NIFA's Collaboration with CGIAR System to Help Advance U.S.
Agriculture, Achieve Global Impacts of Mutual Interest
 In a recent exchange of letters, the National Institute of
Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and CGIAR stated
their intentions to foster international collaboration, information sharing and
coordination of selected efforts between NIFA-funded and CGIAR-funded
researchers.
“The desired outcome of this enhanced collaboration between
NIFA and CGIAR would be the joint application of scientific expertise
that aligns talents and resources to achieve greater impacts globally in
addressing issues of interest to our institutions,” wrote Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy,
NIFA director, in his letter to CGIAR.
CGIAR Executive Director Elwyn Grainger-Jones described the
potential benefits resulting from partnering with NIFA. “Through its
association of 15 global research centers, CGIAR brings together a broad range
of partners who play a critical role in the adoption of sustainable innovations
including government, national research programs, civil society, and the
private sector.”
Collaborative activities include opportunities for:
- NIFA-funded researchers to spend time undertaking research
at CGIAR centers; and
- CGIAR-funded researchers and NIFA-funded researchers to
share information, discuss technical innovations in agriculture, and to propose
and participate in collaborative research that can improve food and nutritional
security, and resources and ecosystem services.
“Many agricultural pests and diseases that threaten our
crops and livestock emerge or reemerge first outside the U.S. Wild crop genes
we may need for improved breeding of various crops might only be found outside
the U.S. Moreover, in 2030, 96 percent of the world's population, and thus,
most of the markets, will be outside the U.S.,” said Dr. Otto Gonzalez, director,
NIFA’s Center for International Programs.
“International collaboration, therefore, is essential for a
thriving and heathy U.S. agricultural sector” Gonzalez added.
CGIAR is a global partnership that unites organizations
engaged in research for a food secure future. Its research is carried out by 15
CGIAR centers and 12 research programs in collaboration with hundreds of
partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society
organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector.
See NIFA and CGIAR’s exchange of letters.
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 NIFA Welcomes New EOS Director
We are excited to welcome Barbara (Bobbie) Moore as the Director of the Equal Opportunity Staff (EOS) at NIFA.
Moore has extensive
experience in Civil Rights, Equal Opportunity, Program Compliance, and
Alternative Dispute Resolution. Since 2015 she has served as the chief of
the Equal Employment Opportunity and Civil Rights Compliance Division at USDA.
She was responsible for executing compliance aspects and governance on a
National level for USDA regarding the Secretary’s scorecard, Public Civil
Rights Compliance, Internal Civil Rights Compliance, and the Model EEO Program.
She also served as the training and civil rights director at USDA where she was responsible for
providing guidance and direction to headquarters staff offices and the Graduate
School on leadership, direction, and oversight of civil rights, equal employment opportunity, outreach, alternative dispute resolution, diversity councils, and USDA 1890 Initiatives.
Moore has an impressive
career in federal service career. Prior to joining USDA, she was employed with the
Federal Aviation Administration, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation as the Director of EEO
and Diversity Management, and with the Bureau of Land Management, and with the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
She received
her B.S. Degree from Park University in management and her M.S. from
Webster University in computer information systems. She has completed the
“Leadership for a Democratic Society” program at the Federal Executive
Institute as well as completed 32 hours of course work at the Harvard Division
of Continuing Education in managing and resolving workplace conflicts and
leadership coaching strategies.
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More Fuel for the Food/Feed Debate
A new study indicates livestock production is a much smaller challenge to global/food security than often reported.
In a recent issue of ELSEVIER, humans face mounting challenges when it comes to finding ways to sustainably feed an exploding population. As people become wealthier and more urbanized, the demand for animal products continues to climb. Although supply chain efficiencies improve, livestock are considered a resource drain, requiring a large amount of feed, which could also be used by humans, to produce a relatively small amount of meat.
A new study in Global Food Security found that livestock place less burden on the human food supply than previously reported. Even stronger, certain production systems contribute directly to global food security because they produce more highly valuable nutrients for humans, such as proteins, than they consume.
The Northeastern IPM Center Announces Request for Applications for IPM Partnership Grants
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center announces the availability of funding through its IPM Partnership Grants Program, supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Up to $250,000 in total will be available for 2018, with a maximum of $50,000 per award, to fund projects that foster the development and adoption of integrated pest management methods. The program offers a Request for Applications (RFA) for each project type: IPM Issues, IPM Working Groups, and IPM Communications.
For 2017, the Center is particularly interested in projects that address regional priorities within the Center’s five Signature Programs (not in order of priority) 1) IPM and Organic Systems, 2) Rural and Urban IPM, 3) Climate Change and Pests, 4) Next Generation Education, and 5) Advanced Production Systems. Applications must be submitted online and are due by Wed., Nov. 15, 2017.
An informational webinar about the RFA will be held on Sept. 25, 2017, from 2 to 3 p.m. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the Center’s website for those unable to attend. Please register for the webinar. For more information on the application process and guidelines, and to download the application, visit the Northeastern IPM Center website. The IPM Centers are supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, under award number 2014-70006-22484.
 Farm Bill Friday Kickoff: Rep. Don Bacon
The House Agriculture Committee is launching a
new video series entitled "Farm Bill Friday." Every Friday, they will
release a new video from members of House Conference highlighting the
importance of a strong Farm Bill for all Americans.
Watch House Agriculture Committee member Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) kick off the
#FarmBillFriday series.
Rep. Bacon said [in part]:
Agriculture
produces one out of every four jobs in Nebraska. It has a huge impact on the
second district and around Omaha too. What we transport, food commodities,
food packaging, and what we finance. So we have a huge impact in our district
with agriculture. We’ve got to get it right this year with the Farm Bill.
Farm prices are down 50%
right now and we see the impact in the livelihood of many Nebraskans and also in our education and state budget. So, we’ve got
to support our farmers. Our farmers take care of the land which is a natural
resource and agriculture is a treasure for us.
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USDA NIFA Announces Funding to Recruit and Educate a Diverse Agricultural Workforce
NIFA announced $945,400 in available funding to help foster the next generation of multicultural scholars in agricultural sciences. Funding is made through NIFA’s Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP). The Higher
Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) helps colleges and
universities recruit and retain multicultural scholars who may pursue degrees
in food and agricultural sciences disciplines or the Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine (DVM) degree. Projects may involve scholarships to support recruiting,
engaging, retaining, mentoring, and training of committed, eligible
multicultural scholars. The deadline for applications is Oct. 31, 2017. See
the request
for applications for details.
Solicitation of Veterinary Shortage Situation Nominations for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)
NIFA is
soliciting nominations of veterinary service shortage situations for
the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) for fiscal year 2018, as authorized under the National Veterinary Medical Services
Act (NVMSA). This notice initiates the nomination period and prescribes
the procedures and criteria to be used by eligible nominating officials
(State, Insular Area, DC and Federal Lands) to nominate veterinary
shortage situations.
Each year all eligible nominating officials may submit nominations, up to the maximum indicated for each entity in this notice. NIFA is
conducting this solicitation of veterinary shortage situation
nominations under an approved information collection (OMB Control
Number 0524-0050).
DATES: Shortage situation nominations must be submitted on or before
October 20, 2017.
Contact Mark Robinson, National Program Leader, NIFA, USDA, Stop 2240, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-2220 Telephone: 202-4011990; Fax: 202-401-6156, Email: vmlrp@nifa.usda.gov
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