On May 23, 2016, USDA announced that a team of U.S. ethanol industry leaders would travel to Mexico with Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse to explore opportunities to expand the United States' and Mexico's renewable energy industries. The trip occurred on May 24-25, 2016, with mission participants sharing their experiences with ethanol production and developing renewable fuel policies. The goal of the trip was to demonstrate how Mexico can implement its own renewable...
Category: USDA
On May 18, 2016, USDA announced $21 million in funding to support the development of regional systems for bioenergy and biobased products. The funding is provided through AFRI's Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts (SBEBP) Challenge Area, an initiative of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and is available to applicants in the following priority areas. Regional Bioenergy Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs) that focus on the production and delivery of...
On May 25, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee. The purpose of the meeting is to develop advice and guidance that promote research and development (R&D), leading to the production of biobased fuels and biobased products. The tentative agenda covers: An update on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Biomass R&D activities; An update on...
May 20, 2016
UCR Provides More Detail On Biomass Based Fuel And Chemical Project That Received 1.3 Million
On May 11, 2016, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) provided more information about the project that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is funding with $1.3 million as part of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). UCR received $1.3 million in funding to create biofuels and chemicals from waste plant materials. Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) and Chemical and Environmental...
May 13, 2016
Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News
? Energy.gov, "Co-Optimized Fuel-Engine Systems to Transform Our Nation's Vehicles" ? USDA Blog, "Bringing Up Better Biofuel" ? Biofuels Digest, "What is the Worst Waste?" ? Labiotech, "How the UK Is Engineering Bacteria to Produce Propane for Greener Fuels" ? Plastics Today, "Mars Goes for Bioplastic Candy Bar Wrappers" ? AkzoNobel, "AkzoNobel and Royal Cosun to Develop Sustainable Cellulose Products from Sugar Beet Processing" ?...
May 13, 2016
USDA Convenes Public Meeting Of The Advisory Committee On Biotechnology And 21st Century Agricultur
On May 9, 2016, USDA announced a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). AC21 was created to provide the USDA Secretary with information on agriculture biotechnology issues, including the long-term impacts of biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system, and to provide guidance on immediate issues. The AC21 meeting will consider the analysis of the new AC21 charge created by the three ad hoc subgroups; discuss a draft outline for...
May 13, 2016
Biomass Research And Development Initiative Provides Seven Projects With Up To $10 Million In Fundi
On May 9, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the recipients of up to $10 million in funding through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). BRDI is a joint program through DOE and USDA that helps develop sustainable sources of biomass and increase the availability of biobased fuels and products. DOE selected two of the grant winners to receive between $1 million...
On April 27, 2016, the Iowa Senate voted 49-0 to extend the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) through June 30, 2017. The legislation, House File 2464, was passed by the Iowa House 94-0 and provides funding for cost-share grants to upgrade fueling infrastructure. RFIP covers up to 70 percent of the installation cost of E15, E85, or biodiesel blend fuel pumps for Iowa retailers, up to $50,000 per project. "While we were hopeful for a long-term funding solution for the state's...
On May 3, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule that amends current pesticide tolerance crop grouping (Crop Group) regulations. Crop groupings allow petitioners to request a tolerance for multiple related commodities based on research data for one or more representative crops. This final rule is the fourth amendment in a series of planned Crop Group updates begun in December 2007 through collaboration by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s...
April 7, 2016
NAS Releases Agenda for First Future Biotechnology Products and Regulatory System Committee Meeting
On April 5, 2016, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) posted the Agenda for the first open session of its committee on “Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System.” The Committee is beginning a study to provide an independent and objective examination of the future products of biotechnology, as commissioned pursuant to the White House Office of Science and Technology...