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Editor: Kelly Sprute                                                                                         Feb. 7, 2018

Making a Difference

Montana State Seeks to Increase Women in Ag with USDA Grant

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Statistics and USDA show while women constitute less than 1 percent of the nation’s agricultural scientists, engineers and policymakers, they occupy the majority, about 60 percent, of lower-paid agricultural jobs on America’s farms and ranches.

Six female professors at Montana State University and Flathead Valley Community College hope to increase the percentage of women agricultural scientists, engineers and policymakers by way of a $94,000 NIFA grant, “Empowering Women in Agriculture.” Read the full NIFA blog article. 

NIFA News

International Engagement and Research Opportunities USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and NIFA invite you to the Opportunities for International Engagement and Research Cooperation webinar March 6 at 2 p.m. EST. The webinar will focus on funding opportunities to conduct cooperative research; host and mentor foreign scientists: and train foreign agricultural officials, faculty, and policy makers. Learn more about possibilities for international collaborations in your NIFA-funded activities, develop partnerships with other countries. Date:     Tuesday, March 6, Time:     2 - 3 p.m. (EST) Webinar Link

News for You

Damona Doye to Head Cooperative Extension at Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (OSU) named Damona Doye as associate vice president of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. She becomes the first female to head the statewide agency. Doye is the Cooperative Extension’s longtime farm management specialist and holder of the Rainbolt Chair in Agricultural Finance with OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. A faculty member at OSU since 1986, Doye is regarded throughout the nation as a leader in the agricultural economics profession. She is a past president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association and served as chair of the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics. Read the full OSU news release.

Legislative News

Sec. Perdue Briefs House Agriculture Committee on State of Rural Economy The House Agriculture Committee hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Feb. 6, as he briefed members on the current state of the rural economy and the USDA’s recently released farm bill priorities. An archived webcast from the hearing is available along with Chairman Conaway's opening statement.

Federal Register Notice

Notice of Public Meeting for the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture The Federal Register published on Jan. 29 a notice entitled "Notice of Public Meeting for the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture." NIFA published this notice to announce a public meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture (IWGA) of the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. The IWGA to discuss with stakeholders ongoing and planned activities in support of aquaculture development in the United States. In turn, stakeholders will have the opportunity to discuss issues of relevance to members of IWGA. The meeting is scheduled Feb. 20, from 1:30 - 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

RFA Grant and Award Announcements

NIFA Announces Support for Agricultural Facilities at 1890 Land-Grant Institutions

NIFA announced support to enhance food, agricultural, natural resource and human science facilities and equipment at 1890 land-grant institutions. Funding is made through NIFA’s 1890 Facilities Grants Program (FGP).

The 1890 FGP facilitates the full participation of 1890 land-grant institutions in the research, extension, and education enterprises of the higher education system. Read the full request for applications announcement.

NIFA Announces $3 Million in Funding Available for Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions

NIFA announced the availability of $3 million in funding for Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving (ANNH) Institutions. This grant is issued through NIFA’s ANNH Institutions Education Competitive Grants program. 

The ANNH Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program promotes and strengthens the ability of ANNH institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs within a broadly defined arena of food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines. Read the full request for funding applications announcement.

NIFA Announces Support for Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment

NIFA announced the availability of funding to help eligible veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations. Funding is made through NIFA’s Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services Act.

VLMRP supports NIFA’s Animal Systems portfolio by facilitating professional workforce development in critical agricultural sectors related to animal health and well-being. The program contains three general categories of participation: Mitigation of private practice shortage situations, mitigation of public veterinary practice and specialty veterinary discipline shortage situations, and service in animal health emergencies. Read the full request for application announcement.

NIFA Announces Support for Secondary and Post-Secondary Educational Programs

NIFA announced support for secondary educational programming in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. Funding is made available through the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA). 

SPECA increases the number and diversity of students who pursue and complete a two- or four- year postsecondary degree in the food and agricultural sciences, as well as to enhance the quality of secondary and two-year postsecondary instruction to meet future national food and agricultural science workplace needs. Read the full request for applications announcement. 

NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture.

If you wish to submit a news item or information, send an email to NIFAUpdate.

USDA is an equal opportunity lender, provider, and employer.