Ag Entrepreneurship Education Project Updates

Project Title:  Biobased Industries Development and Outreach  Round 3 (2005)

Project Leader (s):   Greg Wise, Greg Lawless

Project Collaborators:  Will Hughes and Perry Brown (DATCP)

Project Category:   Outreach/Education

Situation:  Wisconsin’s diverse agriculture and forestry base along with its strong university research capacity in biological and chemical engineering positions the state well for future development of biorefining industries.  Biorefining uses fermentation, enzymatic processes and other technologies to produce from biomass an array of products: energy, fuels, chemicals and materials.  Shifting from petroleum based products and production systems to biobased systems is an emerging trend in economic development with  many commercialization opportunities coming forward both the near and long term.   Wisconsin has not coordinated or focused its resources into a strategic framework to be a national leader in this area.   It is critical that Extension and UW shape its role in this arena and participate in delivering on its mission in economic development through related research and educational efforts. 

Response: This proposal is to inventory the resources from UW that apply to biobased industry development, and then to incorporate training and outreach to extension agents, resource and conservation development organizations, ag innovation counselors and select ag/forestry groups about the opportunities for agriculture and forestry land owners and for rural communities who have strong economic development efforts underway. 

Expected Outcomes:  (1) Develop a navigation framework for existing and new databases for key UW resources (personnel, programs and projects) that relate to biobased industry development.  (2) Incorporate this University bio-industry navigation system into the agriculture innovation center website with linkages to the Wisconsin Entrepreneur’s Network.  (3) Conduct a series of in-service training workshops in 2005-06 on biobased industry opportunities and challenges.

Planned activities: 

• Identify faculty, staff, departments, programs, and projects that have biobased industry development applicability.  Summer 2005
• Compile this list into a navigation tool of searchable databases for incorporation in the Ag Innovation Center website with linkages to WEN.  September, October 2005
• Use Ag Innovation Counselors to provide input for the development of an in-service training  biobased industry opportunities and challenges to key target groups.  Fall 2005
• Offer training to 4 target groups: Ag innovation counselors,  UW extension and WTCS staff,  RC&D agency staff, and selected ag groups such as Badger AgVest.  The training would have two components; 1) an opportunity scan and 2) unique project management approaches to biobased industry projects.
• Plan and develop an outreach and education program on biobased opportunities and challenges for fall and winter 2006-07 at local sites statewide.

Results:  Interviews have been held with key stakeholders (DATCP, Governor’s Bio-Industry Consortium consultants, project team leaders) to narrow the range of expertise potentially to be catalogued.  Key decisions about a simple “non-qualitative” database versus a database that provides second and third cut details on the value of University resources is being considered.  It is also apparent that the development of a single, new database is not feasible and may not even be desirable.  The project team is now featuring the concept of a navigational guide that provides qualitative support for using the myriad of existing databases to access University expertise in the bio-industry arena.  An initial version of the guide and beta testing its usefulness is planned for late winter.

Evidence:  Thus far not enough activity has transpired to be evaluated.  Evaluation will be twofold: 1) ag innovation counselors will be surveyed related to the value and usefulness of the searchable database since they are envisioned to be at the front lines providing education and outreach work in biobased industry projects; 2) all in-service trainees will be surveyed as to the value and usefulness of the training. We will further track results of any project work on the WEN/AIC tracking system.  This project will also help prepare Extension for a major role in state biobased initiatives in terms of coordinating and focusing our faculty, staff, programs and projects.