It anticipates that as ideas are developed, the government will want to invest more research money into new technologies and products that solve particular problems. Some of PNNL's proposals are largely theoretical now. For instance, researchers believe there are opportunities to help farmers, who operate on narrow profit margins, get more of the money that comes from processing their crops. The laboratory also is working on ways to turn what is now farm waste into valuable products. Farmers might one day sell their corn stalks, cobs and starch to be used for chemicals to make clothing fibers or plasticlike material.
Genetic engineering offers other possibil ities.
Plants may be developed that efficiently produce large quantities of enzymes, which now are typically produced in expensive fermentation methods. Potatoes, for example, might be engineered to produce enzymes in their leaves but not in the tubers, giving farmers two crops from one plant. Efforts also are under way to develop plants capable of manufacturing blood proteins. The proteins could be given to people without the risk of transmitted diseases from human blood. Consumers could benefit from proposals to find better ways to detect contamination in food.