Huntsville 17 1 Scaled 1 — HudsonAlpha was awarded a $15 million grant that could possibly increase to as much as $160 million. (Nathan Watson / The Bama Buzz)

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville was recently awarded a $15 million grant that could possibly increase to as much as $160 million.

The grant comes through the U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program. Their initiative, the NSF BRIDGES Engine in Alabama and Tennessee, will turn underutilized farmland in the two states into a launchpad for bio-based innovation.

This is expected to create new jobs, strengthen rural economies and build sustainable new industries.

In short, The BRIDGES Engine aims to:

Engage and train more than 10,000 individuals across agricultural, technical, and manufacturing sectors
Expand perennial fiber crop cultivation to 50,000 acres, generating $30 million in farm income each year
Attract more than $2 billion in private investment to rural communities
Create more than 4,000 manufacturing and supply chain jobs worth $280 million in annual wages

Read the full story from our friends at Hville Blast.

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