Iowa State is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a biobased product evaluation, labeling and outreach program that will be used nationwide.

The Biobased Products Evaluation Program is designed to help biobased product manufacturers produce materials according to governmental specifications.

The program will also help these manufacturers sell their products to various government agencies.

The idea for the program came from President Gregory Geoffroy’s initiatives, aimed at expanding alternative programs at Iowa State. The Biobased Products Evaluation Program is just one project from one of the six initiatives.

Biobased products are designed to replace petroleum-based additives used to make many of the products people use every day, said Wolfgang Kliemann, associate dean and provost for research.

Corn-cob bedding for animals, soybean-based lubricants and fiber made particleboard are examples of this.

Kliemann said biobased products are positive, renewable alternatives to petroleum and other fuels.

“The 21st century will see many petroleum-derived products replaced with less expensive, better performing, biobased products,” he said.

The program will help manufacturers set up computer-based information about tests that need to be performed in order to meet government procurement standards.

The manufacturer will first submit their products to the Center for Industrial Research and Service, where they will be told what qualifications they need to meet and receive help locating and certifying testing facilities.

Steve Devlin, executive program specialist for the Center for Industrial Research and Service, said the program will help the United States become less dependent on other oil-rich countries. It will also be good for rural development, specifically in Iowa.

If a company needs corn, soybeans or other crops to make their biobased product, they will look more favorably at developing rural land to be in proximity of their raw product, Devlin said.

CIRAS is heading up this program under Section 9002 of Title IX of the 2002 Farm Bill, with $900,000 in annual funding.

This bill was developed by the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, of which Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is the ranking senior Democrat.

There are also local funds that affect research at universities like Iowa State.

Kliemann said he is interested to see how the proposed $500 million in funding for biotechnology from Gov. Tom Vilsack will affect their program.

“I assume the testing project will continue for many more years,” he said.

Kliemann said he believes the “experience and expertise” of ISU researchers will help Iowa State’s name be strongly associated with work in biobased research, as well as bring more research opportunities to the university.

“[The program will bring] specifically more research in an area that is one of our priorities,” he said.

There are four undergraduate students working in the development of the program. The CIRAS team is working with the federal government to find out the required qualifications for these companies.

Kliemann said the set up stage for the program will be completed in one year.