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KANSAS CITY, MO (September 9, 2020) – To keep science discovery, innovation, and education moving forward, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) developed a series of COVID-19 Rapid Response funding opportunities targeted to the most critical issues facing university researchers, small businesses and consumers across America during the pandemic. Today, USDA-NIFA announced the agency has awarded nearly $14 million in this nationwide effort so far, with more projects to be funded in the next few months.
“It was quickly evident at the onset of the pandemic that the food supply, agricultural systems, families and education – key focus areas for USDA and our partners – would be greatly impacted by all the changes facing our society,” said USDA-NIFA Acting Director Parag Chitnis. “USDA-NIFA is uniquely positioned to help fund rapid response research, outreach and education efforts, while continuing to support our base research, Extension and 4-H youth development programs that are in place at all times to respond to producer and consumer needs, large and small, across the nation.”
Over the past few weeks, USDA-NIFA awarded close to $13 million across 17 grant projects through the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and another 14 grants for $1.3 million through the Small Business Innovation Research Program to support research and development across all areas of agricultural research, education, and small business innovation addressing the pandemic. NIFA expects to announce another round of AFRI-funded projects in October.
This new support adds to USDA-NIFA capacity funds already in place in every state and communities to make it possible for land-grant universities, tribal colleges, and their Agricultural Experiment Stations and Cooperative Extension Services. These funds support the people and facilities that make up the network of grassroots support providing local farmer and rancher education and advice, community development and resilience tools, health and nutrition expertise, and 4-H and youth development opportunities.
“In emergencies like this, trusted resources and expertise are available to Americans, particularly in the rural areas, through local Extension offices,” Chitnis said. “Extension agents have personal connections with people and communities.”
Background
In mid-March, university-based researchers and educators stepped up to rapidly respond to the urgent need for new links in the U.S. food and agriculture supply chain and updated economic models for trade and food production, while moving an array of education classes from university instruction to 4-H programs to a virtual teaching space.
By expanding NIFA’s AFRI program to include an additional focus area, COVID-19 Rapid Response to Novel Coronavirus Impacts Across Food and Agricultural Systems, the agency offered funding opportunities for projects of up to $1 million in the areas of: Health and Security of Livestock; Well-being of Farm, Food Service Providers, and Rural Americans; Economic Security; and Food Safety. Funded rapid response programs address critical and urgent solutions to the pandemic’s impact on the nation’s food and agricultural system are being rapidly implemented and directly address urgent needs in the stakeholder community.
Scientists received grants to develop antiviral coatings to inactivate SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen responsible for causing COVID-19, in food manufacturing and livestock production and to develop bio-based, anti-viral disinfectant fogging technology and a handheld diagnostic device for COVID-19 in meat and poultry processing facilities. Other grants help economists study the impact of the pandemic on price transmission and farm-retail price spread in the U.S. livestock market, while others are developing a Rapid Response Toolkit for Tribal Extension agents working with Native Nations, who are among the hardest-hit populations. A complete list of all funded research projects is available on the NIFA website.
USDA-NIFA also provides critical support to 4-H, one of America’s largest youth development organizations. Traditional 4-H camps and project or livestock competitions moved to virtual formats, often an easier transition for young people who are digital natives, but also complicated by the lack of adequate broadband access in many rural areas where many 4-H’ers live. Hundreds of 4-H’ers used leadership, citizenship, and entrepreneurial skills learned in the youth development program to make, market and distribute needed face masks and to offer technology support to help senior citizens use available technology to stay in touch with friends and family during social distancing.
Coast to coast, farmers found themselves with a surplus of fresh food when the food service and hospitality industries, who account for a large share of their customers, closed their doors. Unable to make rapid shifts needed to repackage, redirect, and deliver those supplies for the retail market, many growers turned to local Extension experts who helped organize websites, food box giveaways, and community food bank deliveries to connect farmers’ food supplies with local markets.
During the pandemic, annual agricultural field days, which agricultural producers rely on for leading-edge, continuing education, were quickly moved to online delivery. Others opted for in-person, at-a-distance methods such as drive-up sessions where producers stayed in their vehicles and observed demonstrations, while listening to instruction either through their vehicle radio or over a loudspeaker.
Extension programs nationwide also report dramatic increases in online program demand for classes on food safety and health protection during a pandemic, how to facilitate online schooling at home, and home gardening and food preservation. When health experts recommended staying at home, many Extension experts stepped in to offer free, online tax preparation support, webinars to help small businesses understand the CARES Act, and to develop applications to monitor and track up-to-date capacity in local healthcare systems.
USDA-NIFA competitive and capacity funds totaling over $1.7 billion annually are invested and at work in local communities every day across America. To find out more about how these critical funds are helping in your community, visit NIFA's website or your state’s Cooperative Extension Service website.
NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education and extension and seeks to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges.
This research supports Value-Added Innovations themes outlined in the USDA Science Blueprint and moves us closer to meeting the goals outlined in USDA’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda.
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