Despite producing some of the nation's most abundant agricultural resources, rural communities across Iowa and Nebraska have limited opportunities to convert that production into higher-value products and manufacturing jobs. As a result, they capture only a fraction of the economic value generated by their agricultural production.

The NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine in Iowa and Nebraska, led by Iowa State University, is advancing the development and commercialization of biomanufacturing technologies that convert crops and agricultural byproducts into pharmaceuticals, biologics, and industrial materials.

Home to one of the nation's most productive agricultural economies, Iowa and Nebraska offer a strong base of agricultural scale, fermentation expertise, major bioprocessing facilities, and research institutions. By advancing fermentation and biomass conversion, host-organism engineering, and AI-guided bioprocessing, the NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine is positioned to strengthen U.S. domestic manufacturing capacity across essential products and industries, while building the workforce, entrepreneurial support, and commercialization pathways needed to translate regional strengths into durable economic opportunity.