ILLINOIS-MISSOURI BIOTECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: SPECIAL GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0187908
• Grant No.: 2001-34346-10586
• Project No.: ILLU-483-615-T
• Proposal No.: 2001-03114
• Project Start Date: Aug 1, 2001
• Project End Date: Jul 31, 2004
• Grant Year: 2001

Project Director
Pueppke, S. G.

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
2001 S. Lincoln Ave.
URBANA,IL 61801

Performing Department
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

100%

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
502	1510	1080	25%
502	1820	1080	25%
604	1510	3010	25%
604	1820	3010	25%

Knowledge Area
502 - New and Improved Food Products; 604 - Marketing and Distribution Practices;

Subject Of Investigation
1510 - Corn; 1820 - Soybean;

Field Of Science
1080 - Genetics; 3010 - Economics;

Keywords

corn

soybeans

biotechnology

crop production

food processing

food marketing

natural resources

product improvement

plant genetics

agricultural economics

food quality

food safety

production costs

cost reduction

environmental impact

resource management

economic impact

social impact

social economics

consumer attitudes

conflicts

Goals / Objectives
The Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance (IMBA) enhances the profitability of the American agriculture and food sector by improving the quality, safety, and affordability of agricultural and food products. Research under the Enhanced Profitability Program seeks to: (1) Develop new and improved uses for corn and soybeans; (2) Increase the value of these crops as raw materal for manufacturing; (3) Lower the cost of producing, processing, and utilizing these products; (4) Maximize positive and minimize negative impacts of the corn and soybean industries on the environment; and (5) Conserve nonrenewable resources that are consumed by the corn and soybean industries. The second IMBA objective is to maximize the benefits of agricultural biotechnology for the domestic agricultural and food sectors and ultimately the American public. The Socioeconomic Research Program seeks to: (1) Anticipate and understand the economic and socal impacts of agricultural biotechnology; (2) Capture as many of these benefits as possible for the American agriculture and food sector, especially that in the Midwest; (3) Define the roles of experts and knowledge systems in resolving social conflicts over agricultural biotechnology; (4) Sort out the economic, organizational, and institutional dimensions of value-enhancement and identity preservation; and (5) Understand and manage agricultural biotechnology risks as perceived by consumers.

Project Methods
This section describes management policies for IMBA and its two subprograms. In both cases, specific research proposals will be solicited from scientists and then evaluated. In general, IMBA will accomplish its objectives by supporting cutting edge, strategically directed research that addresses clearly defined objectives that serve the overall mission of the program. The subject matter scope of IMBA research programs is focused on corn and soybean, but it encompasses all aspects of these industries - production, processing, marketing, utilization, inputs, and support services. Economic and socal issues raised by the application of biotechnology to the agriculture and food sectors are included. IMBA is limited geographically to Illinois, Missouri, and other midwestern states with similar crops, soils, climate, and socio-economic conditions. But it may elect to fund proposals from outside this region when necessary to enlist the best scientific talent to address key issues of programmatic concern. The use of federal funds appropriated for IMBA will be limited to broadly defined biotechnology investigations including those that evaluate the technical, social, and economic potential of materials and systems generated by such investigations. Funds for IMBA that are appropriated as a USDA Special Grant shall be used only to pay the direct costs of research by qualified scientists from nonprofit institutions, as well as any direct costs of administering the program.

Progress 08/01/01 to 07/31/04

Outputs
The broad goal of the Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Alliance is to strengthen the agriculture and food sectors in the American Midwest, especially the improvement of food safety and quality. The Alliance funds investigator-driven research under two subprograms, one aimed at enhancing profitability and one focused on economics and consumer acceptance. Four subprojects under this proposal are currently funded and in progress. These include: Nutritional improvement of corn proteins through biotechnology (William R. Folk, University of Missouri); Persistence of toxicity of Bt toxin with transgenic corn resistant to corn rootworm (Michelle M. Wander and Nirmala Gunapala, University of Illinois); Improving efficiency and minimizing adverse selections in seed production contracts (Jay P. Kesan, University of Illinois); and What have we learned about consumers and gene modified foods? An evaluation of social science research methodologies and results (Sandy Rikoon and Christine Poulos, University of Missouri).

Impacts
The Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance (IMBA) is a joint program of the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri and is funded by a Congressional Special Grant administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of IMBA is to fund biotechnology research that is an integral part of a Research and Development (R&D) program directed at expanding the volume of profitable businesses in the United States (U.S.) food and agricultural sector. Initially, the IMBA program was limited in scope to corn and soybeans. However, the scope of IMBA interest now encompasses all concepts of these industries including production, processing, marketing, utilization, inputs and support services, as well as economic, social, environmental, and natural resource concerns. The geographical focus of IMBA is Illinois and Missouri along with other Midwestern states having similar crops, soils, climate, and socio-economic conditions.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03

Outputs
The broad goal of the Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Alliance is to strengthen the agriculture and food sectors in the American Midwest, especially the improvement of food safety and quality. The Alliance funds investigator-driven research under two subprograms, one aimed at enhancing profitability and one focused on economics and consumer acceptance. The Enhanced Profitability Program specifically seeks to identify new and improved uses for crops and materials that can be manufactured from them. The Socioeconomic Research Program seeks to anticipate and understand the economic and social impacts of agricultural biotechnology and capture as many of the benefits as possible for the American agricultural sector. Specific objectives that fall within the above categories are identified annually by an Executive Board, and grants are awarded to individual investigators following peer review of proposals. Research publications and outcomes are reported individually by principal investigators. For additional information on the Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance please consult our website at www.imba.missouri.edu.

Impacts
The Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance (IMBA) is a joint program of the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri and is funded by a Congressional Special Grant administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of IMBA is to fund biotechnology research that is an integral part of a Research and Development (R&D) program directed at expanding the volume of profitable businesses in the United States (U.S.) food and agricultural sector. Initially, the IMBA program was limited in scope to corn and soybeans. However, the scope of IMBA interest now encompasses all concepts of these industries including production, processing, marketing, utilization, inputs and support services, as well as economic, social, environmental, and natural resource concerns. The geographical focus of IMBA is Illinois and Missouri along with other Midwestern states having similar crops, soils, climate, and socio-economic conditions.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02

Outputs
The broad goal of the Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Alliance is to strengthen the agriculture and food sectors in the American Midwest, especially the improvement of food safety and quality. The Alliance funds investigator-driven research under two subprograms, one aimed at enhancing profitability and one focused on economics and consumer acceptance. The Enhanced Profitability Program specifically seeks to identify new and improved uses for crops and materials that can be manufactured from them. The Socioeconomic Research Program seeks to anticipate and understand the economic and social impacts of agricultural biotechnology and capture as many of the benefits as possible for the American agricultural sector. Specific objectives that fall within the above categories are identified annually by an Executive Board, and grants are awarded to individual investigators following peer review of proposals. Research publications and outcomes are reported individually by principal investigators. For additional information on the Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance please consult our website at www.imba.missouri.edu

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 12/31/00 to 12/31/01

Outputs
The Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance (IMBA) seeks to enhance the Midwestern food and agriculture sectors by improving the quality and safety of its products. This is done by funding investigator-driven research under two subprograms. The Enhanced Profitability Program seeks to identify new and improved uses for corn, soybeans, and other crops and products that can be manufactured from them. Lowering the cost of production while minimizing environmental impacts and conserving nonrenewable resources are important subgoals. The Socioeconomic Research Program seeks to anticipate and understand the economic and social impacts of agricultural biotechnology, capture as many of the benefits as possible for the American agriculture sector, and understand and respond to consumer perceptions of biotechnological risk. Specific objectives that fall within the above categories are identified annually by an Executive Board, and grants are awarded to Principal Investigators following peer review of proposals, as described in the IMBA program description. Research publications and outcomes are reported by Principal Investigators.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• No publications reported this period