USDA, RURAL BUSINESS-COOPERATIVE SERVICE

Special Initiatives

Biobased Products and Bioenergy

The goal of the Biobased Products and Bioenergy Program is to finance technologies needed to convert biomass into biobased products and bioenergy in a manner which is cost-competitive in large national and international markets. The focus of this program in Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is to promote national economic interests through conversion of renewable farm and forestry resources to affordable electricity, fuel chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other materials. Loans for biomass conversion into biobased products and bioenergy are eligible for financing under the Business and Industry Guaranteed and Direct Loan Programs.

The term biomass is defined as any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis, excluding old-growth timber and including dedicated energy crops and trees, agricultural food and feed crop residues, aquatic plants, wood and wood residues, animal wastes, and other waste materials.

The term "biobased product" means a commercial or industrial product (either from food or feed) that utilizes biological products or renewable domestic agricultural (plant, animal, or marine) or forestry materials.

The term old-growth timber means timber of a forest from the late successional stage of forest development. The forest contains live and dead trees of various sizes, species, composition, age class, and structure. The age and structure of old growth varies significantly by forest type and from one biogeoclimatic zone to another.

Waste materials include biological wastes, predominantly from corn, and can include paper mill, wood, and municipal solid wastes.

Helpful Material:

The President's New Executive Order on Bio-based Products and Bioenergy
Press Release Dated August 12, 1999

Developing and Promoting Biobased Products and Bioenergy
Executive Order Dated August 12, 1999

Reference Materials:

Biobased Industrial Products: Research and Commerialization Priorities 1999
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

USDA Cooperatives and Rural Business-Cooperative Service
New Uses for Research Report 148 Agricultural Products: An Assessment of the Fuel Ethanol Industry

Useful Websites

Department of Energy
ARS Bioenergy and Energy Alternatives

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