disease,
end poverty and obtain energy independence. “The same
people growing our food are the same people producing our
fuel,” said Talent.
The NCSB recruited 40 established scientists from 11 disciples
and three institutions along with developing partnerships
with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis
and the USDA-ARS Plant Genetics Unit in Columbia. These developments
were made in hopes of broadening the cutting-edge research
and developmental progress throughout the U.S. The NCSB is
also expected to boost enrollment in CAFNR with more modern
bioengineering degrees at the primary undergraduate and graduate
student level.
Graduates will be equipped to apply knowledge acquired at
the center to any aspect of soybean research, production or
industrial application. The education they receive here will
lead to future breakthroughs in soybean biotechnology according
to the NCSB pamphlet.
Recent technological advancements in the soybean industry
have prompted advances like this center in an attempt to improve
the profitability of soybean production for U.S. farmers by
enhancing yield, pest and pathogen resistance, abiotic stress
tolerance and value-added traits.
Former Mizzou graduate and farmer of 266 acres of soybeans,
Congressman Kenny Hulshof of the Powerful Ways and Means Committee,
stressed the importance of attracting world-class minds to
further advancements in this valuable field. Hulshof thanked
Bond and Talent for being so involved in the production of
the facilities. As Hulshof reminisced about taking classes
30 years ago, less than 100 feet from where he was speaking,
he said, “Today’s soybean is not the soybean my
father planted.”
