As we enter this time of Thanksgiving, here are just a few of the things I’m thankful for this year:

• The opportunity to serve all people who call America home.
• The support of all NIFA partners over the past year to ensure we provide the research, education and extension programs that improve the lives of those we serve.
• The experts who choose to work with us at NIFA with renewed energy and enthusiasm to deliver exemplary NIFA programs every day.
• The Administration and the Department of Agriculture for recognizing and emphasizing the critical importance of science to meet the nation’s pressing needs and making sure our programs serve all of the nation’s people fairly and equitably.

The work we do at NIFA is very personal to me. I have benefited most of my life from NIFA’s contributions. As a 4-H’er, a graduate of land-grant university, an Extension faculty member, and as a citizen who sees the impact of this vital work all around me every day, I want to thank all of our partners and the thousands of individuals within the partner organizations for making life better across the nation through your innovation, dedication and hard work. We appreciate and give our thanks to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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

USDA NIFA Invests Over $34M to Support Healthy Eating for Low-Income Americans

NIFA today announced an investment of over $34 million to support greater food access and nutrition security for low-income and at-risk communities through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

“We want to ensure all Americans have access to healthy, affordable, and fresh food,” said National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Dr. Carrie Castille. “As we approach the holiday season, we should be mindful that over 13 million American families are food insecure. USDA continues to use every resource at our disposal to bolster both food and nutrition security for these vulnerable Americans. Programs like GusNIP play a key role in helping families purchase and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables while giving them a chance for better health outcomes, not just during the holidays, but year-round.” For more information, read this NIFA press release.

GusNIP supports food access and nutrition security by providing fresh, affordable, healthy food to low-income and at-risk communities. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

NIFA Programs Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

November 18 - 24 serves as World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. Program organizers world-wide strive to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance. According to the World Health Organization, best practices to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infection are encouraged among the public, health workers, and policy makers. NIFA supports agricultural research focused on addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reducing potential negative impacts from using antibiotics, and identifying alternative strategies for mitigating AMR in the food chain. The goal is to reduce or negate any bleak effects of antimicrobials used in agriculture that may adversely affect the treatment of human diseases. For more information, read this NIFA blog.

Technician working on bacterial culture, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

NIFA Celebrates Native American Heritage Month Spotlighting: Colville Reservation 4-H Extension

The Colville Reservation Extension in Nespelem, Washington is one of two Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) in the state and is dedicated to ensuring the youth residents of the reservation have the necessary resources to prepare them for their future. As the longest running FRTEP, the Colville Reservation 4-H provides diverse programs for members to gain and develop new skills, while expanding their knowledge in new subjects. Educational topics range from advancing science and technology, to enhancing health and well-being, and improving natural resources. For more information, read this NIFA blog.

Native American Heritage Month: Colville Reservation 4-H Extension graphic.

Blue Ribbon Panel Selected

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently selected panelists for the Blue Ribbon Panel. Members of the panel can be viewed online. Congratulations!

The FY 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act included a general provision that requires the REE Under Secretary to convene a Blue Ribbon Panel for the purpose of “evaluating the overall structure of research and education through the public and land-grant universities, including 1890 institutions, to define a new architecture that can better integrate, coordinate, and assess economic impact of the collective work of these institutions.”

This is a tremendous opportunity to identify how the Land-grant University (LGU) System can enhance integration of research, education, and extension across all institutions in the system for regional innovation in climate-smart ag, nutrition security, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in agriculture, and expanded markets for agricultural products to ensure a stable, safe food supply and robust, resilient agricultural and rural economy. The panel will produce a consensus report recommending principles and actions to enhance institutional coordination and a framework for assessing and documenting the impacts of LGU collaborative activities.

The panel held their first meeting on November 22. There was much discussion on understanding sponsors' perspectives, reviewing the statement of task, reviewing the proposed plan and timeline for the study, exploring the approach to the task, and identifying the needs of the panel. Future updates on events and the panel will be available online at the National Academies.  

Panel discussion icon, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

NIFA Career Opportunities

We are hiring! 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.

Student Trainee (Biological Science) (GS-4)
This is a temporary appointment.
Closing Date: November 26, or when we have received 70 applications.
View the job announcement.

Student Trainee (Social Science) (GS-4)
This is a temporary appointment. Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Closing Date: November 26, or when we have received 70 applications.
View the job announcement.

Meat and Poultry Hotline Experts on Duty Thanksgiving Day

If you need last-minute answers about preparing that Thanksgiving meal, you'll be able to reach a live expert, even on Thanksgiving Day. The USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline number is 888-MPHOTLINE (888-674-6854) Listeners can also go online to Ask.usda.gov. Hotline will be staffed Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST.

Roasted turkey dinner, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Protecting Precious Food Crops in Space and on Mars

Astronauts would have to grow food on a three-year Mars mission. What happens if an insect hitchhikes and starts destroying the crops? USDA’s Gary Crawford talks with USDA's Fruit and Tree Nut Lab Researcher Dr. David Shapiro-Ilan on possible answers to this pest management problem on this edition of Agriculture USA. For more information, listen to this USDA broadcast.

Mars, elements furnished by NASA and courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Request for Information
Understanding Global Insect Production Request for Information

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and USDA's Interagency Insect Protein Working Group is requesting information (RFI), opinions, and recommendation on the emerging global insect production industry. The release of this RFI comes at an opportune time where the world is working to cut emissions and adapt to climate change. Market trends and early research suggest that insect production in some form could play a beneficial role in many of the sectors in which we work. However, we need more information to make informed and evidence-based decisions. For more information, read the Understanding Global Insect Production RFI.

Clipboard for requests, courtesy of Adobe Stock.  

Better Hops, Better Beer

Good hops make good beer, so when hops improve, so does beer. To help with that improvement, Washington State University (WSU) is leading a new four-year, $4.8 million grant to advance hops and help hop growers. “The Pacific Northwest produces nearly 40% of the world’s hops,” said Doug Walsh, the grant lead and professor in WSU’s Department of Entomology with an appointment in WSU Extension. “Washington itself produces almost as much hops as Germany now.” That level of industry needs protection from disease, pests, and viruses. That’s where the new USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant comes in. USDA-NIFA chose this program, in part, to help develop disease and pest resistant hops that can be grown more sustainably. For more information, read the WSU Insider article.

Closeup image of ripe green hop, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Bowie State Introduces Aquaponics Program, Teaches Students Sustainable Food Production

Aquaponics, a food production system coupling aquaculture and hydroponics, is an emerging subject of interest in academia. Bowie State University recently announced its department of natural sciences will be introducing new aquaponics and hydroponics programs, citing growing challenges the agricultural industry faces from climate change and labor shortages. Bowie State’s SMART Agriculture Program, led by Osano and natural sciences department chair George Ude, applies hydroponics and aquaponics technology into the plant science curriculum. The program will also focus on studying the production of nutritious foods using unconventional agricultural methods and is funded by a five-year grant from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, read the Bowie State article. .

Young plants grow in aquaponics system, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Researcher to Improve Cattle Nutrition, Reduce Emissions

Utah State University (USU) Professor Juan Villalba is leading a team granted nearly $7 million from the USDA to help improve rangeland for cattle. The researchers hope to study how effective it is to plant "islands" of 24 types of legumes and herbaceous flowering plants in rangeland to improve cattle nutrition. The $6.8 million grant from USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture is supporting a multipronged approach to study improved rangeland nutrition. For more information, read the USU Today article.

Cattle feeding, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Notice of Intent to Extend Currently Approved Information Collection

The Federal Register on November 24 published a notice entitled "Notice of Intent to Extend Currently Approved Information Collection.” The National Institute of Food and Agriculture's intention is to extend a previously approved information collection, Form NIFA-666, entitled “Organizational Information,” in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget regulations. Written comments on this notice must be received by January 24, 2022 to be assured of consideration. For more information, read the full Federal Register notice.

Save-the-Date

Hispanic-serving Institutions Education Grants Program Request for Applications Informational Webinar

December 3, 12 p.m. ET. For more information, go to the Hispanic-Serving Institutions webinar announcement.

Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities (AgrAbility) Webinar

December 9, at 1 p.m. ET. For more information, go to the AgrAbility webinar announcement.

Webinar graphic, courtesy of Adobe Stock.