NIFA Update - July 20, 2022

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Editor:  Lori Tyler Gula, Ph.D.                                                                         July 20, 2022

Making a Difference NIFA graphic icon.Latino farmers learning grass management practices, courtesy of Lincoln University Cooperative Extension.

A group of Latino farmers learning grass management practices at a Southwest Missouri ranch. Photo courtesy of Lincoln University Cooperative Extension.

Diversity and Inclusion in Agriculture: The Case for Missouri Latino Farmers and Ranchers

Since 2007, the U.S. Census of Agriculture has consistently documented a demographic shift in the agricultural sector. Although this shift reflects a more diverse farming community that collectively contributes to reducing food insecurity across the United States, the need to integrate nonwhite farming and ranching communities into mainstream agriculture and USDA support programs has increased. Latino farmers represent the largest minority farming community in the U.S. and have consistently grown in numbers since 2007.

At Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (LUCE), with the support of a grant from the USDA NIFA Beginning Farmer and Ranchers Development Program and a grant from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Extension is helping to increase the integration of Latino farmers not only through USDA programs, but also by introducing them into the mainstream agricultural industry. This effort supports USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s priority of advancing racial justice, equity and opportunity.

News From NIFA

Congressman William H. Hatch

Seeking Nominations for the 2022 William Henry Hatch Lecture

Each year NIFA joins with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to sponsor a lecture presented at the APLU Annual Meeting. NIFA and APLU are seeking nominations for the prestigious Hatch Lecture. The lecture commemorates the efforts of William H. Hatch, congressman from Missouri who championed the Agricultural Experiment Station Founding Bill which became law in 1887, and to celebrate the accomplishments of the Experiment Station System created by the Hatch Act.

We are seeking an insightful topic and a dynamic, discussion-provoking speaker who can prepare a formal lecture to be presented at the APLU Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, November 6 – 8. 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, email address and topic that could be discussed. Please submit your potential topic and/or presenter on or before July 29. Recommendations should be forwarded electronically to Davida Tengey. A committee will review submissions and narrow the scope of the recommendations to make a final decision.

Congressman William H. Hatch


National Blueberry Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

Wild Blueberries—The Maine Event

Love the juicy pop of flavor in wild blueberries?  Thank growers in Maine. Maine is the leading producer of lowbush, or wild, blueberries. Lowbush blueberries are native to northern New England and Atlantic Canada. Almost 500 farmers manage 36,000 acres of commercial wild blueberry land in Maine. The University of Maine Wild Blueberry Extension Program is working to reach both organic and conventional wild blueberry producers with ways to improve the shelf life and quality of their harvests as part of NIFA’s effort to create more and better markets for producers and consumers.

National Blueberry Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.


National Ice Cream Day, courtesy of NIFA.

We All Scream for Ice Cream Day

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Each year, the third Sunday in July is designated National Ice Cream Day. It is a commemoration dating back to 1984, when President Ronald Reagan declared the first such day. At NIFA, we certainly believe National Ice Cream Day is worth celebrating! The agency is proud to support research that serves the U.S. dairy industry and creates more and better market opportunities for producers and consumers.

National Ice Cream Day, courtesy of NIFA.


National Picnic Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

Make Your Summer Picnics Shine

Grab your picnic basket – July is National Picnic Month! Picnics are a perfect way to combine outdoor activity, healthy eating and time spent together with family and friends. Extension and research efforts supported by NIFA that create more and better markets for producers and consumers and tackle food and nutrition insecurity and safety can help your family picnic become a favorite summer activity.

National Picnic Month graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

Upcoming Events

Webinar graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

AFRI Special Topics: Meat and Poultry Processing - Agricultural Workforce Training

NIFA will host a webinar July 21 at 1 p.m. EDT for those interested in the Meat and Poultry Processing-Agricultural Workforce Training grant program. The program is being offered through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development Request for Applications. For eligibility and more information, please consult the RFA ahead of time

Safe and resilient meat and poultry supply chains require a trained, credentialed and diverse workforce with the right skills at the right location. To contribute to the pipeline of well-trained workers and support safe workplaces with fair wages, this program seeks to support the development, expansion and standardization of meat and poultry processing training programs at community, junior and technical colleges to create more and better market opportunities.

Webinar graphic, courtesy of NIFA.

NIFA Reporting System Monthly Webinar

NIFA's Planning, Accountability and Reporting Staff (PARS) will host its monthly webinar July 21 at 1 p.m. EDT to provide information to users of the NIFA Reporting System, or NRS. At this meeting, PARS team members will provide an update on the Plan of Work Template, discuss Critical Issues Management and answer user questions. Registration not required. Join the webinar here.

Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy Grant Program Webinar

NIFA will host an informational webinar July 28 at 1 p.m. EDT for those interested in the Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL) grant program. PDAL is being offered through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development Request for Applications. The program area seeks to increase the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the food and agricultural sciences.

Agricultural Workforce Training Grant Program 

NIFA is inviting the public to join an informational webinar Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. EDT for the Agricultural Workforce Training grant program. The Agriculture Workforce Development grant program (AWT) is being offered through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development Request for Applications. The AWT program area seeks to develop a workforce ready for the field as well as industry jobs in the food and agricultural sector. For eligibility and more information, please consult the RFA ahead of time. 

Application Deadlines

Federal Register Notices

Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) Certification Process

The Federal Register on July 19 published a notice titled, "Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) Certification Process.” This amendment to NIFA’s regulations updates the list of institutions that are granted Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities certification by the Secretary and are eligible for HSACU programs for the period starting October 1, 2021, and ending September 30. For more information, read the full Federal Register notice.

Notice of Intent to Extend and Revise a Currently Approved Information Collection

The Federal Register on July 20 published a notice titled, "Notice of Intent to Extend and Revise a Currently Approved Information Collection.” In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget regulations, this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's intention to request an extension and revision of collection titled, “Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program.” Written comments on this notice must be received by September 19, to be considered. For more information, read the full Federal Register notice.

News From USDA

USDA graphic symbol

Alarms Sounding about Rapidly Disappearing Farmland

A new report is sounding the alarm about farmland that is disappearing at a worrisome rate.

Impact of NIFA-Funded Research and Outreach

Farmer Doug VerHoeven, courtesy of National AgrAbility.

Disability Pride Month: Restoring Hope, Renewing Productivity with Doug VerHoeven

Funded by NIFA, AgrAbility brings together Cooperative Extension units and nonprofit disability organizations to educate and assist agricultural workers with disabilities, like Doug VerHoeven and their families. This is part of NIFA’s commitment to advancing racial justice, equity and opportunity.

Farmer Doug VerHoeven, courtesy of National AgrAbility.


Cattle operation in Culloden, Georgia, courtesy of Silo Springs Ranch and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Producers Grow Business Knowledge Through UGA's Master Agri-Manager Program

Since launching Silo Springs Ranch in 2020, Audrey Gravelle and her husband have jumped many hurdles associated with starting a farm. They’ve found a meat processor, formed a limited liability company and marketed the finished product — in this case, grass-fed and finished cattle processed locally and sold directly to customers in Georgia. Starting a farm or agribusiness is more complicated than often realized — and comes with plenty of risk. Launched in November 2021 to address the business management-related areas of risk, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Master Agri-manager Program helps participants think strategically about their farming and agribusiness operations, which supports NIFA’s goal of creating more and better markets for producers and consumers.

Cattle graze in a field at Silo Springs Ranch, a grass-fed and finished cattle operation in Culloden, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Silo Springs Ranch and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.


A garden on a city rooftop, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

New Research Identifies the Needs and Tools to Help Urban Farmers Succeed

The needs of commercial urban agriculture operations in Florida have been relatively unknown, which led The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers to dig deeper. A newly published study explains the most common challenges these farmers face and opportunities that could help them thrive, which aligns with NIFA’s priority to create more and better markets for producers and consumers.

A garden on a city rooftop, courtesy of Adobe Stock.

NIFA In the News

A beef steak, courtesy of Texas Tech University.

FeedLot: Increasing Marbling in Beef Without Increasing Overall Fatness

The desire to find the juiciest piece of beef, be it a steak or ribs or roast, isn’t limited to just the restaurant and how it is seasoned or cooked. It starts well before that. It begins when the cattle are still alive, still being raised and fed, and how and what they are fed. The more ranchers can increase the marbling in beef cattle, the better the beef and the higher the price it can fetch at auction or when it is sold. But increasing the marbling in beef is a tricky undertaking with numerous factors in play. Researchers at Texas Tech University hope to unlock one of those secrets to beef marbling without making the cattle fatter and unhealthy with funding from NIFA that creates more and better markets for producers and consumers.

A beef steak, courtesy of Texas Tech University.

Tweet of the Week

Tweet of the Week July 20 graphic - Iowa State University plant breeders

Iowa State University plant breeders and researchers are working to develop a new crop suited for the plant-based protein market. The first step is developing new varieties of mung bean, a new crop here in the U.S. that advances NIFA’s priority to create more and better markets for producers and consumers.

 

LinkedIn Post of the Week

Employee Spotlight Meghan Killen

Meet Meghan Killen

Meghan joined the NIFA Equal Opportunity team as an Administrative Officer.

"I have been a government employee for several years, my most recent position was Public Affairs Administrative Assistant with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for Texas. While working in this role, I was the Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator and was able to work with volunteers across the state with all abilities. As a disabled veteran as well as a mom to a disabled child, equal opportunity is near and dear to me. Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights is an inclusive environment that promotes training and mentoring for all employees, regardless of disabilities. NIFA has given me the chance to combine my experience (admin) with my desire to see inclusion, regardless of the disability," Killen said.

NIFA is committed to advancing racial justice, equity and opportunity, and making USDA a great place to work for everyone.