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Media Contact: Selina Meiners, 202-734-9376
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2017 – WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2017– The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced support for research,
education, and extension projects that promote a safe, nutritious food supply.
The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research
Initiative (AFRI) program, authorized by the
2014 Farm Bill.
“Each year, 1
in 6 Americans gets sick consuming contaminated foods or beverages,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “NIFA support enables
scientists to investigate and develop innovative approaches to detect and
control microbial and other contaminants in our food, contributing to the
production of safe, high-quality, nourishing food.”
AFRI is
America’s flagship competitive grants program for foundational and
translational research, education, and extension projects in the food and
agricultural sciences. These awards are made through two grant programs: AFRI
Foundational: Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health, and the AFRI
Food Safety Challenge Area. These
investments seek to increase our understanding of the microbial, chemical, and physical safety and quality of foods, as well
as protect consumers from contaminants at every stage of the food chain,
from production to consumption.
Fiscal
Year 2016 grants, which include 59 grants, totaling $24 million were awarded. More information on these projects is available
on the NIFA
website.
USDA is an equal opportunity lender, provider, and employer.
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