Agricenter positioned to make agriprogress

The Commercial Appeal
January 10, 2007
Guest Column

Bio info: Steven J. Bares is executive director and president of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation. He also serves on the board of directors of Agricenter International.

Thanks to the Shelby County Commission, Shelby Farms is protected from unwanted residential and commercial development for at least 50 years.

This is wonderful news for those of us who appreciate the area for its natural beauty and recreational uses, as well as the environmental research opportunities it presents. The 50-year easement approved in December will be a key part of developing a master plan for the future of Shelby Farms.

Part of that master plan includes Agricenter International. Formed almost 25 years ago, the Agricenter was originally designed as an urban farm and research test facility with a mission to attract and grow agricultural jobs in the area. Agriculture has gone through tough times since then, forcing the Agricenter to look at other ways to contribute to the local economy and to reach financial sustainability.

Over the next 20 years, the science of agriculture will change dramatically and become intertwined with other biotechnology and bioscience disciplines to form whole new industries and distribution channels for agricultural products and technology.

For example, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, at the other end of the state, is actively investing in new agricultural technologies, even competing for a $125 million federal grant to create new approaches for biomass that must ultimately be deployed in West Tennessee.

We see the beginnings of this agricultural revolution in new biofuels plants that are just coming to Memphis, taking advantage of the region's favorable inbound and outbound logistics, low-cost chemical manufacturing capacity and the Delta's fertile farmland.

Agricenter International sits on 1,000 acres, with approximately 700 acres of viable research land and capabilities for traditional agriculture, aquaculture, agroforestry and environmental research.

Located adjacent to a 700-acre wildlife refuge and river, and within a fast-growing urban area, the center is uniquely positioned to resume its original mission.

Just as the easement means long-term planning can proceed for the park areas of Shelby Farms, it also places Agricenter in a position to plan for the future. I believe this kind of planning is not only well within the spirit of the easement designation, but is perhaps the most important part of the opportunity that the easement creates.

Traditional research at the Agricenter focuses on cotton and soybeans, commodity products deeply rooted in the Memphis region. Looking forward, product development at the Agricenter has the potential to be engaged in key growth areas. Those areas include new seed development in food and nonfood products (including biofuels) and new research and equipment for pilot production techniques in biomass, plant-based pharmaceutical intermediates, organic farming and value-added agricultural products that improve the ability of farmers to compete.

We should position the center as integral to teaching farmers new products, techniques and approaches that will increase the profitability of their local operations.

The Agricenter also is ideal for studying the environmental impact of agriculture biotechnologies in a controlled environment. By partnering with local universities, we can offer practical research in ascertaining how new technologies react in an urban setting, the effects of new technologies on the land and waterways and how to best balance biomass growth with environmental needs.

Issues related to river channelization, invasive species, biodiversity and clean water can be analyzed in relation to both an urban and agricultural environment. If utilized correctly, work at the Agricenter will not only ensure Shelby Farms is protected from environmental threats for decades, but we can apply what we learn to the protection of natural resources in our entire region.

The Agricenter also has tremendous potential to become a champion of local food production. Programs that illustrate localized food marketing would boost local food production and teach area farmers how to increase margins through better distribution channels.

The Farmers Market is an example of an economic distribution channel at work. Why should our local farmers send their products to distributors in other states to then be shipped back to consumers in Tennessee, when it is much more cost-effective and profitable to sell locally?

In a broader sense, the Agricenter could serve as the focal point for fostering regional partnerships with corporations, with universities and with Oak Ridge, developing a comprehensive regional strategy, and creating a portfolio of intellectual property.

By leading the charge for the strategic growth of a new agriculture-based economy and new biomass needs, Agricenter International will become a vital source for information, jobs and technology in the years to come -- and a fitting tribute to the preservation of the land on which it sits.

About Guest Columnist
The Commercial Appeal regularly features guest columnists from the Greater Memphis community and elsewhere.