NIFA Update - May 18, 2022

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Editor:  Lori Tyler Gula, Ph.D.                                                                          May 18, 2022

Making a Difference

Sue Barton explains the benefits of a bioswale installation. Courtesy of the University of Delaware. 

Sue Barton explains the benefits of a bioswale installation in South Bethany to landscape architecture majors. Courtesy of the University of Delaware.

Horticulture Champion

Sue Barton’s role at the University of Delaware (UD) is the perfect embodiment of the University’s Land-grant mission. She teaches. She conducts research. And she takes UD’s knowledge to the public. Barton is both a professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and Cooperative Extension specialist of ornamental horticulture. She’s also been a driving force behind the organization and educational efforts of the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association, which serves horticulture businesses in the First State. She’s a can’t-miss presence at training sessions and expos.

News From NIFA

AgMIP Co-Founder Cynthia Rosenzweig Receives 2022 World Food Prize

World Food Prize graphic, courtesy of NASA.

World Food Prize graphic, courtesy of NASA.

Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, a senior research scientist and head of the Climate Impacts Group at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, has received the 2022 World Food Prize from the World Food Prize Foundation. Rosenzweig co-founded the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP), which is supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. She was selected for the award for her research to understand the relationship between climate and food systems and forecast how both will change in the future. Her modeling work has provided a foundation for decision-makers around the world to create strategies to mitigate climate change and adapt our food systems to a changing planet, which has helped communities worldwide address the consequences of Earth's changing climate.


National Apple Pie Day graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

Getting to the Core of NIFA-funded Apple Research

Apples are the most consumed fruit in the U.S., followed closely by oranges. In 2019, the average U.S. per-person consumption of all forms of apples had increased to about 26.3 pounds. The per-person consumption of apple juice and cider decreased to 12.6 pounds. In celebration of National Apple Pie Day, we recognized some of the Land-grant Universities conducting apple research supported by NIFA.

National Apple Pie Day graphic, courtesy of NIFA.


Mental Health Awareness Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA. 

May: Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental health is an often-overlooked challenge farmers face nationwide. Farmland loss and land access issues, rising production costs, plummeting farm incomes, climate change and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic are contributing to a mental health crisis within the farming community. NIFA has a competitive grants program, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, that supports projects that provide stress assistance for people in farming, ranching and other agriculture-related occupations.

Mental Health Awareness Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA. 


Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month graphic, courtesy of USDA.

Building Legacy Together: Our Communities’ Journey of Strength and Resilience

With support from NIFA, Land-grant Universities in the Pacific Islands carry out innovative education, applied research and related community development programs that create stronger, more resilient Pacific Islander communities. Learn about the innovative research being conducted at the University of Guam.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month graphic, courtesy of USDA.


National Salad Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

You Say Tomato, I Say Okay!

May is National Salad Month! Created by the Association for Dressing and Sauces in 1992, National Salad Month encourages people to incorporate more salads into their daily food regimen. One of the most popular salad ingredients is the tomato. Not only are they delicious additions to a traditional garden salad, do a quick search for “tomato salad” and you’ll find a wealth of recipes that combine tomatoes with ingredients like onions, herbs, oil and vinegar for a quick and delicious snack. More than two billion pounds of tomatoes are produced in the U.S. each year, making it one of the top agricultural crops for producers. NIFA supports research that leads to better, stronger and tastier varieties of tomatoes, benefiting both producers and consumers. 

National Salad Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.


Woman working on a laptop graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

The General Services Administration System for Award Management is Experiencing Delays 

The General Services Administration System for Award Management (SAM) is experiencing delays processing certain private entity registration information for new registrants, updates to existing entity registrations and annual renewals. If you are not able to upload your application in Grants.gov prior to the funding opportunity close date because of issues related to these delays and are still awaiting a response to your pending SAM.gov help desk ticket, then NIFA will accept your application through an alternate submission process. Please note, this process is only valid for the issues noted above and is a one-time occurrence. Additionally, please allow sufficient time for your SAM.gov issue to be resolved prior to using the alternate submission process. Read more 

Woman working on a laptop graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

News From USDA

USDA graphic symbol

USDA to Provide Approximately $6 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2020 and 2021 Natural Disasters

USDA has announced that commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2020 and 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments totaling approximately $6 billion through the Farm Service Agency’s new Emergency Relief Program to offset crop yield and value losses.


A Conversation on Farm Stress and Mental Health

A Conversation on Farm Stress and Mental Health graphic, courtesy of USDA.

A Conversation on Farm Stress and Mental Health graphic, courtesy of USDA.

Join in this Friday, May 20 at 3 p.m. (EDT) for USDA’s first ever Twitter Spaces where we'll be talking about farm stress and mental health. Set your reminder online.

Impact of NIFA-Funded Research and Outreach

University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor Janos Zempleni. Credit: Craig Chandler/ University of Nebraska–Lincoln Communication.

Nebraska-led Project Examines Milk as Possible Cancer Fighter

In health care, perhaps no word sends a more chilling message than “cancer.” Brain tumors, for example, prove especially resistant to current treatments. Only 5% of patients with that condition survive more than three years, and the median survival time is 10 to 14 months. But an innovative NIFA-funded research project by University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists offers the potential for a breakthrough. Scientists are pursuing a surprising way to use milk as the vehicle delivering cancer-fighting therapeutics to the brain.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Professor of Nutrition and Health Sciences Janos Zempleni. Credit: Craig Chandler/ University of Nebraska–Lincoln Communication.


Wyatt Beauchamp, 4-H virtual aquaponics program participant. Photo courtesy of UMaine Extension.

Hooked on Aquaponics: 4-H Youths Statewide Learn Life Skills in Nationally Recognized UMaine Extension Program

What do guppies and hatchet fish have to do with lettuce and Swiss chard? Wyatt Beauchamp, age 10, can tell you. In detail. He may be the most passionate of the youths participating in the nationally recognized University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s 4-H virtual aquaponics program. “I love fish,” he says. “Any way to work them into my life is amazing. This program is amazing.” 

Wyatt Beauchamp, 4-H virtual aquaponics program participant.
Courtesy of UMaine Extension.


Oklahoma State University wheat molecular geneticist Liuling Yan. Courtesy of OSU Agricultural Communications Services Todd Johnson.

OSU Scientist Discovers a Wheat Gene that Increases Grain Yield

Building the genetic makeup for the ideal wheat crop is no easy task. Just ask Liuling Yan, the Dillon and Lois Hodges professor of wheat molecular genetics and breeding in the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Department of Plant and Soil Sciences who, along with colleagues, recently discovered the TaCol-B5 gene in wheat plants.

What makes this gene so special? It enhances wheat yield by more than 10% — a significant increase in the world of wheat production. Due to a rapidly growing human population and climate change, there is a need for crop varieties that produce high yields with limited amounts of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and that are more resilient to unpredictable weather.

Oklahoma State University wheat molecular geneticist Liuling Yan has discovered and cloned the TaCol-B5 wheat gene, which increases wheat yield by more than 10%.
Courtesy of OSU Agricultural Communications Services Todd Johnson.

Upcoming Events

Webinar graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

May 19: Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Insular Areas Webinar

NIFA will host a webinar on  May 19 at 6 p.m. EDT to discuss the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) – Insular Areas. GusNIP brings together stakeholders from various parts of the food and healthcare systems. The competitive grant program portfolio includes nutrition incentive projects, produce prescription projects, and training, technical assistance, evaluation and information centers, which provide support services to both nutrition incentive and produce prescription projects.

Webinar graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

May 24: Informational Webinar on Climate-Focused Programs

Rapidly changing climate is one of the most pressing issues facing farmers, ranchers, landowners, households and communities. To address these climate change challenges, individuals, families and communities need the best available science to plan for and implement climate-smart and resilient practices. NIFA will host a webinar on May 24 at 2 p.m. EDT to disseminate information on new climate focused programs from the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science RFA: Sustainable Agroecosystems: Health, Functions, Processes and Management A1451, Extension, Education & USDA Climate Hubs Partnership A1721, and Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems A1712. 

May 24-26: Making Climate-Smart Agriculture Work

The NIFA-funded Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project will host a national conference May 24-26 on Making Climate-Smart Agriculture Work. The focus of the virtual conference is to share information and best practices regarding integrating science, modeling and economics to help farmers, ranchers and foresters mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change.

May 26: Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription RFA Webinar

NIFA will host a webinar on May 26 at 6 p.m. EDT to discuss the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription RFA. GusNIP brings together stakeholders from various parts of the food and healthcare systems. The competitive grant program portfolio includes nutrition incentive projects, produce prescription projects, and training, technical assistance, evaluation and information centers which provide support services to both nutrition incentive and produce prescription projects. Produce prescription projects aim to increase procurement and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce individual and household food insecurity, and reduce healthcare usage and associated costs.

June 3: Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America (YEA) RFA Webinar

NIFA will host a webinar on June 3 at 2:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the Special Topics: Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America (YEA) (A7703) Program Area Priority, which has two new budget requests: Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America (YEA) project budgets must not exceed $7,850,000 total per project for project periods of four or five years (60 months) and Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture Across America Coordination Network (YEA-CN) project budgets must not exceed $5,000,000 total per project for project periods of four or five years (60 months). The YEA program seeks projects supporting one or more of the six AFRI Farm Bill priorities, as well as one or more of the USDA priorities of addressing climate change via climate-smart agriculture and forestry; advancing racial justice, equity and opportunity; creating more and better market opportunities; tackling food and nutrition insecurity; and promoting workforce development. The outcome of the YEA program will be a reimagined and enhanced system of Positive Youth Development (PYD) outreach.

June 7: NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar Series - An App and A Carrot: An Overview of the Evolution and Impacts of VeggieBook

On June 7, at 3:30 EDT, Drs. Peter Clarke and Susan Evans will share the story of their smartphone app, called VeggieBook, which is designed for food pantry clients. The app helps household cooks prepare tasty servings and snacks using vegetables. Drs. Evans and Clarke’s work was supported by NIFA, among others. In the NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar, the presenters will explain origins of their app, the app’s content and how it works, evidence about the app’s effectiveness, and lessons learned from disseminating the app. 

June 14: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems Live FAQ Session

NIFA will host a Live FAQ Session on June 14 at 3 p.m. EDT to discuss the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) Program Area Priority. This 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. We invite interested applicants to learn more about this program area priority and to meet our team during a live FAQ event.

Important Dates

NIFA In the News

Charly Minkler, owner of Stone Peak Ranch in Ignacio and a Colorado Farm Bureau director. Courtesy of Durango Herald’s Jerry McBride.

The Durango Herald: Do Farmers and Ranchers Take Stock of Mental Health?

Amy Reid deals with a number of stressors as she raises her chickens, turkeys and ducks at Jake’s Farm in Hesperus, Colorado. There’s the economics of feeding her animals as feed costs have increased 30% this year. Then there’s the unpredictable weather – when the winds whip up dust as they’ve done this spring, her birds sluggishly lay eggs. The arrival in mid-April of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, a fatal disease that kills between 90% and 100% of flocks within 24 to 48 hours, has only added to the daily challenges and anxieties of raising poultry.

Mental health is a little discussed subject among farmers and ranchers in La Plata County. But the environmental and economic strains of raising animals and plants in Southwest Colorado can impact the mental health of those who raise them. As local and statewide groups begin to offer more mental health services directly to agricultural communities with support from NIFA, farmers and ranchers in La Plata County are beginning to reckon with stigma and a culture that has often prevented those in agriculture from seeking help.

Charly Minkler, owner of Stone Peak Ranch in Ignacio and a Colorado Farm Bureau director representing Southwest Colorado, looks over his dry hay fields as he prepares his irrigation lines for the growing season. Courtesy of Durango Herald’s Jerry McBride.


Tweet of the Week

Tweet of the week May 19 - N.C. A&T CAES thanks Dionne Toombs

N.C. A&T CAES thanks Dionne Toombs, Ph.D., acting director of USDA-NIFA, for her support of the 1890 MEA Center and its first symposium! Dr. Toombs announced a new USDA $4 million investment in 1890s at the symposium - similarly to the funds which gave MEA its start.