179 



AARC 



Alternative Agricultural Research & Commercialization Center 



Growing Grass — and New Jobs 



for Rural America 



7 ^'■^ ^' ^ 



1' ■'K^/'h3 



■,'1 ^£. 





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Take 50,000 acres of kenaf (an ancient 

 fiber crop now grown in the southern 

 and western states) , add grass seed 

 and ingenuity. 



The expected result is 46 new jobs cre- 

 ated in a rural community — and the envi- 

 ronmental benefits associated with finding 

 new uses for soil-protecting, renewable agri- 

 cultural products. 



The new "Roll and Grow" grass mat 

 developed by Agro-Fibers Inc. of Corcoran, 

 California, offers an economical way to create 

 a new lawn — in some cases saving the con- 

 sumer 40 percent or more over traditional 

 seeding methods. The mat is entirely 

 biodegradable and helps fertilize the grass 

 seed as it grows. It also reduces the amount 

 of water required to start a lawn. 



The combination of job creation 

 and environmental benefits naturally 

 attracted the interest of the new 

 Alternative Agricultural Research and 

 Commercialization (AARC) Center, a 

 branch of the U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture. Typical of the generally 

 small entrepreneurial firms picked for 

 this year's initial awards of S 1 million in 

 public funds, Agro-Fibers is in line to receive 

 an 5800,000 investment of AARC Center 

 money to complement the S3. 1 million 

 invested by Agro-Fibers Inc. In return, the 

 company will be combining new ideas, new 

 technology, and a new commercial crop in 

 ways designed both to generate rural jobs and 

 to improve the environment. In addition, if 

 sales of the new kenaf grass mats develop as 

 rapidly as planned, the taxpayers' money 

 should be fully repaid, with interest, witllin 

 two to three years. 



The number of new production plants 

 — and the number of new jobs — will 



depend on consumer demand. Early interest in the product suggests that the initial plant employing 46 

 people will be the first of many The company expects to carve out an estimated $50-million niche in the 

 multibiUion-dollar home gardening industry The greater this niche turns out to be, the greater will be the 

 environmental benefits from turning waste forest fibers and soil-saving kenaf, grown without chemicals, 

 into a high-value, commercial product. 



Agro-Fibers Inc., CA 



Sponsor's Contact: Gordon Fisher, (209) 992-2265 

 Kenaf, Wood Waste. Grass Seed 

 Grass & Flower Mats 



Raw Material 

 Product: 



AARC: 



$ 800,000 



Cooperators Contributions (est.); $3,100,000 



USDA-AARC CENTER • 12th & C St. S.VV. • Washington, DC 20250 

 Telephone: (202) 401-4860 • Fax: (202) 401-6068 



Pnnt&3 0f\ fecyctea paper using soybean -based ink. 



