NIFA Invests Over $5.4M in Bioprocessing, Bioengineering, Biofuels and Biobased Products Research
Congratulations again to Dr. Tasaki for being awarded the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) grant by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for his research and development of Chemical Free Extraction of Keratin from Animal Body Parts for Commercial Applications. Read Dr. Tasaki’s full brief.
Below is the summarized press release by the USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 30, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced today an investment of $5.4 million in bioprocessing, bioengineering, biofuels and biobased products research. NIFA recently awarded $4.8 million for 12 Bioprocessing and Bioengineering grants under NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and more than $600,000 for six Biofuels and Biobased Products grants under NIFA’s Small Business Innovation Research program.
“NIFA’s Bioprocessing and Bioengineering awards fund projects that will stimulate new trade opportunities for the U.S. bioeconomy,” said NIFA director Dr. 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.”
Small Business Innovation Research is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal research and development that has the potential for commercialization. This includes qualified small businesses that stimulate high-tech innovation.
The next Phase 1 request for Small Business Innovation Research applications is scheduled to open in July 2021, with an October 2021 deadline. This program also fosters and encourages participation by women-owned and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses. Learn more about USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research program.
NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.