Mr. Taylor discussed his commitment to the betterment of Georgia through economic development and the creation of jobs. Taylor said, "Agribusiness is still the number one business in the State, 16% of the Gross State Product, and forestry is the largest component of that equation. That is why this Institute is so important, and has meant so much to thousands of Georgians who either make their living in the paper industry or depend on the growing of timber for their savings and their college accounts for their children and grandchildren. It is just such a key part of our economy."

According to the latest figures by the American Forest and Paper Association, forest products are the second most valuable U.S. agricultural product, valued at $22.5 billion, second only to corn. The industry directly employs about 1.7 million people. In the southern United States, one of nine manufacturing jobs can be linked to southern pine forests, from planting to harvesting to the production of forest-based products. In Georgia, more than 24 million acres are planted in commercial pine, and forest products are one of the largest economic drivers in the state.

The growing challenge of a decreasing global competitiveness stems, in part, from competition from subtropical regions of the world, especially South America and Southeast Asia, where warm climates spur the faster growth of trees. "The lower cost, competitive products emerging from these areas are eroding the basic competitiveness of the U.S. industry," says Jim Ferris, president of IPST, who cites the competitive advantages of lower cost of wood and labor, favorable government support, and less environmental regulation in these regions.

Current IPST research is being focused on loblolly pine, a species native to the southeastern U.S. and the dominant softwood timber species in our region. One of the most promising approaches being honed at IPST is somatic embryogenesis of this conifer, which will allow the replication of selected high-value, fast growing trees. Here, scientists are able to duplicate the natural process that occurs in the seed and are able to create multiple copies of superior seedlings, ultimately resulting in the ability to grow more economically competitive timber and fiber. The technique, explains IPST faculty member John Cairney, allows for the rapid germination of thousands of trees from one seed. "Thus, we can replicate all the best qualities of our best trees," he explains.

This intricate process involves numerous steps, ranging from the culture of a seed embryo using plant hormones to germination that will produce a hearty seedling ready for planting in the field.

At present, although the process is time consuming, the benefits are already apparent,
Jerry Pullman, IPST professor of forest biology, says. Researchers now believe this technology can bring faster growing trees to a much smaller land base, which means a lower cost product. Furthermore, the use of less acreage for the pulp and paper industry would enable more land to be used for recreational purposes or environmental set-asides. Lastly, these technologies will ultimately produce more uniform trees, thus increasing their value both in the manufacturing process and for the ultimate customer.

Pullman and others at IPST predict that their research is very close to a break through and believe the large scale, commercial replication of superior, faster growing loblolly pine seedlings is in the foreseeable future. The paper industry, with a wary eye on the steady supply of paper and forest products coming from overseas, hopes they are right. And every forest products employee and southern pine landowner in Georgia has a stake in the outcome of this biotech battle to maintain global competitiveness of Georgia forestlands.