NWAL COVID Action Coordination Group background

Beginning in mid-March 2020, the Native Waters on Arid Lands (NWAL) project initiated weekly Zoom meetings with tribal partners throughout the intermountain West (Southwest, Great Basin, and Northern Rockies) to collect information about the impacts of COVID-19 on tribal farmers, ranchers, and communities. Approximately 50-60 stakeholders and federal officials join these calls. Participants include Tribal Council members, Native farmers and ranchers, Federally-Recognized Tribal Extension agents (FRTEP), Tribal College and University (TCU) faculty, and leaders from USDA NIFA, USDA Office of Tribal Relations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Forest Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Issues addressed include impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on tribal agriculture, ranching, food security/food supply, medical supplies, economic relief, access to basic resources (water, firewood, household products), educational support needs, and COVID testing needs.

During these calls, TCU and FRTEP Extension agents provided crucial insight into the challenges the pandemic has created for community members in their regions. They also shared how they used their resources, expertise, and networks of contacts to help develop viable solutions to the identified problems. Visit the NWAL website for more information.

The Dangers of Being Sleepless in America

Studies say that up to a third of us don't get the sleep we need to stay healthy, physically and mentally. Experts say that's causing some major problems. USDA’s Gary Crawford talks with University of Nebraska Extension Sleep Expert Susan Harris on how important a good night’s sleep is to keep us healthy. For more information, listen to the USDA broadcast. 

Swarm Farming: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

The evolution of autonomous robotic platforms keeps excitement growing around the potential and implementation of swarm farming for large scale agricultural production. A robotic platform for a specific crop production operation needs thoughtful considerations, especially when the expectation is to continually enhance agricultural productivity, profitability, and possibly, environmental sustainability. To realize swarm farming goals, these autonomous robotic platforms will require seamless integration and the functioning of numerous sub-systems. For more information, read the Precision Ag Review article.

This is a USDA-NIFA funded project under the National Science Foundation’s National Robotics Initiative Program with Kansas State University.

Trees and Shrubs Protect Crops and Generate Income for Farmers

Across the U.S., farmers are taking innovative approaches to foster environmental stewardship and economic viability through a common conservation practice called the riparian forest buffer. Multifunctional riparian buffers are trees, shrubs, and other plants alongside rivers, streams, and wetlands that produce products that can be harvested and sold. By widening these buffers and planting more year-round cover, farmers are enhancing water quality, improving wildlife habitat, and protecting soil, while also producing specialty crops that they can use or sell. Since 2016, the National Agriforestry Center has partnered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, Penn State University, and other partners to host multifunctional riparian forest buffer workshops for ag and natural resource professionals. These workshops are partially funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. For more information, read the USDA article.

Technical assistance providers view the riparian forest buffer from the stream corridor during a multifunctional riparian forest buffer workshop. Photo courtesy of the USDA National Agroforestry Center.

Kansas State University will Lead Project to Improve Winter Wheat Varieties

The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has selected Kansas State University to serve as a center for efforts to improve U.S. winter wheat varieties. The university received $1 million to establish the International Wheat Yield Partnership’s (IWYP) Winter Wheat Breeding Innovation Hub. K-State will lead the effort to evaluate research findings from several IWYP projects that contribute to significantly improved wheat yields, according to officials. Hub partners will seek ways to stack – or combine -- desirable traits from those projects into elite winter wheat varieties for U.S. growers. Desirable traits may include genetic improvements that make winter wheat more resistant to pests, disease or drought, thus improving its yield potential. For more information, read the Kansas State University article.

Kansas wheat field, image courtesy of Kansas State University.