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USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Seeks
Stakeholder Input on Food, Agriculture Priorities
Media Contact: Kelly Sprute, 202-744-2574
WASHINGTON, D.C. August
27, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is soliciting stakeholder input on the
emerging needs and opportunities in food and agricultural sciences through the
“NIFA Listens: Investing in Science to Transform Lives,” initiative.
“We invite our stakeholders, scientists, and organizations
from across the US agriculture system and beyond to provide their input,” said
NIFA Acting Director Tom Shanower. “These sessions provide a chance for any
interested party to help ensure NIFA’s research, education, and extension
investments effectively and efficiently support the long-term prosperity and
global preeminence of U.S. Agriculture.”
These listening sessions are your opportunity to provide
feedback on these questions:
- “In your field, what is the most-needed breakthrough in
science/technology that would advance your agricultural enterprise?”
- “When considering
all of agriculture, what is the greatest challenge that should be addressed
through NIFA’s research, education, and extension?”
- “What is your top
priority in food and agricultural research, extension, or education that NIFA
should address?”
Four regional in-person listening sessions will be held:
Thursday, Oct. 11, Hartford, Connecticut (RSVP by Thursday,
Oct. 4) Thursday, Oct. 18, New Orleans, Louisiana (RSVP by
Thursday, Oct. 11) Thursday, Oct. 25, Minneapolis, Minnesota (RSVP by
Thursday, Oct. 18) Thursday, Nov. 1, Albuquerque, New Mexico (RSVP by
Wednesday, Oct. 25)
NIFA Listens website is a one-stop
informational hub to keep you up-to-date on the sessions. Each session is
scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and end no later than 5 p.m. Live webcast will be available for each
session, transcribed, and made available for playback. Session attendees must
register via NIFA Listens
websites. In addition, written comments may be provided electronically through
the stakeholder input form on the website or emailed by NIFAlistens@nifa.usda.gov until
Friday, Nov. 30. Feedback is welcome through any of our submission methods and
will be gathered throughout the initiative.
Last year NIFA Listening
sessions focused on learning the top priorities NIFA should address in
agricultural research, extension and education and which science opportunities
to focus on. Stakeholders provided feedback that demonstrates the interconnectedness
of agricultural production, ecological, social, economic, and technical
challenges that face agriculture and the interdependence between research,
extension, and education. The information gathered helped NIFA to prioritize
work within and across science emphasis areas, as well as identify gaps in
programming.
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. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on
agricultural sciences, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts, sign up for updates, and follow us on
Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.
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