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<title>USDA Announces $21 Million Available For Bioeconomy Research and Development</title>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Forwarding on behalf of Sangita Pawar:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt">View this release on the <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&102&&&https://nifa.usda.gov/press-release/usda-announces-21-million-available-bioeconomy-research-and-development?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">NIFA
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<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">USDA Announces $21 Million Available For Bioeconomy Research and Development</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>WASHINGTON, May 18, 2016 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of $21 million to support the development of regional systems in sustainable bioenergy and biobased products, as well as education and training for the
next generation of scientists that will expand availability of renewable, sustainable goods and energy. This funding is available through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by USDA’s National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color:black">“This announcement marks the Obama Administration’s latest investment in the biobased economy, which pumps $369 billion into the U.S. economy each year and supports 4 million jobs in rural and small towns across the United States.
Over the course of this Administration, America has more than doubled our renewable energy production, and today we import less than half our oil. We are saving money at the pump, bolstering national security
</span>by relying less on foreign oil, and combatting climate change with investments in technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide for cleaner air,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Today’s investment into regional production systems
and the development of our next generation of scientists will have a direct impact on local economies now and set us up for a brighter, more innovative future.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color:black">Established by the 2008 Farm Bill and re-authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, AFRI is the nation's premier competitive, peer-reviewed grants program for fundamental and applied agricultural sciences. In the seven years since AFRI was
established, the program has led to true innovations and ground-breaking discoveries in agriculture to combat childhood obesity, improve and sustain rural economic growth, address water availability issues, increase food production, find new sources of energy,
mitigate the impacts of climate variability and enhance resiliency of our food systems, and ensure food safety. This round of funding is offered through the</span>
<a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&103&&&https://nifa.usda.gov/program/afri-sustainable-bioenergy-challenge-area?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">
AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts challenge area</a>, which creates or sustains jobs by
<span style="color:black">enhancing existing food and fiber production systems, boosts ecosystems by reducing greenhouse gases and improving water and habitat quality, and provides renewable energy, chemical, and product options. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:11.25pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">
In fiscal year 2016, the Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts challenge area is soliciting applications that focus on the following priorities:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:11.25pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>Regional Bioenergy Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs), which support the production and delivery of regionally-appropriate sustainable biomass feedstocks for bioenergy and bioproducts. While the focus of CAPs will be on
feedstocks, competitive proposals must present the feedstock development and production in the context of comprehensive regional sustainable bioenergy and bioproducts supply chain systems.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:11.25pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]>Investing in America’s scientific corps: Preparing a new generation of students, faculty, and a workforce for emerging opportunities in bioenergy, bioproducts, and the bioeconomy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color:black">To date, more than $237.2 million in research, education and extension grants have been awarded through AFRI’s Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area, which have resulted in a number of outcomes in support of the bioeconomy.
Alaska Airlines will be able to use 1,000 gallons of biofuel produced by Washington State University’s
</span><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&104&&&https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/fueling-our-future-wood-wing?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">Northwest
Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA)</a> <span style="color:black">in a demonstration flight in the near future. University of California-Davis researchers were able to map the
</span><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&105&&&https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/usda-funded-researchers-map-loblolly-pine-genome?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">genome
of the loblolly pine</a><span style="color:black">, a potential </span><span style="font-family:"Helvetica Neue";color:black">non-food source for biofuel.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color:black">Application deadlines vary by program area. See the </span>
<a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&106&&&https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-sustainable-bioenergy-and-bioproducts?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">request
for applications</a><span style="color:black"> for more information.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Secretary Vilsack has recognized the biobased economy as one of the pillars that strengthen rural communities, and as a result USDA helped jumpstart efforts to provide a reliable supply of advanced plant materials for biofuels. Through our Biomass Crop Assistance
Program, for example, USDA is incentivizing more than 890 growers and landowners farming nearly 49,000 acres to establish and produce dedicated, nonfood energy crops for delivery to energy conversion facilities. To ensure those feedstocks are put to use, USDA
has invested in the work needed to create advanced biofuels refineries. Under this Administration, USDA has supported efforts to build six new biorefineries to produce advanced biofuels in Louisiana, Georgia, Oregon, Nevada, North Carolina, and Iowa, in addition
to three existing facilities in New Mexico, Michigan and Florida previously supported.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>USDA has also worked to strengthen markets for biobased products. Approximately 2,500 products now carry USDA's BioPreferred label, which
<span style="color:black">helps consumers make informed decisions about their purchases, giving them assurances that their product was made using renewable materials, such as plants or forestry materials.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="color:black">Science funded by AFRI is vital to meeting food, fiber, and fuel demands as the world's population is projected to exceed nine billion by 2050 and natural resources are stressed under a changing climate. </span>In addition, AFRI
programs help develop new technologies and a workforce that will advance our nutritional security, our energy self-sufficiency, and the health of Americans. <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTYwNTE4LjU5MTY4NjAxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE2MDUxOC41OTE2ODYwMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3Njk0OTYyJmVtYWlsaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZ1c2VyaWQ9c2FuZ2l0YUBlbWFpbC5hcml6b25hLmVkdSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&107&&&https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=">The
President’s 2017 budget request</a> proposed to fully fund AFRI for $700 million; this amount is the full funding level authorized by Congress when it established AFRI in the 2008 Farm Bill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Since 2009, NIFA has invested in and advanced innovative and transformative initiatives to solve societal challenges and ensure the long-term viability of agriculture. NIFA's integrated research, education, and extension programs, supporting the best and
brightest scientists and extension personnel, have resulted in user-inspired, groundbreaking discoveries. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science, visit
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<p align="center" style="text-align:center">#<em> </em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><em><span style="font-size:10.0pt">USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary
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