CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) — Parkland College will host the inaugural Biomanufacturing Summit on Wednesday, March 11, at its AGCO Training Center, bringing together more than 300 industry leaders, policymakers and innovators to explore the future of precision fermentation and domestic manufacturing.

The summit, organized by iFAB Tech Hub, is strategically aligned with the 7th Annual Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week and will focus on the expanding role of biomanufacturing in strengthening national security, boosting economic growth and increasing U.S. production capacity.

Parkland President Pam Lau said hosting the summit reflects the college’s mission to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce through strong employer partnerships and relevant curriculum development.

Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation/Chief Communications Officer Stephanie Stuart, who also serves as Workforce Development Council Lead for iFAB, said Parkland is proud to collaborate with anchor institutions such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and corporate partners to position Central Illinois as a global leader in precision fermentation and biomanufacturing.

Panel discussions throughout the day will address scaling U.S. biomanufacturing facilities, national biotechnology priorities, sustainable food ingredient production, commercial product development and workforce pipeline strategies.

Fireside chats will feature several state and national leaders, including Nikki Budzinski, Deputy Governor Andy Manar, Mark Denzler of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Colin Graves of ADM, and Elizabeth Gichana of the Illinois Economic Development Corporation.

As part of AgTech Week, Parkland will also host a free AgTech Showcase on Thursday, March 12, offering hands-on experiences for high school students interested in agriculture and diesel technology programs.

More information and a full summit agenda are available at ifabtechhub.org and parkland.edu.