By Vanguard Staff
MODESTO, CA – A major investment in California’s clean technology future was announced this week, as BEAM Circular confirmed it has secured $9.8 million in funding to launch the California Bioeconomy Innovation Campus in the North San Joaquin Valley. The campus will serve as a hub for advancing technologies that transform agricultural waste, food scraps, and forest residues into renewable energy, sustainable materials, and other biobased products.
The new funding includes $8 million from the recently enacted 2025 California State Budget and an additional $1.8 million in Catalyst Funding through the California Jobs First Program, delivered by regional economic development group North Valley THRIVE.
Senator Jerry McNerney and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom led the official state budget request that secured the $8 million allocation. McNerney praised the investment as a win for jobs, climate, and innovation.
“The Legislature and Governor Newsom’s decision to invest in BEAM Circular is great news—a win-win for the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the rest of California,” McNerney said. “It will bring high-quality jobs, benefit farmers and growers, and accelerate wildfire solutions, while helping the state meet its climate goals.”
The project is led by CBIO Collaborative, a coalition of over 100 public and private partners, including BEAM Circular, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC Merced, the Manufacturers Council of the Central Valley, and the North San Joaquin Valley’s K16 Regional Collaborative, WE Will!
Erick Serrato, Director of North Valley THRIVE, emphasized the regional impact of the investment. “We’re proud of this investment made by North Valley THRIVE—it will help advance a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring new industry and jobs to our region,” Serrato said.
Strategically located in California’s agricultural heartland, the Bioeconomy Innovation Campus is designed to address a key challenge in clean technology development: the so-called “valley of death,” where promising research often fails to reach commercial scale. The facility will offer shared infrastructure for entrepreneurs, support workforce training, and reduce the risks associated with scaling up new bio-based technologies.
Karen Warner, CEO of BEAM Circular, described the project as a transformational step. “This is a major step forward for California’s leadership in the global bioeconomy,” Warner said. “Our community is building the infrastructure to turn waste into opportunity—powering a more resilient and inclusive economy, protecting our environment, and creating a new generation of green jobs.”
According to BEAM Circular, the campus will enable California to manage agricultural and forest waste more sustainably, reduce methane emissions, mitigate wildfire risk by utilizing excess woody biomass, and boost rural economic development. Bioindustrial jobs in the sector pay approximately 40% more than the regional median wage in the San Joaquin Valley, the group said.
The state’s investment is consistent with its recent designation of the bioeconomy as a priority sector in California’s Economic Blueprint. That designation signals a strong policy commitment to building a sustainable industrial base while creating high-quality jobs statewide.
“We’re excited to secure this $8 million investment in building a stronger circular economy right here in the Central Valley,” said Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom. “For generations, we’ve fed the world through agriculture—and now, even our agricultural scraps are helping fuel the future. We’re not only growing crops; we’re growing innovation, good-paying jobs, and real solutions to climate challenges.”
The initiative enjoys support across party lines. State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil and Assemblymember Juan Alanis are among the bipartisan officials backing the project. Construction will move forward under a Project Labor Agreement between BEAM Circular and the Valley Building Trades Council, helping to ensure union labor and family-sustaining jobs are central to the project.
“The Valley Building Trades are proud to partner with BEAM Circular to build the infrastructure needed to create sustainable manufacturing jobs in our region,” said Corey Van Rys, Secretary-Treasurer of the Valley Building and Construction Trades Council. “Our members are ready to build this state-of-the-art facility that will reduce waste, mitigate wildfire risk, and create valuable bio-based products while providing family-supporting careers for local residents.”
Labor support also comes from the North Valley Labor Federation. “The North Valley Labor Federation strongly supports this innovative project because it aligns with our vision for creating sustainable, high-quality jobs,” said Executive Director Will Kelly. “The bioeconomy represents a significant growth opportunity for our region, and we’re committed to ensuring working families benefit from this transition to a more sustainable future.”
With this funding secured, BEAM Circular and its coalition of partners say they are ready to begin delivering on California’s vision for a cleaner, more resilient economy—one that begins in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley.
