Oklahoma business briefs, Aug. 9

NORMAN — Professionals interested in learning how to integrate sustainability practices into their business can sign up for the free “Lean & Green” training offered by The Lean Institute at the University of Oklahoma. Attendees are taught to identify waste in the form of energy, water and time while saving money, as well as how to improve efficiency in an environmentally-friendly manner. The three-day course, sponsored by the Cleveland County Conservation District, is divided into one day of training over three months. Classes will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 24, Sept. 21 and Oct. 26. The course is free but seating is limited. Registration for the first session is requested by Aug. 20. To register, contact Marc Jensen at marc.jensen@ou.edu. For more information, visit lean.ou.edu.

Group to hold annual meeting

STILLWATER — The Oklahoma Inventors Congress (OIC) will hold its annual meeting Saturday in the ATRC building at Oklahoma State University. The program will include presentations by the Oklahoma Inventors Assistance Service and The Patent & Trademark Resource Center on the OSU campus, and an interactive live conference call with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office staff about how the America Invents Act new “first to file” provisions will impact independent inventors. Registration is complimentary and starts at 8:15 a.m. For more information, go to Oklahomainventors.com. A nonprofit, OIC has active chapter meetings in Durant, Oklahoma City and Tulsa to help educate inventor members about the process of securing and marketing intellectual properties.

Grants, loans are available

The Agricultural Enhancement and Diversification Program (AEDP) is accepting applications until Oct. 1 for zero-percent interest loans and grants for qualified agriculture-related projects across the state. Four types of funding sources are available including a farm diversification grant, a marketing and utilization loan, a cooperative marketing loan and the basic and applied research loan/grant. Applications are accepted quarterly. Funding may be used to produce agriculture-related products and must create rural economic development. Applicants must be 21 years old and must reside in and be a legal resident of Oklahoma. The application form and additional information about each loan can be found at www.ag.ok.gov/mktdev/aedp.htm. Program coordinator Jason Harvey can be reached at 522-5563 or jason.harvey@ag.ok.gov to assist in the application process.