Advancing the national bioeconomy through regional sun grant centers

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded South Dakota State University $2.801 million on September 30, 2025, under the Sun Grant Program (CFDA 10.320) to support regional competitive grants on agricultural- and forest-based biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower through September 29, 2027.

The Sun Grant Program funds regional research, extension, and education activities addressing bioresource development priorities at local and regional levels within designated Sun Grant centers. SDSU, as a designated regional center, allocated 75 percent of grant funds to competitively awarded multi-institutional research, extension, and education projects within its region. Sub-recipients and their project focus areas include the University of Nebraska (evaluating perennial cover crops to improve carbon intensity of corn production), South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (developing an integrated thermophilic biorefinery for minimal-waste valorization and high-value conversion of soy hulls), North Dakota State University (Sun Grant administration), The University of Iowa (Sun Grant administration), Oklahoma State University (Sun Grant administration), and Oregon State University (Sun Grant administration). Sub-awards flowed through April 3, 2026 to June 29, 2026.

Work is performed at SDSU's location in Brookings, South Dakota. The program's objectives include fostering advances in public knowledge and workforce development, generating discoveries that contribute to national bioeconomy creation, and supporting sustainable rural economic development through coordinated regional effort across the North Central, Southeastern, South Central, Western, Northeastern Sun Grant centers and the Western Insular Pacific subcenter.