Corn grown in Nebraska can become food packaging or material for a 3D printer. In Blair, that journey from agriculture to advanced manufacturing is already happening—and it helps illustrate the opportunity across the AgWorks Corridor.
Blair’s Bio Campus brings together Cargill, NatureWorks, Corbion, Novonesis, Evonik, and Veramaris. For Mike Rooks, executive director of Gateway Development Corporation, that established concentration of companies is central to the region’s appeal.
“Having these companies together creates opportunities for shared infrastructure, partnerships, and future growth,” Rooks said. “It’s also a major advantage when we’re working with companies looking at Nebraska for their next investment.”
NatureWorks offers a tangible example. The company turns corn-based sugars into bioplastics used in applications including packaging and 3D printing.
“Corn grown right here in Nebraska can end up being used in products all over the world,” Rooks said. “It really shows how agriculture and manufacturing work together.”
That connection reflects the purpose of the AgWorks Corridor, which links agricultural resources, industry, infrastructure, and innovation across the Greater Lincoln–Omaha region. Blair demonstrates how those strengths can come together to turn agricultural products into higher-value materials.
The benefits extend beyond the campus. According to Rooks, farmers travel from more than 100 miles away to deliver corn to Cargill, creating a consistent market that supports agriculture across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Campus employers provide careers in manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, and other skilled fields, while supporting contractors, trucking companies, restaurants, and local services.
Supporting that activity also means investing in the surrounding community.
“One thing we continue to focus on at Gateway is making sure we have the housing, workforce, and infrastructure needed to support these companies,” Rooks said. “We want the people working in Blair to have the opportunity to live here as well.”
Looking ahead, Rooks sees opportunities to build on the campus’s existing capabilities. Gateway is working on additional industrial sites and a rail yard project to help Blair compete for future investment.
Agricultural manufacturing is also expanding beyond the campus. Calcium Products’ planned $100 million investment in two production facilities in Blair South Industrial Park adds another dimension to the community’s industrial growth.
For the AgWorks Corridor, Blair offers both an established example of Nebraska’s bioeconomy and a foundation for its next chapter: companies, agricultural inputs, infrastructure, and people already working together.
“I think the exciting part is that we’re not starting from scratch,” Rooks said. “We already have a successful Bio Campus with companies that have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Blair, and we’re continuing to see opportunities for growth.”