U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, came to Davis on Wednesday for a tour of Marrone Bio Innovations Inc., a provider of effective and safe pest management products.

Thompson’s leadership on the environment and the promotion of small businesses prompted his tour of MBI, a news release said. The company recently was honored with the prestigious “Game Changer of the Year” award on July 14 by California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross for the company’s innovation in agriculture.

Thompson met MBI’s Board Chairman Rich Rominger, MBI staff and scientists and was given a tour of the company’s research and development facility. He held in-depth discussions with MBI’s specialists and received a first-hand view of the company’s process to create safe and effective biopesticides, the news release said.

During this visit, Thompson learned about MBI’s Zequanox, a biopesticide used to combat invasive quagga and zebra mussels. These are the non-native species that are clogging the infrastructure of water and hydroelectric power plants, disrupting fresh water ecosystems, and costing communities across the country more than $130 billion annually, and they have now reached California. Zequanox is a safe alternative to current chemical water treatments and is an effective technology developed to combat these invasive mussels in watersheds from New York to the Hoover Dam.

“It was an honor and a privilege to have Congressman Thompson visit our company …,” said Pam Marrone, CEO of MBI and recipient of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 2011 business leader of the year award.

“He has been a strong advocate of sustainable agriculture throughout his life. And, he has led the charge in Congress to help entrepreneurial businesses like Marrone Bio Innovations move environmentally friendly biopesticides from the petri dish into commercial use. Congressman Thompson’s leadership on these issues is tremendously important to all of us who care about agriculture and the environment.”

Thompson is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and represents much of Yolo County in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Thompson at MarroneW

Dr. Ray Lam, left, of Marrone Bio Innovations, gives a tour to Congressman Mike Thompson, who visited the Davis company on Wednesday. Courtesy photo

Comments

comments