Landus Cooperative HQs in Des Moines Hosted Outreach Event
DES MOINES, Iowa, March 8, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced National Biobased Products Day and highlighted the accomplishments of people and organizations working to improve sustainability. Theresa Greenfield, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, noted the Agency’s achievements in Iowa at a news conference at Landus, a farmer-owned cooperative.
“The BioPreferred® program is growing. We are here today to highlight biobased products, markets, and manufacturing, so that USDA can help create job opportunities and rural prosperity in Iowa,” said Director Greenfield. “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting technological advances and innovations—biobased industries are a part of that. Across the state, these businesses provide new markets for farm commodities and add value to the Iowa economy.”
Director Greenfield was joined at the news conference by Matt Russell, Farm Service Agency State Executive Director in Iowa; Grant Menke, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture for the state of Iowa; and Mark Laurenzo, Business Development Manager from Iowa Economic Development Authority. Representatives from Landus and biobased industries spoke, and three Iowa biobased-product companies displayed product samples.
USDA released two reports today and announced a National Institute of Food and Agriculture $10,000,000 investment in Oregon State University’s Global Hemp Innovation Center. USDA had commissioned the report, “An Economic Impact Analysis of the U.S. Biobased Products Industry: 2023 Update," which shows that, based on data from 2021, the biobased products industry has grown nationwide despite the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions and recommendations presented within are those of the authors and have not been endorsed by USDA.
USDA also released its “Hemp Research Needs Roadmap,” which reflects stakeholder input in identifying the hemp industry’s greatest research needs: breeding and genetics; best practices for production; biomanufacturing for end uses; and transparency and consistency.
All of these efforts advance U.S. global competitiveness as outlined in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order on “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy.”
Background
The USDA BioPreferred® Program label encourages consumers to buy products that are generally safer for the environment, their families and communities. Products with the “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label are derived from raw materials such as plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials. See a map of BioPreferred® companies in your area.
Buying these products allows consumers to do their part to drive economic prosperity for farmers, growers, biobased business owners and innovators and create a healthier planet and more sustainable future for everyone. For more information about the BioPreferred Program, visit www.biopreferred.gov.
Contact USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas.
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