Trade group plans to advocate for pharmaceutical, renewable fuel sectors
The Iowa Biotechnology Association (IowaBio) has announced its 2025 legislative priorities. IowaBio is a nonprofit trade association with more than 100 members statewide that aims to unify Iowa’s bioscience industry, academic research institutions and economic development organizations.
IowaBio’s priorities for the 2025 legislative session fall into four categories: economic development, pharmaceuticals and public health, renewable fuels, and the bioscience talent pipeline.
The association’s priorities in the economic development area include advocating for bioscience-related tax credits and economic development programs, incentives to support biotechnology startups and early-stage companies, and the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program and biofuels tax credits.
IowaBio’s efforts around pharmaceuticals will focus on patient access and affordability, public health and vaccines and animal health. Priorities include supporting patient access and affordability legislation to ensure all amounts paid on behalf of a patient count toward their out-of-pocket costs, “science-backed” immunization policy and opposing additional exceptions to Iowa’s law requiring childhood vaccinations and funding for animal vaccines.
Carbon capture and sequestration methods, including pipelines and regenerative and sustainable farming practices, are supported by IowaBio to help Iowa compete globally and open new markets, the organization said.
IowaBio also supports efforts to ensure that the best crop protection tools are available to farmers as well as efforts to create or expand incentive programs that encourage the use of biological and innovative technologies in agriculture and other bio-based industries.
IowaBio’s efforts in education and workforce initiatives will focus on supporting legislation that funds and enhances STEM workforce attraction, training and retention programs, including STEM internships, STEM Best, Future Ready Iowa and Empower Rural Iowa.