BioP2P Staff
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced $5.4 million in bioprocessing, bioengineering, biofuels, and biobased products research.
The new grants follow the issuance of $4.8 million for 12 Bioprocessing and Bioengineering grants under NIFA made under its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and more than $600,000 for six biofuels and biobased products grants under its Small Business Innovation Research program.
The recent grants include ones made to North Dakota State University project to develop a new class of safe, effective, and versatile fire retardants, a USDA Agricultural Research Service’s project that will engineer advanced antimicrobial biopolymers from ag-based non-edible waste oil to kill bacteria, and a University of Idaho project to develop an environmentally friendly approach for wood protection.
The SBIR awards included ones made to Bainbridge, Georgia-based Meredian Bioplastics to explore manufacturing potential for using pennycress, a non-edible oil, in developing biodegradable plastic; Portland, Oregon-based Formology to use hazelnut shell byproducts to create environmentally sustainable specialty wood and natural fiber panels for architecture and design/build markets; and Wellford, South Carolina-based Insectapel to create an effective, extended-release repellent within textile products to prevent blood-sucking insects from biting humans and transferring infectious disease.
“NIFA’s Bioprocessing and Bioengineering awards fund projects that will stimulate new trade opportunities for the U.S. bioeconomy,” said NIFA Director Carrie Castille. “Additionally, these Small Business Innovation Research projects focused on biofuels and biobased products strengthen America’s entrepreneurial spirit and support a robust economy by guiding research and development needs across agriculture.”
Read the full release here.