For Immediate Release For more information contact: 11/9/2007 Joan Nichols (651-29X-XXXX) NEWS RELEASE Haws Hosts Bioscience Tour in St. Cloud ST. CLOUD, MN – State Representative Larry Haws is hosting a bioscience tour in St. Cloud on Friday, November 9th, where the Senate Business, Industry, and Jobs Committee will join the House Bioscience Committee to tour DCI, Inc.'s facilities and the College of Science & Engineering at the St. Cloud State University.
"Bioscience is an economic development priority in Minnesota," said Haws. "As a member of the House Biosciences & Emerging Technologies Committee, I am well aware of the enormous potential of bioscience-based industries. I welcome opportunities like this tour to meet with stakeholders that include bioscience experts, development leaders, and university members who have an interest in supporting emerging and established biobusiness enterprises statewide."
The biobusiness technology is a young industry in the United States with great potential to motivate states like Minnesota that possess an abundance of technological capabilities to position themselves in this globally competitive industry. Currently, Minnesota's overall biobusiness technology industry is concentrated on medical devices and Research & Development in the life sciences. It's an opportune time to explore emerging technology-related opportunities in the human health and agri-bio/bio-industrial sectors of the economy.
"We are interested in creating and retaining biobusiness jobs in Minnesota, in the private and public sector – including academic research," said Haws. "What we do to encourage and develop this sector of employment will have a profound impact on Minnesota communities like St. Cloud."
The joint committees are touring specific communities and facilities throughout the state, using the tours as an informative guide to help develop recommendations that can be used to direct the state in becoming more competitive in specific areas of biobusiness. These recommendations, based on an understanding of technologies, products and markets that exist in Minnesota, will be brought back to the Capitol and used to draft future legislation to benefit the bioscience industry.
"We are in the midst of a bioscience revolution and it is so profound that over the course of the next 20 years alone, our lives are going to be as greatly impacted as they have been by computers over the past 20 years," said Haws.
