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Editor: Kelly Sprute December 15, 2021
Making a Difference
 When implementing grazing management strategies, one of the key tools to success is using temporary fencing technology, courtesy of University of Georgia by Justin Burt.
Incorporating Alfalfa in Forage Systems Could Lead to Environmental Benefits
Alfalfa, once a dominant forage in Georgia, is the third-highest crop for economic returns in the United States. Combined with cheap nitrogen prices, difficulty growing the desirable forage crop in Georgia’s challenging climate led to a decline in alfalfa production in the state after its peak in the 1960s.
Now University of Georgia (UGA) grazing specialist Jennifer Tucker is doing her part to restore alfalfa production to the state for the benefit of both producers and the land.
Tucker, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Animal and Dairy Science, is working with colleagues from Auburn University, University of Florida, and the University of Tennessee on grants from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage System Program to develop best management practices to restore grasslands and sustainably increase alfalfa production in the Southeast. For more information, read this University of Georgia CAES News article.
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New Modeling Tool for COVID-19 Mitigation in the Food Industry
Keeping the essential food production industry going during the pandemic has been challenging, since workers, who often need to work in close proximity to each other, have been falling ill or unable to work due to control strategies. The resulting reduction in food production capacity and facility shutdowns are not only harming workers’ mental health and wellbeing, but are also threatening the nation’s food supply. Funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a team of Cornell University researchers, led by Dr. Renata Ivanek and partnering with food safety software company iFoodDecisionSciences, has developed a mathematical model that predicts illnesses and absences from work due to COVID-19 among workers on produce farms. For more information, read this NIFA blog.
Dr. Renata Ivanek, courtesy of Carol Jennings, Cornell University.
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Mustard Plant Jet Fuel Could Reduce Emissions by 68 Percent
Carbon dioxide emissions from the aviation sector constitute 2.5% of global emissions. One way to reduce this carbon footprint is to replace conventional aviation fuel (obtained by refining crude oil) with aviation fuel derived from sustainably produced biomass feedstocks. Carinata (Brassica Carinata), also known as Ethiopian mustard, is an oilseed crop that can be grown across the southern U.S. during winter months. The oil obtained from crushed carinata seeds can be refined to produce sustainable aviation fuel. This could reduce up to 68% of carbon emissions compared to a unit of conventional aviation fuel. For more information, read this USDA blog.
Carinata (Brassica Carinata), courtesy of USDA.
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Mid-Florida Research and Education Center Plant Diagnostic Clinic Saves Grower's $350,000 Poinsettia Crop
The poinsettia was introduced to this country in the late 1820s by Joel Poinsett, the first American ambassador to Mexico. In 2019, a commercial grower, faced with the prospect of losing a large poinsettia crop, came to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center thinking the plants had Xanthomonas, an incurable bacterial disease. The UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center was developed with NIFA support for research and Extension activities. For more information, read this NIFA blog.
Poinsettia plant, courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Early Outcomes
In spring of 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced a research investment to examine the impact of COVID-19 on American agriculture. NIFA invested up to $9 million for research in the following areas: health and security of livestock; food and food processing; well-being of farm workforce, food service providers, and rural Americans; and economic security. For more information, read this NIFA blog.
COVID-19 Rapid Response graphic.
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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.
Program Analyst (Data Scientist) (GS-14)
Closing Date: December 23, or when we have received 75 applications.
View the job announcement.
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Protecting Fruit and Vegetable Industry Through Smart Surfaces
Improving the safety and water efficiency of specialty fruit and vegetable crops with smart surfaces will be the goal of a new transdisciplinary project led by Texas A&M University. A $2.4 million grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is funding the project. The four-year project is titled, “Next-Generation Smart Surfaces and Coatings to Improve Food Safety and Water Efficiency of U.S. Specialty Crops.” For more information, read this Texas A&M AgriLife Today article.
Contrasting images of uncoated material allowing adhesion of Salmonella bacteria with a coated material that repels it, courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife.
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New Research Explores Halal Food Fraud, Implications for Meat Industry
The halal food industry is growing rapidly in the United States and is estimated to be worth more than 20 billion dollars, but concerns about halal meat fraud are growing, too. To help the meat industry improve the halal certification process and to increase consumer confidence in the process, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Pre-Doctoral Fellowship grant is supporting a new research project led by Michigan State University (MSU) Ph.D. Student Kelsey Hopkins. For more information, read this MSU news article.
Checking a tray of meat, courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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Effective Communications and Community Engagement
From countering misinformation to delivering culturally tailored messages, public health departments have had to reimagine communications throughout the pandemic. A new perspectives paper considers how the public health sector can execute more effective communications when anticipating and responding to future crises. For more information, read this National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine article.
Clear concise complete communication Venn diagram, courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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Prioritizing Nutrition Security: Cooperative Extension's Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being
Webinar, January 25, 2022 at 3 p.m. EST. For more information, go to the Prioritizing Nutrition Security webinar announcement.
Food nutrition security graphic, courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension that solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. Keep informed about NIFA, USDA, our land-grant and non-land-grant university partners, and stakeholders with the NIFA Update. Read past issues online, sign up for email updates or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts or LinkedIn @usda-nifa.
If you wish to submit a news item or information, send an email to NIFAUpdate.
USDA is an equal opportunity lender, provider, and employer.
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