US Agriculture Secretary Mike
Johanns has announced that 131 small businesses have received Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants totaling more than $18.9
million from the USDA.
US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that 131 small businesses have received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants totaling more than $18.9 million from the USDA. Among the grants are eight that fund research into renewable biofuels, reinforcing USDA’s long-term strategy to help farmers and ranchers with high energy costs.
“These grants will help hundreds of small businesses to explore and commercialize innovative ideas, while conducting research on important agricultural issues with significant public benefit,” said Johanns. “Investing these funds is a part of our commitment to enhance opportunities for small businesses and strengthen the economy.”
Among the Small Business Innovation Research grants were:
- “Processing of Poultry Manure for Fuel Gas Production,” Advanced Fuel Research, Inc, East Hartford, CT, $296,000. The objective of this Phase II project is to develop the technology for converting poultry manure into combustible gases that can be integrated with various electrical power generation devices and have widespread agricultural use for poultry manure removal, resource recovery and power generation.
- “Improved Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure for Energy and High-Value Co-Products,” Andgar Corporation, Ferndale, WA, $80,000. This Phase I project seeks to develop the technology to convert manure produced by dairy cows into biogas and high-quality, value-added fiber.
