The National Institute of Food and Agriculture director says small businesses play a key role in food and agriculture innovation.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of over $12.5 million in the USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The Phase I awards will support 76 small businesses involved in high-quality research centered on tackling vital scientific challenges in agriculture.
Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics Chavonda Jacobs-Young stated, “Science-based innovations from federally funded research, often developed through public-private partnerships, create products and services that increase productivity and enhance global competitiveness for the U.S. agriculture sector.”
Among the funded businesses, Evergreen Aquatics intends to enhance “the viability of burbot” as a new U.S. aquaculture species; Home Grown Fuels is working on using plants to remedy “forever chemical“ contamination; Padma Agrobotics is developing an automated robotic harvester for cilantro and other specialty crops; and Shende LLC is creating an innovative heat transfer fluid system for energy-efficient, wind, and hail-resistant solar greenhouses.
“Small businesses play a key role driving innovation in the food and agriculture sectors,” said USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Manjit Misra. “By partnering with research institutions, these small businesses are bridging an important gap between where science is conducted and how it is made available to the public.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Director Misra to seek God’s guidance as he oversees the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
- For Under Secretary Jacobs-Young as she collaborates with the private sector on food and agriculture innovations.
- For USDA officials to be prudent as they determine which agricultural research projects to support.
Sources: Department of Agriculture
