NIFA Update--Jan. 3, 2024

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture sent this bulletin at 01/03/2024 05:30 PM EST

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Maggie Lawrence, Editor

January 3, 2024

Turfgrass on athletic field. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Making a Difference

Land-grant University Scientists Are Making Turfgrass Safer, Better for Environment

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports research across a broad spectrum of agricultural crops, including the turfgrasses that comprise not only lawns, but also playing fields across the nation. Scientists at a number of Land-grant Universities in the Southern Region are making important contributions to turfgrass research. Read more about their work.

Turfgrass on athletic field. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Feedback sign. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

News from NIFA

NIFA Invites Public Feedback to Update Policy Guide

In 2024, NIFA will be issuing an updated version of the NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide. Last updated in 2021, the Policy Guide provides comprehensive guidance on NIFA’s application and review processes, award notification and administration procedures, award terms and conditions, uniform administrative requirements, allowable costs, reporting requirements, close-out procedures and audit requirements.

As a part of our effort to update the guide, we are inviting our stakeholders to submit ideas and suggestions. Read more about the update and how to provide feedback.

User Guides Now Available for NIFA Grant Funding Dashboard

In the summer of 2023, USDA unveiled new tools to track federally funded investments. These resources include a Grant Funding Dashboard that gives current and prospective grantees access to high-level data about the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) agricultural research grants and tracks the status of their applications.

The NIFA Grant Funding Dashboard provides an inside look into NIFA funding for competitive and capacity grants from fiscal year 2018 forward. The dashboard provides an interactive platform to search for specific information sourced from USAspending.gov and is refreshed monthly.

A dashboard user guide is now available that further details NIFA’s grant programs, detailed information a user can access on the NIFA Grant Funding Dashboard and how to run specific searches using the tool.

Feedback sign. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Award Announcements

NIFA made several award announcements in the final two weeks of 2023.

January 4, 2 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program
January 8, 1:30 p.m. EST: Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
January 8, 3 p.m. EST: Organic Transitions Program RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
January 8, 3 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Children, Youth and Families At Risk Sustainable Community Projects RFA
January 8, 6 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: GusNIP Produce Prescription 2024 RFA (for Insular Areas)
January 10, 2 p.m. EST: GusNIP Produce Prescription 2024 RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
January 11, 5 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Children, Youth and Families At Risk Sustainable Community Projects RFA
January 16, 1 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Food Safety Outreach Program RFA
January 16, 2 p.m. EST: SBIR/STTR FY24 Phase II RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
January 16, 5 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Competitive Grants for Insular Areas
January 17, 3 p.m. EST: Alaska Native-serving and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants program RFA Technical Assistance Webinar
January 18, 12 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program
January 18, 4 p.m. EST: Technical Assistance Webinar: Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grant Program RFA
January 24, 11 a.m. EST: Stakeholder Listening Session: Administration of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and Veterinary Services Grant Program
January 24, 3 p.m. EST: NIFA Food and Nutrition Security Webinar Series: NIFA’s Contributions to Strengthening Intersections between Climate Change, Food Systems, and Nutrition Security
January 30, 12 p.m. EST: Grant Applicant/Awardee Networking Sessions (GAANS)
January 31, 2 p.m. EST: Learn How to Write a Strong USDA BFRDP Application
March 13, 2 p.m. EDT: Lessons Learned from Teams Using Transdisciplinary Approaches Webinar

Application Deadlines

January 15: Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships Competitive Grants Program RFA
January 16: Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program
February 7: Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program
February 8: Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program
February 9: Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program
February 13: Methyl Bromide Transition Program
February 13: Food Safety Outreach Program
February 15: Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
February 15: Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Sustainable Community Projects
February 15: Crop Protection and Pest Management
February 28: GusNIP Produce Prescription Program
February 28: Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas
February 29: Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program
March 5: Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program
March 7: Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program
March 7: Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions
March 8: Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program
March 13: Renewable Resources Extension Act - National Focus Fund Projects

Food safety pathogen Listeria monocytogenes isolated on agar from a food sample. Courtesy of Adobe Stock.

Impact of NIFA-Funded Research and Outreach

Lightning Sparks Scientists’ Design of Ultraviolet-C Device for Food Sanitization

Supported by funding from NIFA, scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a portable, self-powered ultraviolet-C device called the Tribo-sanitizer that can inactivate two of the bacteria responsible for many foodborne illnesses and deaths.

The Tribo-sanitizer’s UVC lamp is powered using the triboelectric effect – electricity that is generated when two dissimilar materials come into contact. In tests, the Tribo-sanitizer successfully inactivated two potentially deadly foodborne bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, mainly by damaging their DNA, according to findings published in the journal Nano Energy.

The team assessed the Tribo-sanitizer’s decontamination capability with bacteria in liquids and on three solids – fresh apple peels, romaine lettuce and polyethylene terephthalate, commonly known as PET, a popular material for food and beverage packaging.

The results indicated that the Tribo-sanitizer had strong potential to meet the Food and Drug Administration’s sanitization standards. Read more about their findings.

Food safety pathogen Listeria monocytogenes isolated on agar from a food sample. Courtesy of Adobe Stock.

News from USDA

USDA Now Accepting Applications for 40 Climate Change Fellows to Help Record Number of Farmers and Rural Small Businesses Access Clean Energy Funds

USDA is hiring 40 Climate Change Fellows to help with the record numbers of applications from farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses seeking funding for clean energy projects under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The positions are part of the USDA Climate Change Fellows Program, which hires new staff with a range of skills to carry out USDA’s activities to address climate change and find solutions to agricultural challenges, enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers and producers. The program brings expertise and fresh perspectives to the federal workforce and expands the climate consciousness of state offices around the country. These historic investments in future agricultural leaders will help USDA attract the best and brightest to face the growing challenges of the agricultural economy.

Learn more about these new positions and how to apply.

Wine grapes are a high-value crop, but planting a poorly adapted variety in the wrong place is a costly mistake. Traditional grape varieties are not well suited to the growing conditions or pests and diseases in large parts of the United States.

In addition, some varieties may not perform well as climate change creates new pressures. Researchers at Land-grant Universities nationwide are developing and evaluating wine grapes for American growers and winemakers.

Improving Wine Grapes for American Growers and Winemakers | NIFA (usda.gov)

NIFA In the News

FarmWeek: New Study Finds Weather Greatly Impacts Management Zone Needs
BizJournals: More Than $500K In Federal Funds Will Support Research Related to Agriculture and Maui Fires
Morning AgClips: UMass Amherst Researchers Develop Grassroots Framework for Managing Environmental Commons
Butler Radio: Penn State Extension Receives Grant to Help with Farm Transitioning
Swift Telecast: Study Overturns Conventional Wisdom About Wild Turkey Nesting Survival
Hattiesburg.Com: Study: Extreme Rainfall Increases Ag Nutrient Runoff, Conservation Strategies Can Help
The County Press: USDA: More Than 90% of Farmers Would Likely Continue Using Cover Crops Without Financial Incentives

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 X (formerly 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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