Legal Definitions - Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization

Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization (AARCC) refers to the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation, a specialized entity within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Its core mission is to provide financial support and resources for the development and commercialization of innovative, non-food products derived from agricultural and forestry materials. Essentially, the AARCC helps fund projects that discover new uses for crops, livestock byproducts, and timber beyond traditional food production, turning them into valuable commercial goods and creating new markets for farmers and foresters.

Here are some examples of how the AARCC's work might apply:

• Imagine a startup company that has developed a new type of biodegradable plastic film made entirely from potato starch. This film could be used for packaging consumer goods, replacing traditional petroleum-based plastics. The AARCC could provide funding to help this company refine its manufacturing process, conduct market research, and develop a robust marketing strategy to bring this innovative, non-food product, derived from an agricultural crop, to a wider commercial audience.

• Consider a research team that has engineered a durable, lightweight building material using compressed agricultural waste, such as corn stalks or rice hulls. This material could serve as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional construction components. The AARCC might invest in this project to support further product testing, scale up production capabilities, and assist with the commercialization efforts to introduce this sustainable, non-food building material, made from farm byproducts, into the construction industry.

• Picture a small business aiming to produce industrial lubricants from plant-based oils, like soybean or sunflower oil, as an environmentally friendlier alternative to petroleum-based lubricants. The AARCC could offer financial assistance for the research and development necessary to create high-performance plant-based lubricants suitable for various industrial applications. This support would also extend to helping the business market and distribute these new, non-food products derived from agricultural crops to industrial clients.