§ 5901. Short Title, Purposes, and Definitions

(a) Short title

     This subchapter may be cited as the "Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Act of 1990".

(b) Purpose

     Through the encouragement of and the provision of assistance to agricultural research, development, and commercialization, it is the purpose of this subchapter—

     (1) to authorize research in modification of agricultural commodities, and associated research, in order to develop and produce marketable products other than food, feed, or traditional forest or fiber products;

     (2) to commercialize new nonfood, nonfeed uses for traditional and new agricultural commodities in order to create jobs, enhance the economic development of the rural economy, and diversify markets for raw agricultural and forestry products;

     (3) to encourage cooperative development and marketing efforts among manufacturers, financiers, universities, and private and government laboratories in order to assist the commercialization of new nonfood, nonfeed uses for agricultural and forestry products;

     (4) to direct, to the maximum extent possible, research and commercialization efforts toward the production of new nonfood, nonfeed products from agricultural commodities that can be raised by family-sized agricultural producers; and

     (5) to foster economic development in rural areas of the United States through the introduction of new nonfood, nonfeed products obtained from agricultural commodities.

(c) Definitions

     For purposes of this subchapter:

     (1) The term "agricultural commodity" means a plant or animal species (including a species propagated or raised in a controlled environment or a tree species) and the products derived from that species.

     (2) The term "alternative agricultural product" means a new use, application, or material that—

     (A) is derived from an agricultural commodity; and

     (B) is not in widespread commercial use and is not expected to significantly displace a use, application, or material derived from an agricultural commodity that already is in widespread commercial use.

     (3) The term "commercialization" or "commercialize" includes—

     (A) activities associated with the development of alternative agricultural products or industrial plants;

     (B) the application of technology and techniques to the development of industrial products and alternative agricultural products; and

     (C) the market development of new nonfood, nonfeed uses of new and traditional agricultural commodities and processes that will lead to the creation of goods and services that may be marketed for profit.

     (4) Corporate board.—The term "Corporate Board" means the Board of Directors of the Corporation described in section 5903 of this title.

     (5) Corporation.—The term "Corporation" means the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation established under section 5902 of this title.

     (6) Executive director.—The term "Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Corporation appointed under section 5903(e) of this title.

     (7) The term "Fund" means the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Revolving Fund.

     (8) The term "host institution" means an existing entity that is located in the region that is—

     (A) a university or other institution of higher education;

     (B) a Department of Agriculture laboratory;

     (C) a State agricultural experiment station;

     (D) a State cooperative extension service facility; or

     (E) another organization that is involved in the development or commercialization of new nonfood, nonfeed uses for agricultural commodities, or is involved in rural economic development.

     (9) The term "new nonfood, nonfeed product development" means targeted research, including fundamental and applied research, concerning—

     (A) the production and processing of agricultural commodities for the purposes of developing new nonfood, nonfeed products;

     (B) the uses of new nonfood, nonfeed products; and

     (C) steps necessary to make a nonfood, nonfeed product available for the marketplace.

     (10) The term "new nonfood, nonfeed product" means an item that is primarily not a food, feed, or traditional forest or fiber product, including an item that exists but is not commercially available from an agricultural commodity.

     (11) The term "nonprofit organization" means an organization that is—

     (A) described in section 501(c) of title 26; and

     (B) exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of title 26.

     (12) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.

     (13) The term "traditional forest or fiber product" means a forest or fiber product that is derived from forest or agricultural materials and does not have substantial new properties.

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1657, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3756; Pub. L. 104–127, title VII, § 721, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1112.)

     1996—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 104–127, § 721(1), (2), redesignated par. (5) as (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: "The term `Board’ means the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Board."

     Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 104–127, § 721(1), (4), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: "The term `Center’ means the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Center."

     Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 104–127, § 721(2), (4), added par. (5) and redesignated former par. (5) as (3).

     Subsec. (c)(6) to (13). Pub. L. 104–127, § 721(3), (4), added par. (6) and redesignated former pars. (6) to (12) as (7) to (13), respectively.

     This section is referred to in section 5909 of this title.