Research and Commercialization of Alternative Agriculture Act of 1989 - Title I: National Alternative Agricultural Products Board - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the National Alternative Agricultural Products Board to: (1) supervise the National Institute for Alternative Agricultural Products; (2) determine priority research areas; and (3) review and approve Institute budgets and grants.
Title II: National Institute for Alternative Agricultural Products - Directs the Secretary to provide for the establishment of a National Institute for Alternative Agricultural Products as an independent entity within the Department of Agriculture.
Authorizes the Institute to: (1) make grants and enter into cooperative agreements or contracts for research and demonstration projects; (2) provide technology transfer, information collection, and information dissemination; (3) search for new industrial materials that may be produced from agricultural commodities and for processes to produce such materials; and (4) administer the Alternative Agricultural Products Technology Revolving Fund (established by this Act).
States that all projects shall have at least 50 percent matching funds.
Directs the Institute to select those projects that will create or improve economically viable commercial products or technologies that involve the use of agricultural commodities.
Title III: Agricultural Industrial Materials Corporation - Establishes within the Institute an Agricultural Industrial Materials Corporation which shall: (1) establish between five and 13 regional centers for promoting the commercialization of new nonfood, nonfeed uses of agricultural commodities; and (2) appoint an advisory council for each center.
Authorizes the Corporation to provide specified financial assistance for projects to commercialize new agricultural nonfood, nonfeed products.
Directs the Corporation to establish a regional center discretionary fund. Requires each center to report biannually to the Corporation regarding its fund use. Gives priority to projects that: (1) create jobs in distressed rural areas; (2) have State or local financial participation; and (3) have private financial participation.
Title IV: Funding and Miscellaneous Provisions - Establishes in the Treasury the Alternative Agricultural Products Technology Revolving Fund.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Amends the Critical Agricultural Materials Act to authorize FY 1989 and 1990 appropriations for critical agricultural materials activities of the Departments of Agriculture and of Commerce. Requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and of Commerce and the Joint Commission on Research and Development of Critical Agricultural Materials to limit their activities to critical agricultural materials other than native latex after FY 1990 (currently such requirement extends through FY 1988).
Directs the Secretary, for the 1989 and 1990 crop years, to establish an alternative crop demonstration program for producers of wheat, feed grains, upland cotton, and rice. Limits annual demonstration acreage to 25,000 acres. Prohibits price support or related benefits for such alternative crops. Requires the Secretary to submit a program report to the appropriate congressional committees by April 1, 1990. Defines "alternative crop" as commodities not produced domestically in substantial amounts and that: (1) are currently imported or likely to be imported; or (2) could yield industrial raw materials; or (3) are grown for experimental purposes.
Authorizes appropriations.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Cotton, Rice, and Sugar.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Wheat, Soybeans, and Feed Grains.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Research, and Foreign Agriculture.
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