Mission

The AAIC is an international, nonprofit educational and scientific organization established to

  1. Encourage and promote the activities of those involved in the production, processing, development, and commercialization of industrial crops and products derived from industrial crops
  2. Educate and inform our members and others through national and international meetings and conferences
  3. Provide the public, industry, and government policy makers with expert scientific, engineering, and business information on developments in the utilization and commercialization of industrial products from agricultural crops.

History

In May, 1979, our predecessor organization, the Guayule Rubber Society, was incorporated as a Texas nonprofit organization to foster and promote the production of natural rubber from the guayule shrub. To provide a forum for efforts leading to the commercialization of additional industrial crops, the Guayule Rubber Society was reincorporated as the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops in December, 1988. In 1995, the Asociacion Latinoamericana de Jojoba y Nuevos Cultivos (ALAJO) joined the Jojoba Division of the AAIC. The 5 Divisions of the AAIC currently serve the interests of members in 7 countries.

Members

Who we are in the AAIC:

45% are at universities or colleges, 32% are in government agencies, 16% are in business or industry, 7% are retired or private citizens.

Members are agricultural scientists or engineers, chemists or chemical engineers, geneticists, and marketing specialists which are involved in research and development, administration or management, and agricultural production.

Board of Directors

President: Von Mark Cruz (Bridgestone Americas, Inc.)

President-Elect: Federica Zanetti (University of Bologna)

Past President: Jim Todd (OMAFRA)

Secretary: Claire Heinitz (USDA-ARS)

Treasurer: Burton Johnson (North Dakota State University)

Divisions and Chairs

General Crops and Products: Ana Luisa Fernando (NUL)

Fiber and Cellulosic Crops: Efi Alexopoulou (CRES)​

Medicinal & Nutraceutical Plants: Diana Jasso de Rodríguez (UAAAN)

Natural Rubber and Resins: Sam Wang (Bridgestone Americas, Inc.)

Oilseeds: Hussein Abdel-Haleem (USDA-ARS)

Newsletter Editor

Claire Heinitz (USDA-ARS)

Membership and Conference Registrar

Valerie Teetor (University of Arizona)

Program Abstract Editor

Marisol Berti (NDSU)