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Bioworks helping to fuel crops for future
By Staff Reports
May 10, 2009
While Memphis has staked its claim as America's Distribution Center (a move that is evolving into America's Aerotropolis), every investor knows that diversification is important.
And Memphis is diversifying in several ways, none more important than the Memphis Bioworks Foundation's efforts.
Among the organization's many efforts, it is spearheading a program that could result in a less fossil fuel-dependant economy.
Coordinated by Memphis Bioworks and funded by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, the 25Farmer Network has farmers throughout West Tennessee planting a variety of alternative crops that could replace petroleum and other fuels for the production of various products.
"These are crops that have never been grown in this area," said Hillary Spain of AgBioworks, which is coordinating the effort for the Bioworks Foundation. "We have several farmers who are ready to go, and others are skeptical. But we hope to expand the number of farmers, the crops and the acreage each season."
The program is an example of the developing "bioeconomy," which is simply the sustainable use of agricultural and forestry products to supply abundant food, biofuels and biobased products -- all of which are increasing in global demand.
The 25Farmer Network is an important effort that could make the Mid-South a leader in the emerging bioeconomy.
Often lost in this era of "Bailout Nation" is the fact that our economy's lifeblood is small business.
Federal surveys show that small businesses account for 99 percent of all employment, pay 45 percent of private payroll and produce a third of the nation's exports.
So when small business hurts, everyone feels the pain.
But there are not many efforts to bail out small business during this Great Recession.
Now a grassroots campaign has started in an effort to help the little guys.
The 3/50 project encourages customers to patronize three independent shops a month and spend a total of $50 (more would be nice) to ensure their survival.
The campaign's Web site notes that if only half the nation's employed workers participated each month, more than $42 billion in revenue would be generated.
Julie Lansky, a third-generation small business proprietor (grandfather Bernard Lansky and father Hal Lansky are still deeply involved in the business) and buyer for Lansky 126, said the effort to save independent stores is vital.
"It's such a cool idea and it puts a positive spin on all of the negative news that we hear about," Lansky said. "It's exciting because so many independents are getting involved."
For more information on the campaign and a list of participating businesses, visit the350project.net
Sheila Harrell, the FedEx Corp. vice president of customer service operations who was recently named the national customer service executive of the year by the Customer Service Institute of America, is the cover story of the institute's May issue.
When Harrell was named the 2008 award winner last November, she didn't feel right attending the event when corporate travel had been frozen for her employees.
So institute executive director Christine Churchill brought the award to Memphis and presented it in the lobby of the FedEx Customer Information Services building.
Kudos to both Harrell and the CSIA.
The Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com
