What major developments and possible surprises lie ahead for the bioeconomy in 2008? Based on our ongoing research and analysis work, Bio-era forsees an exceptionally volatile year ahead in global agricultural commodity markets, with significant long-term implications for the biofuels industry and other parts of the bioeconomy.

The driving forces include high oil prices, increasing U.S. ethanol production, rising Asian imports of grains and vegetable oils, and the unpredictable effects of the La Nina weather pattern. Low global inventory levels for corn, wheat, and soybeans make this an especially high-risk year for commodity prices—one in which supply disruptions could cause prices to reach well beyond historic highs. This comes at a time when the future trajectory of the biofuels industry is still very much in play. Government policies, private financing, consolidation, new technology development—all these will be affected by events in the marketplace over the months ahead.

In this report, we summarize the top stories we expect to be following in the bioeconomy during 2008.