Two 4-H Youth Military Grant Programs Now Open

Two 4-H youth military grant programs opened recently and are posted on Grants.gov. Both funding opportunities are open for only 30 days and will close on September 5.

• 4-H Military Extension Educator Program: The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Child and Youth Program staff and coordinate with 4-H Extension faculty and staff throughout the Land-grant University system to support and develop positive youth development programs and activities on and off military installations around the world.
• Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Youth Support and Internship: In support of DOD’s Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, NIFA is seeking applications for the Youth Support Internship Program for fiscal year 2023 from Land-grant Universities and Colleges to design and administer a nationwide internship program that engages college students motivated to serve the needs of National Guard and Reserve Component military families.

Young people working on a project. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

NIFA Invests in Education at Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions

NIFA announced recently an investment of nearly $3 million to support four Alaska Native-serving and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program (ANNH) projects to enhance education and prepare the next generation of agriculture leaders.  The award recipients include Iḷisaġvik College, the University of Alaska Fairbanks - Interior Alaska Campus, and the University of Hawaii (2 awards). 

Priority for funding is given to projects that enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities; prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; and maximize development and use of resources to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs. Read more about this investment.

September 11 Deadline for Returning Grant Funds

Due to the fiscal year-end financial system processing schedule, NIFA will not accept returned funds from the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system from September 11 through October 2. We appreciate your understanding and support. If you have any questions or concerns about returning funds during this period, please contact NIFA’s ASAP Support Team at ASAPCustomerService@USDA.gov.

Read More: Impacts of NIFA-funded research and Extension programs on our Blog page.

• August 9, 8 p.m. EDT: Follow Up Q&A Session: Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy FY 2023 Request for Applications
• August 10, 2 p.m. EDT: AFRI Agricultural Systems and Technology Grant Programs RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
• NEW August 15, 2 p.m. EDT: 4-H Military Extension Educator Program RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
• August 15, 4 p.m. EDT: Agricultural Workforce Training Grant Program RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
• NEW August 16, 2 p.m. EDT: Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Youth Support & Internship Program RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
• August 17, 2 p.m. EDT: National Agricultural Library Support for NIFA Grant Applicants
• NEW August 29, 2 p.m. EDT: Community Food Projects RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
• August 30, 12 p.m. EDT: Transdisciplinary Approaches: What They Are and Why They’re Important
• NEW August 30, 2 p.m. EDT: Virtual Stakeholder Listening Session: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
•  

NIFA webinar graphic.

In the Treetops: Utah State University Ecology Doctoral Student Studies Canopy Soil Abundance, Chemistry

When we think of soil, most of us think of dirt on the ground. But a surprising amount of the planet’s soil thrives in the treetops of old-growth forests, high above terra firma.

This organic matter, composed of decaying leaves and branches, airborne particulates and moisture, is called canopy soil or arboreal soil. Its study is relatively new, says Utah State University ecologist Jessica Murray. She’s among researchers unraveling mysteries of the dense, mossy humus that provides rich habitat for insects, birds, fungi, worms and plants, as well as a generous reservoir for carbon storage. Learn more about Murray’s NIFA-supported research.

Some 80 feet above ground, USU ecologist Jessica Murray studies soil canopies in tropical montane forests of Costa Rica. Photo credit: Mario Molina

USDA, Washington State University Break Ground on New State-of-the-Art Agricultural Research Facility

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack participated recently in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Plant Sciences Building that will house scientists from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Washington State University (WSU).

ARS and WSU hosted the ceremony for the new building that will be located on the WSU campus. Research conducted at the new facility will focus on improving the health, sustainability, and profitability of dryland and irrigated agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. The collaboration between WSU and ARS began in 1931 and is one of the nation's most robust federal-state partnerships. Read more about this new facility.

USDA graphic symbol

Could we breed cows that emit less methane? In a first step toward breeding low-methane-emitting cows,

@pennvet & @penn_state have identified key differences between cows that naturally emit less methane than average. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-vet-could-we-breed-cows-emit-less-methane