WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture recently announced it would invest $9.5 million in sustainable bioproduct manufacturing in the country.

The funding for these projects will come from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Bioproduct Pilot Program, which funds research and development of value-added products from agricultural commodities. 

The agency said the program was set up to stimulate economic activity in rural areas while lowering commercialization risks associated with bringing biobased products to market.

“Each of the recommended projects includes collaborations with universities and companies that can bridge the gap between invention and the marketplace as well as produce stronger and more effective outcomes,” said Dionne Toombs, acting director of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the agency administering the awards. “All three of them also have compelling benefits that advance environmental justice and spur economic opportunity for underserved communities.”

USDA highlighted three awards, including one from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with applications to the meat industry. The project intends to convert swine manure and other organic feedstocks into biobinders for asphalt to increase the quality of recycled asphalt payments. If commercialized, some of the benefits listed could mean reduced landfill waste, reduced disposal costs for asphalt and food waste, and low-cost products.

Funding for the project stems from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by President Biden in November 2021.