USDA Offers $9.6 Million in Biomaterials and Biobased Products Funding

In Washington, DC, there is a new $9.6 million in available funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. On the cusp of another recent announcement of $150 million in available USDA NIFA funding that was also authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, this funding is specifically for any projects that support biobased products and biomaterials made from renewable sources. Applications can be submitted until June 28, 2017. Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA Director, said in the USDA press release that “Rural America has the potential to be the economic powerhouse through biofuels and biobased products. NIFA investments in research and development help to create new economic opportunities in rural communities, protect the environment, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy.”