Biobased products

In this section, the term “biobased product” means a product suitable for food or nonfood use that is derived in whole or in part from renewable agricultural and forestry materials. The Secretary of Agriculture shall— The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with private entities described in subsection (d), under which the facilities and technical expertise of the Agricultural Research Service and the Forest Service may be made available to operate pilot plants and other large-scale preparation facilities for the purpose of bringing technologies necessary for the development and commercialization of new biobased products to the point of practical application. Cooperative activities may include— To carry out a cooperative agreement with a private entity under paragraph (1), the Secretary may rent to the private entity equipment, the title of which is held by the Federal Government. The following entities shall be eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement under subsection (c): The Secretary, acting through the Agricultural Research Service, may establish and carry out a pilot project under which grants are provided, on a competitive basis, to scientists of the Agricultural Research Service to— Except as provided in paragraph (2), to carry out this section, the Secretary may use— The Secretary may not use funds referred to in paragraph (1)(B) to carry out subsection (e). For the purpose of determining the market potential for new biobased products produced at a pilot plant or other large-scale preparation facility under a cooperative agreement under this section, the Secretary shall authorize the private partner or partners to the agreement to sell the products. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2012.