COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio continues to impact the rubber industry.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio State University received $26 million to simulate natural rubber production in the United States
  • Each week, Spectrum News 1 anchor Chuck Ringwalt and agriculture expert Andy Vance discuss an aspect of the state's agricultural landscape

According to The Ohio State University, $26 million will be used to create the Transformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (TARDISS) Engineering Research Center (ERC).

“Rubber usually comes from a tree,” agriculture expert Andy Vance said. "The problem that we've run into is that disease has made the [rubber] industry susceptible to supply chain interuptions."

The univerisity said the ERC will include engineering, biology and agriculture, "to revolutionize alternative natural rubber production from domestic crops: guayule, the TK 'rubber' dandelion and mountain gum."

"The university researchers here are working with a number of other researchers at university's as well, so this grant will collaborate with I think a dozen or more universities and private industry as well. Ohio clearly has a big foothold in the rubber space. You think of the tire companies who are around the Akron, Cleveland area. That's also part of the reason Ohio State is a logical partner for a project like this," Vance said.

If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you’d like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, email charles.ringwalt@charter.com.

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