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 Rainbow Café project in Etowah County, Alabama. Image courtesy of Alabama Extension
Alabama Extension Partnership Benefiting Young People with Intellectual Challenges
Beautiful Rainbow Café, located within the Gadsden Public Library, is unlike any other café. Behind the scenes, this restaurant serves as a work-based learning program for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Alabama Extension partners with Rainbow Café to provide training to students working at the café.
Through Extension’s classes, the students learn food safety information based on ServSafe — a nationally recognized and accredited food safety certification program. Every student that has been part of the Beautiful Rainbow program — approximately 100 students — has received the basic food handler certification.
One student is going further. Chris Underwood is an Auburn University freshman and is part of the Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success program, better known as EAGLES. This program gives students with intellectual disabilities a two- to four-year on-campus experience.
“The Beautiful Rainbow Cafe is a shining example of NIFA’s impact on the lives of all individuals in all communities by supporting Cooperative Extension activities,” said Dr. Jodi Williams, NIFA national program leader for food safety.
Read more about Rainbow Café and Chris’ journey.
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News from NIFA
Multiple NIFA Grantees Inducted to the 2023 Institute of Food Technologists Fellows
Recently, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) named this year’s 10 IFT Fellow honorees. This year’s honorees include six current and former awardees of Agriculture and Food Research Initiative and other competitive grant programs of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).The IFT Fellow award is bestowed upon an IFT member by their peers to recognize career excellence and significant service, leadership, and contributions to IFT and the profession. Learn more about the six NIFA-supported Fellows.
General Services Administration System for Award Management Experiencing Delays
The General Services Administration System for Award Management is experiencing delays processing certain private entity registration information for new registrants, updates to existing entity registrations and annual renewals.
Learn how to move forward if you are not able to access or complete your NIFA grant application in the Grants.gov Workspace prior to the funding opportunity close date because of issues related to these delays. NIFA will accept your application if you follow the process shared here.
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Award Announcements
USDA Expands Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Food Loss and Waste with $25 Million Investment
USDA has announced an additional $25 million investment to expand efforts to prevent and reduce food loss and waste. The investment, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act, is part of a joint agency initiative between USDA NIFA and USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist.
This latest investment will expand several of NIFA’s core programs by $25 million. The funding will support the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program as well as NIFA’s Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program. The remaining funds will support forthcoming food loss and waste efforts in collaboration with the National 4-H Council and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Since 2017, NIFA has committed $123.5 million across 527 projects relating to food loss and waste. Read more about the scope of this investment.
NIFA Invests $26.7 Million in Phase II Funding of Small Business Agricultural Innovations
NIFA has announced a $26.7 million investment in Phase II funding as part of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) grant programs. This investment will fund 42 projects.
NIFA’s SBIR and STTR programs fund research projects that propose an innovative or disruptive solution across nine topic areas ranging from food science and nutrition to conservation of natural resources. The program targets early-stage projects in the private sector poised to deliver significant public benefits and strengthens the role of federal research and development in support of small businesses, many of which are owned by women or historically underserved populations. In the programs’ Phase II, grantees continue the research and development they completed in Phase I with a goal to commercialize and bring the innovation to market.
USDA NIFA and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Invest $8.7 Million in AFRI Projects Targeting SARS-CoV-2
NIFA and APHIS are investing more than $8.7 million to nine projects as part of a collaborative effort to provide funding support for research projects in line with APHIS priorities surrounding SARS-CoV-2. Awards were funded in three program areas: Agricultural Biosecurity; Diseases of Agricultural Animals; and Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases.
USDA NIFA and APHIS Support Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Research
NIFA and APHIS announced an investment of $7.9 million for three projects through the Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease Program. This is multiagency program that is administered by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and NIFA with partnership from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The program supports research on understanding the ecological, evolutionary, organismal and social drivers that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. NIFA supports research projects on pathogen transmission of diseases in agricultural animals and plants.
NIFA Invests $4.1 Million to Study the Social Impacts of Innovation in Agriculture
NIFA is investing more than $4.1 million in eight projects addressing how social impacts affect innovations within agriculture. Technologies such as genome editing, big data and novel foods have tremendous capability in shaping the future of agriculture, requiring the scientific community to effectively communicate and engage with the public. These projects will anticipate the unforeseen and unintended consequences of innovation in food and agriculture, including any cultural, health, welfare, equity, ethical and environmental impacts.
NIFA Invests $2.3 Million for Insular Areas Distance Grants
NIFA will support 12 projects at universities and colleges with $2.3 million through its Insular Areas Distance Grants. These grants programs include Distance Education Grants, Resident Instruction Grants, and Agriculture and Food Sciences Facilities and Equipment. These programs are open to institutions of higher education in the eight insular areas and are designed to increase capacity, strengthen and support infrastructure, and support student-focused activities and scholarships.
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Explore Social Science Funding Opportunities
The Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society is hosting a free webinar at 12 p.m. EDT September 29 that will feature NIFA staff discussing the various funding opportunities for social science research related to food and agriculture. The webinar will cover where social science programs are housed within NIFA's divisional structure, special opportunities for students and early career professionals, and tips for successful grant writing. A Q&A will follow the presentation. Register online.
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September 26, 3 p.m. EDT: Veterinary Shortage Situation Nominations Webinar for State Animal Health Officials
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September 28, 3 p.m. EDT: AFRI Predoctoral Fellowships RFA Technical Assistance Q&A Session
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September 29, 12 p.m. EDT: AFHVS Webinar on Social Science Funding Opportunities at NIFA
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October 3, 11:30 a.m. EDT: Food & Nutrition Security Webinar: Local/Regional Food Systems
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October 5, 3 p.m. EDT: AFRI Food & Ag Non-formal Education Technical Assistance Webinar
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October 17, 2 p.m. EDT: Using PubAg to Share USDA-funded Work
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November 2, 2:30 p.m. EDT: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems
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November 8, 3 p.m. EST: NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar: Promoting Indigenous Food Sovereignty
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November 16, 2:30 p.m. EST: 2024 National 4-H Conference Information Session
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December 6, 3 p.m. EST: Transdisciplinary Approaches: The Science of Team Science
NIFA Webinar graphic.
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Impact of NIFA-Funded Research and Outreach
Wildfire, Soil Emissions Increasing Air Pollution in Remote Forests
Satellite data from across California’s landscapes reveal an increase in nitrogen dioxide levels in remote forest areas, and wildfire and soil emissions are likely the reasons why, according to NIFA-supported research done at the University of California, Davis.
Nitrogen dioxide is short-lived in the atmosphere but plays a central role in the formation of the pollutants, ozone and particulate matter, which can lead to respiratory issues and asthma in humans, as well as harm plants and crop yields.
The researchers looked at summertime surface and satellite concentrations of nitrogen dioxide between 2009 and 2020 and found that levels decreased by 2% to 4.5% per year in urban areas across California, while rural concentrations remained relatively constant, and remote forests experienced an increase of roughly 4.2% per year.
The findings could help inform future policy decisions as regulators seek additional decreases of the pollutant. As current emission management actions continue to reduce fossil fuel emissions, regulators will need to address other sources that have historically been overshadowed by traditional internal combustion sources. Learn more about this research and its findings.
Large wildfire. Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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News from USDA
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USDA Seeks Nominations for Membership on the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
USDA has announced it is accepting nominations to the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. First established in 1992, the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers advises the Secretary of Agriculture to enhance USDA’s goals for new farming and ranching operations.
USDA is soliciting nominations from interested organizations and individuals from among ranching and farming producers, related state and tribal agricultural entities, academic institutions, commercial banking entities, trade associations, and related nonprofit enterprises. An organization may nominate individuals from within or outside its membership. Interested candidates may also nominate themselves or other qualified experts by October 10. Learn more about the advisory committee and how to apply.
USDA logo.
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Linked In Post of the Week
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The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to ensuring that its programs and services are accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any NIFA event, please contact the appropriate Program staff no later than 10 days prior to the event. To find Program staff by event, please visit the NIFA Calendar of Events. NIFA Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request. If you need interpretation or translation services please visit NIFA language services or contact Lois Tuttle, Equal Opportunity Specialist, at Lois.Tuttle@usda.gov or (443) 386-9488 no later than 10 days prior to the event.
NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and Extension that solves 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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