The West Central area has begun focusing on the development of manufacturing capacity using renewable materials, a recommendation from the Renewable Materials Vision Document. Economic development professionals from the area are leading the charge to help navigate the significant plastic manufacturing capacity that is already well established using traditional polymers. A group known as the West Central Minnesota Renewable Materials Coalition has been formed to support the effort. Several businesses in the Fergus Falls area are interested in the application of renewable materials and have invested in research to determine its viability in part by collaborating with Nature Works, a subsidiary of Cargill. BBAM has begun to create relationships with the public, private, and academic institutions that can provide resources to manufacturers, including product testing and development, resin providers, and downstream users, and potential funders.
The Minnesota Life Science Community is an overview of the major components that are critical to creating and maintaining a successful bioscience (science and technology OR knowledge-based) economy.
