Berry: MOBIO Tours

At right: 4-H Missouri Citizenship In Action (MCIA) Debate on house floor.

This Week

This week I have been touring with Missouri Biotechnology Association BIO Benchmarking (MOBIO) throughout Missouri, it is becoming clearer to me why Missouri has not had the job growth that we should have. We have not nurtured the opportunities that are available to us and have instead become the creators for entrepreneurs for other states. We have created the minds and the technology that comes with new innovative businesses, but we have not created the opportunities for growth. Many states have not laid the ground work that we have to create these technological opportunities, yet they end up getting the tax paying revenue businesses that are being started in Missouri.

It is mandatory that we turn this around not only for the Missourians who are out of work today, but for the future workers of Missouri, our children and grandchildren.

The MOBIO - Statewide Tour started in Kansas City, then Warrensburg and eventually ending in St. Louis. Some of the highlights of the tour were visiting the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, MRIGlobal, MU Life Science Incubator, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, Monsanto Company, Pfizer Inc., Gallus BioPharmaceuticals, Washington University in St. Louis – School of Engineering, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and CORTEX.

All Missouri legislators were invited to attend this non- taxpayer funded fact finding tour. I was accompanied by 17 other House and Senate members on this eye opening experience and am hopeful that we will be able to convince the other members of the Missouri House and Senate of ways that we can bring more revenue into our state. This will allow the state of Missouri to fund the needs of our veterans, seniors, kids, Missouri owned businesses and make repairs to our highways as well as provide new construction for ones that are needed.

July 1, 2011

MCIA had around 50 bright young people from all parts of Missouri here at the capitol to learn about our state government.

While the students were here they learned about the Judicial process, the Media, the Legislative process and Public Interest/ Lobbying. They were here for 4 days and created mock laws from beginning to the end of the legislative process. The photo above was taken during House floor debates.

I hope you are all having a very blessed summer, and I am proud to serve the people of Clay County.