Giant King Grass Featured as Livestock Feed in "Hay and Forage Grower" Magazine

WALNUT, Calif., Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VIASPACE Inc. (OTCQB: VSPC) today announced that the January 2014 issue of "Hay and Forage Grower" Magazine features a full page article entitled "Energy Crop As A Livestock Feed" which describes Giant King Grass being commercially established in Arizona by VIASPACE business partner, Maricopa Bio Crops, LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona.

The article starts by revealing that: "In the Arizona desert, the first US commercial plantings of Giant King Grass are being established--for use as livestock feed first, and hopefully as a renewable energy feedstock in the future…The perennial hybrid… can grow to 20 feet, has a crude protein level of 14 – 15.6% and can be harvested five times per year. One cutting taken for bioenergy use can yield 22 – 24 tons dry matter/acre."

Previously it was announced that Giant King Grass was planted on land irrigated from the Colorado River in southern Arizona on October 1, 2013. This was the first step in the planned initial 4,500 acre Giant King Grass plantation to produce Giant King Grass hay for cattle feed in Arizona. Two additional 4,500 acre phases are also planned.  Maricopa Bio Crops will grow and market the Giant King Grass under VIASPACE direction, and both companies will share the profits.

Mr. Patrick Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Maricopa Bio Crops and Syn Tawa Energy, LLC which is building a bio refinery to convert cellulosic biomass into premium diesel fuel is quoted, "The goal for planting Giant King Grass is twofold. It should prove that the crop can be grown in Arizona and sold as livestock feed as well as serve as refinery's backup feedstock. Its primary market will be local area beef and dairy cattle. Giant King Grass is higher quality protein and it is a good nutritional forage compared to what ranchers are using now. We are working on long-term contracts now with some of the largest cattle feedlots and dairies in the state."

Maricopa Project Manager Bob Buckingham reports, "I have been working closely with VIASPACE on our commercial venture. I am focusing on both technical and business issues. We are planning to rapidly expand our propagation nursery into a commercial farm. We visited VIASPACE late last year for discussions of mechanical harvesting approaches. I brought back some more Giant King Grass and recently completed a germination test under ideal conditions and found that 100% of the single nodes germinated. This is outstanding. VIASPACE has conducted some experiments on planting for animal feed, and obtained additional data on the forage quality. We are using these results in our expansion planning.  I have met with potential customers and they are eagerly awaiting Giant King Grass."

"VIASPACE and Maricopa are working well together," states VIASPACE CEO Dr. Carl Kukkonen. "This is a true partnership and we have also become friends. We are fully supporting the commercial expansion in Arizona and will continue to provide updates as they are available. We expect that the animal feed operation will be profitable for both our companies." VIASPACE Chairman, Dr. Kevin Schewe, added: "Our business partnership with Maricopa Bio Crops is progressing rapidly on multiple levels and the anticipated revenues from our profit sharing business structure should tangibly grow the value of our company. VIASPACE and Maricopa are mutually excited to efficiently establish Arizona as 'ground zero' for using Giant King Grass as animal feed in North America."

The "Hay and Forage Grower" Magazine article and pictures of the Giant King Grass in California and the planting in Arizona are available on the VIASPACE Facebook page www.facebook.com/viaspaceinc. The article can also be seen at http://hayandforage.com/marketing/energy-crop-be-used-livestock-feed.

About Syn Tawa Energy, LLC and Maricopa Bio Crops, LLC
Syn Tawa Energy, LLC develops second generation Renewable Energy Refinery plants that combine a new, patented state-of-the-art, commercial scale, low emission cellulosic biomass gasifier with a highly efficient patented gas-to-diesel conversion system that generates premium sulfur free ASTM D-975 diesel fuel at a cost that is below first generation biodiesel and petroleum based diesel fuels.  For more information, go to www.syntawaenergy.com or contact Patrick Sweeney at 949-887-6111.  Maricopa Bio Crops, LLC grows renewable bio crops for animal feed and as a feedstock for biomass to liquid fuels production.

About VIASPACE Inc.
VIASPACE grows renewable Giant King^TM Grass as a low-carbon fuel for clean electricity generation; for environmentally friendly energy pellets; and as a feedstock for bio-methane production and for green cellulosic biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials. Giant King Grass is a proprietary, high yield, dedicated biomass clean energy crop. Giant King Grass when it is cut frequently at 4 to 5 feet tall is also excellent animal feed. The USDA granted approval for planting Giant King Grass throughout the US and cooperates in exporting by performing the required inspections and issuing the phytosanitary certificate needed for import into foreign countries. Giant King Grass is being grown in California, Arizona, Hawaii, St. Croix Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, South Africa, China and Myanmar.  For more information, please go to www.VIASPACE.com or contact Dr. Jan Vandersande, Director of Communications, at 800-517-8050 or [email protected].

Safe Harbor Statement
Information in this news release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, risks outlined in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, and other factors over which VIASPACE has little or no control.

SOURCE VIASPACE Inc.