Biotechnology is powering the next industrial revolution—not just in pharmaceuticals, but across energy, materials, food, and agriculture. It’s transforming how we make things, replacing fossil fuels and traditional manufacturing with cells and bio-based materials. At the core of this revolution is biomanufacturing: the use of engineered organisms—yeast, algae, bacteria—to produce goods at scale. While often associated with pharma, biomanufacturing today is far broader, reaching into multiple sectors and reshaping supply chains.

The U.S. bioeconomy—which includes agriculture, biotech, and bio-based manufacturing—is already worth an estimated $950 billion. And biomanufacturing is one of its fastest-growing engines. From insulin to jet fuel, sustainable fabrics to animal-free meat, it’s already producing real products, creating real jobs—over 430,000 and counting—and redefining entire industries.

And we’re still early. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2040, biology could generate up to 60% of the world’s physical inputs, representing a $30 trillion global opportunity. But while the U.S. has led in biotech discovery and investment, we’ve underinvested in our ability to scale—and our global competitors are closing the gap.

China, for example, is projected to invest more than $8 billion in biomanufacturing by the end of 2025—not just in R&D but in production capacity, workforce development, and national-scale infrastructure. Meanwhile, much of the U.S. ecosystem still operates at a lab or pilot scale. Many companies must look abroad to bring their innovations to market. That’s a critical vulnerability.

We’ve seen this playbook before. The U.S. led in semiconductor innovation, but let production move offshore—until COVID exposed the fragility of global supply chains. The CHIPS and Science Act was a course correction. Now, we need a similar national commitment for biotechnology.

That’s why the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) report, released yesterday, is so timely. Chaired by Senator Todd Young (R-IN), the bipartisan commission doesn’t just diagnose the challenge—it presents a roadmap. Biotechnology, the report argues, is a cornerstone of U.S. national security, economic strength, and global competitiveness.

We must act on it.

We have the Rust Belt and the Bible Belt—now let’s build a Bio Belt: a nationwide network of regional biomanufacturing hubs. These hubs wouldn’t just drive innovation—they’d power economic renewal, especially in rural and industrial regions. While some jobs will go to scientists and engineers, many more will go to tradespeople, factory workers, and high school graduates trained to run and maintain next-gen biofacilities.

This kind of investment has broad benefits. Biomanufacturing can strengthen domestic supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign petrochemicals, and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. It also has major implications for defense: from advanced wound care and performance materials to battlefield biomanufacturing and logistics. And with China producing more than 80% of the world’s pharmaceutical ingredients, biomanufacturing is also a matter of strategic resilience.

The groundwork has been laid. The National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative launched in 2022. A previous administration convened a White House bioeconomy summit. What we need now is continuity—and urgency.

This is our moment to lead—not just in invention, but in implementation. If we fail to build the capacity to make what we invent, we’ll watch the returns on American innovation flow abroad. But if we act decisively, we can build a resilient, regenerative, and radically American bioeconomy—one that secures our future, grows new industries, and ensures we shape the next industrial revolution.