Advances in Bio-Products have already had a positive economic impact on the agricultural and fishing industries and in particular our daily lives. Farmers are growing crops which have non-food, "new uses" such as oats which are used in cosmetics and vegetable-based inks for newspaper prints. Lobster shell can be used to remediate heavy metals and cod skin gelatin is used for high resolution television screens.

These bioproducts are made from renewable resources and present farmers with an opportunity for diversification by converting crops into higher value bio-products, thereby strengthening their own businesses and the surrounding rural economy.

The Atlantic BioVenture Centre is exploring a variety of other sources of economic return for the primary sectors and is building a vibrant "development requiring research" base to support bio-innovation in Atlantic Canada.