New Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the cornerstone for federal nutrition programs and a go-to resource for health professionals nationwide. The guidelines provide food-based recommendations to promote health, help prevent diet-related chronic diseases, and meet nutrient needs. In 1990, Congress passed the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act, which mandated that the Dietary Guidelines be published jointly by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services every five years. Learn more about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 from USDA’s MyPlate.
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NIFA-Supported Research Innovates to Reduce Food Loss and Waste
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is USDA’s extramural science-funding agency within USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics mission area. What is NIFA doing to help reduce food loss and waste? This interview features insights from NIFA's National Program Leader for Bio-Based Pest Management Robert Nowierski.
Avocado image courtesy of the USDA.
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NIFA Career Opportunities
We are hiring! Remember to check out NIFA's Career Opportunities webpage, where there is a direct link to all open positions. You can also explore NIFA jobs at the USAjobs.gov website. Current openings in Kansas City, Missouri:
Equal Opportunity Specialist, (GS 13)
Closing Date: 01/21/2021
Supervisory Biological Science Specialist, (GS 15)
Closing Date: 02/08/2021
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Researcher Plays Key Role in Project Aimed at Protecting Carrot Seed Crop
Up to 70 percent of the world’s supply of carrot seed is grown in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s a hugely important crop that is shipped to carrot growers around the planet. Lindsey du Toit has battled pathogens on carrot seed crops for 20 years as a scientist at Washington State University (WSU). She is now part of a new $3 million USDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative project, led by Jeremiah Dung at Oregon State University, that aims to defeat a common bacterial pathogen that causes problems for carrot farmers. For more information, read the WSU news article.
Lindsey du Toit transplanting carrots. Photo courtesy of WSU.
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Strawberry Research Receives Specialty Crops Grant
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has received their second Texas Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Block Grant for an “Increasing Texas Strawberry Profitability” project. The project is a statewide collaboration lead by AgriLife Extension’s horticulturist Russ Wallace, Ph.D. “We’re extremely excited about what we’ve learned thus far to successfully grow strawberries in Texas and increase profitability,” said Wallace. “This is the next step in our ongoing research where we’ll be doing more work with shading trials, fine-tuning fertilization and additional work with herbicides. This work builds upon the earlier research, “Enhancing Productivity and Resiliency of Texas-Grown Strawberries Through Research and Grower Training.” This research is supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, read the Texas A&M AgriLife article.
Russ Wallace. Image courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife’s Susan Himes.
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Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program
Within the states and territories, the Cooperative Extension System has repeatedly served as the trusted community organization that has helped to enable families, communities, and businesses to successfully prepare for, respond to and cope with disaster losses and critical incidents. NIFA intends to fund Special Needs projects to implement applied scientific programs that serve public needs in preparation for, during and after local or regional emergency situations. For more information, read the Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program funding opportunity.
Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program
The Food and Agriculture Service Learning program increases knowledge of agricultural sciences and improves the nutritional health of children. The program focuses on increasing the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations. For more information, read the Food and Agriculture Service Learning funding opportunity.
Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Competitive Grants Program
The Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans program increases the number of military veterans in agriculture. The program provides grants to non-profits to help veterans gain farming and ranching knowledge and skills through comprehensive, hands-on and immersive model programs. For more information, read the Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans funding opportunity.
Veterinary Services Grant Program
The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) supports education and extension activities and practice initiatives that enable veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students to gain specialized skills. For more information, read the VSGP funding opportunity.
1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program
The 1890 CBG program strengthens teaching, research, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences by building the institutional capacities of the 1890 Land-Grant Institutions. The program supports projects that strengthen teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences. For more information, read the 1890 CBG funding opportunity.
Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Sustainable Community Projects
The Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) program improves the quality and quantity of comprehensive community-based programs for at-risk children, youth, and families supported by the Cooperative Extension System. For more information, read the CYFAR funding opportunity.
AFRI's Education and Workforce Development
NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. For more information, read the EWD funding opportunity.
Food Safety Outreach Program
The Food Safety Outreach Program focuses on implementing food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. For more information, read the Food Safety Outreach funding opportunity.
Equipment Grant Program
The Equipment Grant Program (EGP) serves to increase access to shared-use food and agricultural sciences’ special purpose equipment/instruments for applied research at institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Systems. EGP strengthens the quality and expands the scope of fundamental and applied research at eligible institutions. For more information read the EGP funding opportunity.
Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage System Program
Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage System Program (ASAFS) supports the development of improved alfalfa forage and seed production systems. For more information, read the ASAFS funding opportunity.
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