Bamboo has come into vogue as a green, sustainable resource that’s used for everything from cutting boards to clothing to wood floors. But until now, almost all of the bamboo in products sold here has come from overseas. That could change soon, as new planting techniques may lead to millions of new acres of bamboo shoots in the American South.
He’s not the only one feeling optimistic after the meeting. Attendee Jackie Heinricher, owner of Boo-Shoot 
Heinricher envisions bamboo forests reviving the Delta’s agricultural economy, which once relied on cotton crops but has generally fallen on hard times. Dr. Brian Baldwin, associate professor of plant and soil sciences at Mississippi State University, says mild, wet winters have helped bamboo species closely related to Moso do “exceedingly well here.” He considers the region viable for large-scale production. Ted Rose, principal of the consulting firm Rose Carbon, predicts economic opportunities for farmers in the emerging marketplace of cap-and-trade commerce. Bamboo agriculture can generate “carbon reduction” credits under current cap-and-trade rules, Rose says, so farmers producing Moso in the Delta could potentially sell their credits on the open market. Citing examples of Moso farms in Nicaragua already taking advantage of these transactions, Rose says, “It’s just another revenue stream for farmers.”
But getting the revenue flowing could prove to be the biggest obstacle. Unlike cotton, which promises a return on investment at the end of a single growing season, bamboo crops must mature for three or four years before they’re ready for the first harvest. Baldwin adds that some developing acres may be unable to generate profits for even longer. “It’s never an agronomic or horticultural problem,” Baldwin says. “The material will grow, and will grow well here. It’s always an economic problem.” Echoing other attendees, Ted Rose says, “The biggest downside is the short-term risk for farmers. They’re very concerned about next year’s profit. With no significant government support, [switching crops] takes a leap of faith.”
That leap of faith will probably come from “landowners with enough moxie to just go for it,” Heinricher says. Rose says the next step in the Delta is a test plot planting, but Heinricher disagrees. The McIlhenny family, of Tabasco fame, began the first test trial of Moso in 1910 on Avery Island, Louisiana. Clemson University has a mature test grove, as does Auburn University and Oak Ridge in Tennessee. “We’re the only country in the world not making things out of bamboo,” Heinricher says. “It grows here. What more do we need to test?”
In the meantime, Teragren’s product research has proven that Moso’s load-bearing capacity is three times that of modern wooden structural materials. Using “younger and younger trees,” Goodham says, produces “material not as strong as when we were harvesting old-growth timber.” He predicts bamboo building materials will become economically viable once Teragren can begin production in a domestic manufacturing facility. As for when, Heinricher says, “I think there’s going to be a tipping point. It’s going to be an energy company or landowner who’s not going to wait around. This is going to happen.”
Although companies like Teragren believe the venture will be profitable, Goodham says, “It’s hard to look into the future five years and say, ‘We can guarantee you this price for this material.’” But, he continues, “the visionaries who take the leap will be well rewarded.” New plantings are already being planned, according to Ed Johnson of the Delta Economic Development Center. He says that without the conference, which he helped organize, the talks wouldn’t be taking place. As for any aspiring bamboo moguls interested in getting in on that discussion, Johnson says, “There is quite a bit of land for sale in the region.”
Recent Comments