Dear Colleagues,

Each year the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) joins with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to sponsor a lecture presented at the APLU Annual Meeting. The lecture honors one of the three most important historical figures of the Land-grant University System: William Henry Hatch for research, Seaman A. Knapp for extension, and Justin Smith Morrill for whom the Morrill Act which created the Land-grant University System is named.

NIFA and APLU are seeking nominations to honor Justin Smith Morrill - the U.S. Senator primarily responsible for enactment of the historic legislation establishing the Land-grant University System. The Justin Smith Morrill Memorial Lectureship is awarded to honor outstanding contemporary leadership in teaching and significant contributions as an educator.

We are seeking an insightful topic and a dynamic speaker who can provoke discussion among meeting participants and prepare a formal lecture to be presented at the APLU Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 14-16. While we seek recommendations from those within the Land-grant University System, we also would encourage you to share this memorandum with colleagues outside of the research, education, and extension system, including stakeholders, foundations, public interest groups, or international organizations. Nominations are encouraged from all sources.

Recommendations should include the name of the nominee, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address and topic that could be discussed. Please submit your potential topic and/or presenter on or before August 27. Recommendations should be forwarded electronically to Faith Peppers at Faith.Peppers@usda.gov.  A committee will review submissions and narrow the scope of the recommendations in order to make a final decision.

Thank you for your assistance in this endeavor.

Dr. Carrie Castille
Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

USDA Invests $69 Million to Support Critical Food and Nutrition Security Needs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced an investment of $69 million to address critical food and nutrition security needs of low-income communities enduring the pandemic, enhance the resilience of food and healthcare systems impacted by the pandemic, and maximize funds reaching participants. This is one of several key steps that USDA is taking to ensure access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, so every American has a chance to live a productive life and reach their full potential. Twenty awards totaling $61.5 million are for Nutrition Incentive Grants, and 15 awards totaling $7.5 million are for Produce Prescription Grants. These grants are all part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program COVID Relief and Response grants program. For more information, read the NIFA press release.

Customer buys fresh produce in local market. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

NIFA Career Opportunities

We are hiring! The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recruits a diverse group of talented, creative, motivated professionals who are invested in shaping the future of food and agricultural science. We offer a variety of benefits and services to our employees that focus on work-life balance, career enhancement, and health and well-being. NIFA has career opportunities in a variety of scientific disciplines covering engineering, food science, forestry, education, animal and crop sciences, and many other agriculture-related disciplines. NIFA job openings are listed on USAJobs. Current NIFA job openings are for Kansas City, Missouri, or location negotiable after selection:

Financial Officer (GS 14-15)
Duty Station:  Kansas City, MO or Negotiable After Selection
Closing Date: 08/23/2021 or when we have received 150 applications
View the all citizens job announcement or the merit promotion job announcement (mainly for government employees)

Senior Grants Management Specialist (GS-13)
Closing Date: 08/23/2021 or when we have received 250 applications
View the all citizens job announcement or the merit promotion job announcement (mainly for government employees)

Writer-Editor (GS-13)
Closing Date: 08/24/2021 or when we have received 150 applications
View the all citizens job announcement.

USDA Modernizes the Thrifty Food Plan, Updates SNAP Benefits

The USDA recently released a re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan, used to calculate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. As a result, the average SNAP benefit – excluding additional funds provided as part of pandemic relief – will increase for Fiscal Year 2022 beginning on October 1. As directed by Congress in the 2018 Farm Bill – and with the expressed support of President Biden’s January 22 Executive Order – USDA conducted a data-driven review of the Thrifty Food Plan. The resulting cost adjustment is the first time the purchasing power of the plan has changed since it was first introduced in 1975, reflecting notable shifts in the food marketplace and consumers’ circumstances over the past 45 years.“ A modernized Thrifty Food Plan is more than a commitment to good nutrition – it’s an investment in our nation’s health, economy, and security,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. For more information, read the USDA press release.

Structural Variants in Cacao Genomes Yields Clues About Plant Diversity

An exhaustive and painstaking comparison of the genomes of multiple strains of the cacao tree by a team of researchers has provided insights into the role genomic structural variants play in the regulation of gene expression and chromosome evolution, giving rise to the differences within populations of the plant. “As a result of this study, we know that structural variation is important to the survival of the plant, to the evolution of the plant and especially to the adaptation of the plant to local conditions,” said Penn State University Professor of horticultural botany and plant molecular biology Mark Guiltinan. The National Science Foundation and USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supported this work. For more information, read this Penn State News article.

Red cocoa tree, courtesy of Getty Images.

Study Explains Why Food High in Saturated Fat May Lead to Plaque Build-Up in Arteries

We all know that fatty foods are linked to blocked arteries and a higher risk for heart disease, but why or how the food becomes toxic has remained a mystery, until now. New research involving University of California-Davis (UC Davis) Health may provide an answer. The study, published August 13 in Science, suggests that consuming food rich in saturated fat and choline - a nutrient found in red meat, eggs and dairy products - increases the number of metabolites that build plaques in the arteries. It also points to a possible drug that can block the effects of the high-fat diet on the gut and the arteries. The research was supported by grants from several organizations, including USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, read this UC Davis Health article.

Assorted fatty foods, hamburgers, pizza, and fried chicken with sides, courtesy of Getty Images.

Updated Building Soils for Better Crops Focuses on Soil Health Fundamentals

Now more than ever, it is abundantly clear that healthy soils play an essential role in productive agricultural systems. Soils are foundational to the food we eat and fundamental to life on earth. Focusing on sustainable soil management has shown to increase farm and ranch profitability, improve crop yield and provide other critical services related to water, air, and climate. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education’s (SARE) newest book, the fourth edition of Building Soils for Better Crops, provides rich detail on ecologically sound practices for developing and maintaining healthy soils. For more information, read this SARE article.