The US Department of Agriculture is investing $ 9,5 million to support the scale of sustainable bioproduct manufacturing. Three projects are funded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s bioproducts pilot program. The program provides an opportunity to stimulate economic activity in rural areas, while reducing the risks of commercialization associated with the launch of bioproducts on the market.
“What consumers want and what farmers and our planet need”
“Implementing a circular economy ensures that wealth and other economic benefits in the form of jobs and other opportunities are created and stay in rural communities,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “We must support and encourage these practices because it is what consumers want and what farmers and our planet need.”
The bioproducts research under the pilot program accelerates the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to develop a circular bioeconomy, where agricultural resources are harvested, consumed and restored in an environmentally friendly way. NIFA says each of the recommended projects can help bridge the gap between invention and market.