|
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
|
|
|
Editor: Lori Tyler Gula, Ph.D. April 6, 2022
Making a Difference
With a lot of time, planning, collaboration with other institutions and a $10 million NIFA Coordinated Agricultural Project grant, an idea from two University of Nebraska professors became a reality and they were able to offer a cover crop course like none other in the country. The five-year grant, titled “Enhancing the Sustainability of U.S. Cropping Systems through Cover Crops and an Innovative Information and Technology Network” with teaching, research and Extension components and on-farm cover crop research, started in 2019 and has over 90 collaborators around the United States.
Sarina Janssen, a senior agronomy major (from left), and Benjamin Janssen, a junior plant biology major, with course instructor Andrea Basche, identify plants grown for the Cover Crop Challenge activity in Agronomy 425/825 Cover Crops in Agroecosystems. Students selected their own cover crop mixes.Credit: Lana Koepke Johnson/University of Nebraska
|
|
Throughout this week, research and scholarship from the nation’s 1890 Land-grant Universities were on display in Atlanta during the 1890 Research Symposium. What a tremendous array of innovative ideas and successes from students and faculty.
Spending time talking with the students made it clear they are prepared and eager to lead agricultural science into the future.
It was a bittersweet week to celebrate the students and the system, but also to know my time as NIFA Director will come to an end on Friday. Since I joined the agency, we worked together to build a strong foundation with deep sustaining roots that will support the growth we see with each sunrise.
Together we developed new and innovative funding opportunities that align with the top priorities of the Administration, the Department and our stakeholders: to support climate-smart agriculture, nutrition security, new and better markets and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across the agency; and be a model for federal government.
New opportunities through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative will help secure the next generation of agricultural scientists and highly skilled workers, including $60 million in competitive grants from the AFRI Education and Workforce Development Program, which is designed to support 4-H and other positive youth development efforts such as FFA and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences. This investment represents the largest single grant opportunity for youth programs in NIFA history.
We have taken on major initiatives through the American Rescue Plan to provide technical assistance to benefit underserved farmers, ranchers and forest landowners in accessing USDA programs and services.
We are able to offer these new opportunities to you because we began an aggressive hiring initiative last spring that brought more than 175 new NIFA employees onboard and raised our staffing level to well above 300. This outstanding staff of some of the leading experts in America is dedicated to the mission to partner with you in this unparalleled science powerhouse of agricultural innovation for the good of the nation.
Later this spring, Dr. Parag Chitnis, NIFA’s Associate Director of Programs, will also depart to become Vice President of Research and Economic Development at the University of Wyoming. Longtime NIFA Program Leader Brent Elrod will step in as Acting Associate Director of Programs upon Parag’s departure. We are grateful that Brent agreed to take on the role and assure that Parag’s exceptional level of high-quality standards and leading-edge programs will continue.
USDA announced this week that Dr. Dionne Toombs will become the Acting NIFA Director on Monday, April 11. Dr. Toombs will provide outstanding leadership during this transition and I appreciate her stepping up to serve in this acting capacity.
I am confident, with your support, these two NIFA veterans will continue to deliver the customer-focused, partner-centered leadership you deserve from NIFA.
Additionally, the agency’s executive leadership team is developing a strategic plan, based on the newly released USDA Strategic Plan, to provide a path forward. I encourage you to read the USDA plan and provide your open and honest feedback. Your valuable input will keep NIFA thriving and producing the opportunities and impacts that are the hallmark of our partnership.
I am so thankful for your support as I transition to my new role as Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. It has truly been an honor to serve you as NIFA Director.
All the best,
Carrie
|
NIFA-Funded Research Helps Farmers, Ranchers Thrive
America’s farmers and farmworkers feed and fuel the nation. These essential workers play an important role in our nation’s food security and economy. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported around 2 million full-time production-agriculture workers. At NIFA, we recognize the importance of farmworkers in the U.S. agriculture industry.
National Farmworker Day graphic, courtesy of NIFA
|
 |
|
Wildlife Habitat Education Program: Fostering Future Stewards of Natural Resources
As part of National Wildlife Week, NIFA recognizes the National Wildlife Habitat Education Program. For more than 40 years, it’s been building the nation’s future natural resource professionals and leaders. Both 4-H and FFA members participate in this comprehensive wildlife learning curriculum.
National Wildlife Week graphic, courtesy of NIFA
|
Master Gardeners by the Numbers
For almost 50 years, Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) have educated millions about sustainable and environmentally friendly garden practices. NIFA provides crucial support to the Extension Master Gardener program through capacity funding to Extension programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
National Garden Month graphic,
courtesy of NIFA
|
Highlighting the Impact of Volunteers
Within the 4-H community there is a network of over 500,000 volunteers helping support and mentor six million 4-H’ers, according to 4-H. As 4-H’s federal partner, learn how NIFA funding is helping individuals who are positively impacting their communities and those around them through 4-H.
National Volunteer Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA
|
NIFA Career Opportunities
We are hiring! NIFA recruits a diverse group of talented, creative and 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.gov. Current NIFA job openings are for Kansas City, Missouri, or a location negotiable after selection, unless otherwise noted below.
Social Science Specialist (GS 13-14) (Three vacancies.) Closing Date: April 8. View the job announcement.
Biological Science Specialist (GS 13-14) (Three vacancies.) Closing Date: April 8. View the job announcement.
Biological Science Specialist/Social Science Specialist (GS-9) Closing Date: April 19 or when we have received 200 applications. View the job announcement.
Career Opportunities graphic, courtesy of NIFA
|
USDA Announces April 2022 USDA Tribal Consultation on Barriers and Equity
USDA has announced the “USDA Tribal Consultations on Barriers/Equity: Annual Progress Report & Feedback for Next Steps.” This five-day consultation series follows up on the March 2021 consultations held in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities. Tribal leaders have requested that USDA affirm how staff are incorporating tribal input on barriers to effectively accessing programs. From April 11 through 18, USDA consulting officials will highlight progress made since last year’s consultation and discuss potential solutions for ongoing issues with tribal nation representatives.
|
APHIS Celebrates 50 Years of Protecting American Agriculture
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is celebrating a major milestone – 50 years of serving the public as a federal agency. USDA created APHIS on April 2, 1972, to consolidate animal health, plant health and inspection duties under one roof. The new agency focused on protecting American agriculture and natural resources, along with ensuring the humane care of certain animals. While both APHIS and the world have changed a lot over the past 50 years, the agency’s key mission remains the same today.
APHIS Celebrates 50 Years of Service graphic, courtesy of APHIS
|
USDA Takes Action to Strengthen Pollinator Research Support
The USDA has announced its strengthened commitment to advancing research and programmatic priorities that support pollinator health by soliciting nominations for members to serve on its newly formed USDA National Pollinator Subcommittee.
A bee near the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market in Washington, D.C. Credit: Lance Cheung/USDA
|
Avocado Meal, a Novel Fiber Source for Dogs
When avocados were first recognized as a nutrient-dense superfood for humans, consumption skyrocketed. Today, consumers buy and eat the fresh fruit (hello, avocado toast), purchase prepackaged guacamole, cook with avocado oil, and more. The trend means there are now more avocado-derived products in the supply chain than ever. In a unique study supported by NIFA, University of Illinois researchers looked at the possibility of using avocado meal – the ground, dried and defatted pulp, seed and skin left over after avocado oil processing – as a fiber source in dry dog food.
Dog wearing an avocado-motif bandana. Credit: Maria Cattai de Godoy/University of Illinois
|
Why Doesn’t Fire Kill Some Bacteria and Fungi?
Scientists have found microbes living in the charred soil that wildfires leave behind. They don’t know how some fungi and bacteria manage to thrive when everything else has died, but a new NIFA-funded project aims to change that. University of California, Riverside, scientists will spend the next three years studying the traits that allow soil microbes to respond to fire, as well as the role those microbes play in storing or emitting powerful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide.
Pete Homyak, co-principal investigator on the new research project, and former student Kobe Luu sampling soil at the Holy Fire burn site. Credit: Sydney Glassman/UCR
|
Researchers and Extension Educators Help Coordinate Climate Data Collection and Use
Researchers and Extension educators helped make AgriMet the most common source for climate data on farms in the northwestern U.S. After using AgriMet data to schedule irrigation, a potato grower in Idaho reported annual power savings between $14,000-$17,000. Another grower in Idaho reported a 15% increase in potato yield after using AgriMet data for irrigation scheduling, resulting in increased revenue of $60,000. In Arizona, scientists helped wine grape growers access and use temperature data to protect grape yield and quality from frosts and high temperatures. Learn more about the impact of AgriMet and other climate monitoring networks supported by NIFA through a multistate research project.
A farm field is irrigated. Credit: Multistate Research Fund Impacts Program.
|
April 21: Funding Opportunities for Members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
National Program Leaders will discuss education and Extension-related funding opportunities with members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Invited attendees will be faculty, staff and graduate students from Hispanic-serving Institutions. Join NIFA at 12 p.m. EDT for this 90-minute webinar. Registration is open.
April 25: Live FAQ Session: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) program area priority is designed to rapidly identify and implement strategies to protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains and the people who support them during and after extreme weather events. Join NIFA at 3:30 p.m. EDT to learn more about this program area priority and meet our team during a live FAQ event.
Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas coast Sept. 12, 2008.
Credit: NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory
|
April 26: Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program: Overview, Impacts and Opportunities
The April edition of NIFA’s Nutrition Security Webinar Series is an overview of the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), which provides funding opportunities to conduct and evaluate projects providing incentives to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by income-eligible consumers. GusNIP was designed to bring together stakeholders from various parts of the food and health care systems to help foster understanding to improve the health and nutrition status of participating individuals and households, facilitate growth in states and tribes with low participation, as well as collect and aggregate data to identify and improve best practices on a broad scale. The Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, which oversees the evaluation of GusNIP as the lead of the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information (NTAE) Center, will share promising nutrition and economic impacts from the first two years of the program. Both NIFA and NTAE panelists will highlight opportunities going forward and utilize breakout groups to answer questions. Register for this 90-minute webinar that starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Strawberries not only taste good, they're also nutritious. Credit: Keith Weller/USDA
|
April 27: Save the Date: NIFA Stakeholder Listening Session
NIFA will conduct a virtual listening session at 4 p.m. EDT to seek stakeholder input on future priorities for NIFA research, education and Extension programs. As a stakeholder, customer or partner, you are invited to contribute your expert opinion on how federal investments can best address current needs and challenges facing U.S. agriculture. Information about registration will be forthcoming.
April 28: Listening Session: Bioproduct Pilot Program (Please Note Time Change)
NIFA invites the public to participate in a virtual listening session at 4 p.m. EDT for the Bioproduct Pilot Program. This new program will invest $5 million for each of FY2022 and FY2023 to study the benefits of using materials derived from covered agricultural commodities in construction and consumer products. This virtual listening session is part of the program’s public comment period, which closes at 5 p.m. EDT May 5. Comments received will be used to help shape the program’s Request for Applications. Visit the NIFA program page for more information about the program.
May 24-26: Save the Date: Making Climate-Smart Agriculture Work
The NIFA-funded Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project will host a national conference on Making Climate-Smart Agriculture Work. The focus of the virtual conference is to share information and best practices for integrating science, modeling and economics to help farmers, ranchers and foresters mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change. Proposed panel discussions include: “Why CSA Matters to Farmers, Ranchers and Foresters and What They’re Asking,” “CSA Data, Models and Science: What We Know So Far,” “The Bottom Line: Assessing CSA Profitability, Adoption and Sustainability,” “Supporting COMET and Modeling CSA at Farm and Landscape Scales, and “Regional Integrated Assessments: Integrative Multi-Model Solution.” Proposed panel discussions include “New Horizons: Incorporating New Science and Technologies with Foundational Models,” and “Building New Partnerships: New Approaches and Opportunities for Collaboration.” Please save the date. Additional information about plenary speakers and registration will be forthcoming.
June: OneOp Presents an Online Learning Experience: “Family Well-Being: Navigating the Social Justice Landscape”
Take advantage of this multidisciplinary approach to a complex issue facing service providers working with military families. Through convenient courses offered asynchronously, the 2022 Military Families Readiness Academy will focus on individuals’ understanding of social justice and equity, including their own understanding of privilege and oppression.
Family Well-Being: Navigating the Social Justice Landscape graphic, courtesy of OneOp
|
Sept. 7-9: Save the Date: National Conference on Next-Generation Sustainable Technologies for Small-Scale Producers
North Carolina A&T State University will host a National Conference on Next-Generation Sustainable Technologies for Small-Scale Producers at its Alumni Foundation Event Center. The conference is a collaboration between the university, NIFA and the Environmental Protection Agency. Please save the date. For more information, contact Dr. Godfrey Uzochukwu at uzo@ncat.edu.
NIFA Invests $4.5M in Welfare and Well-Being of Agricultural Animals
NIFA has invested $4.5 million in eight projects as part of the AFRI Welfare and Well-Being of Agricultural Animals program. The program supports objective evaluations of current animal agriculture production practices and the development of new or enhanced management approaches that aim at safeguarding animal welfare while sustaining or improving production efficiency. Of particular interest to this program are the use of emerging methods for improved health and behavior, mitigation or elimination of painful procedures, employing methods of genetic selection to increase robustness and finding alternatives to the use of animals in agricultural research.
Tribal Colleges Extension Program - Capacity Applications
Tribal Colleges Extension Program - Capacity Applications provides funding to increase Extension program capacity at 1994 Land-grant Institutions; address special needs; take advantage of important opportunities; and/or demonstrate long-term sustained benefits of Extension projects at 1994 Land-grant Institutions. Awards will be made to support one or more of the following Extension base program areas: Agriculture; Community Resources and Economic Development; Family Development and Resource Management; 4-H and Youth Development; Leadership and Volunteer Development; Natural Resources and Environmental Management; and Nutrition, Diet and Health. Application Deadline: June 7. For more information, see the Tribal Colleges Extension Program - Capacity Applications, funding announcement.
A group of college students, courtesy of Adobe Stock
|
EPA Seeks Advisory Committee Nominations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations for people to serve on its Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC). The committee, established in 2008, provides independent policy advice, information and recommendations to EPA’s administrator on environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities. Members may represent farmers, ranchers and rural communities; allied industries, including farm groups, rural suppliers, marketers and processors; academia and researchers; state, local and tribal government; and nongovernmental organizations. Nominations should be submitted by email to FRRCC@epa.gov by May 16, with the subject line “FRRCC Membership 2022.” Nominations should include a résumé or curriculum vitae and a statement of interest. Letters of support and recommendation will be accepted but are not mandatory.
|
K-State Research Finds Feeding Cattle Industrial Hemp Reduces Stress
A new NIFA-funded study by Kansas State University finds that feeding cattle industrial hemp may have a beneficial effect on their welfare: a reduction in stress and increasing the times when they lie down. "Cattle experience a variety of stress and inflammation," said K-State College of Veterinary Medicine assistant professor of beef production medicine Michael Kleinhenz. "Our most recent data shows how cannabinoids via industrial hemp decreased the stress hormone cortisol as well as the inflammatory biomarker prostaglandin E2. This shows that hemp containing cannabidiolic acid, or CBDA, may decrease stress and inflammation in cattle. Thus, hemp may be a natural way to decrease stress and inflammation related to production practices such as transportation and weaning."
Michael Kleinhenz, assistant professor of beef production medicine at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, has published a new study that finds benefits to feeding industrial hemp to cattle. Credit: Kansas State University
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
