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Making a Difference
Fort Valley State University Project Is Building Reproductive Technology Capacities
Goats and sheep, both of which are small ruminants, have potential for meat and milk production to help feed a growing world population.
Supported by a grant from NIFA, an assisted reproductive technologies (ART) research and teaching facility at Fort Valley State University (FVSU) is building ART workforce capacity. Led by FVSU animal scientist Dr. Adel Moawad, the lab is providing opportunities for underrepresented students to train and pursue careers in ART. Read more about how the project is training students for skilled agriculture jobs as well as the research looking into how amino acids as a dietary supplement can impact small ruminant fertility.
Dr. Adel Moawad working in his lab. Image by Rebecca Miller, Fort Valley State University.
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Grupo De Mujeres Provides Education, Community for Spanish-Speaking Women
Formal and non-formal community-based educational programs help families and individuals attain the skills to support and sustain healthy development and lifestyles over time and across settings. In partnership with the Land-grant University and Cooperative Extension System, NIFA supports efforts that promote learning and development for individuals and families.
A program based at Kentucky State University illustrates the impact these programs can have on participants. Read more about how Grupo de Mujeres is changing lives.
Grupo De Mujeres participants at a gathering. Image courtesy of Kentucky State University.
Demystifying the Panel Review Process for Grant Funding
Have you ever wondered how funding decisions are made? Do you have questions about serving on a Peer Review Panel and helping to make funding decision? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” register to attend the Grant Applicant/Awardee Technical Assistance session slated for May 2 at 12 p.m. EDT. You can submit questions now to have answered during the webinar.
NIFA's March Social Media Toolkit Available
NIFA's monthly social media toolkit offers graphics and sample posts to help you highlight NIFA-funded work on social media. You can find the March toolkit here.
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Project GREEEN Supports ‘Rapid Response Time’ to Fight Emerging Plant Pathogens
Emerging diseases in plant agriculture sometimes appear without warning. For 25 years, Project GREEEN has aided in the quick counter to some of Michigan’s most pressing issues surrounding infectious plant diseases.
As Michigan State University (MSU) scientists remain in direct communication with industry professionals and growers, they stay up to date on what pestilent diseases are threatening crop yields. In turn, they can apply for funding through Project GREEEN — Michigan’s cooperative plant agriculture initiative housed at MSU and comprised of Michigan’s Plant Coalition, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension — to conduct novel research into diseases that have previously never (or rarely) been studied in the state. Additionally, researchers have been able springboard their Project GREEEN baseline data in NIFA grant applications. That has meant more than $9 million in NIFA funding for Michigan State plant disease projects. Read more about Project GREEEN here.
Diseased strawberry plants. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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USDA Outlines Vision to Strengthen the American Bioeconomy Through a More Resilient Biomass Supply Chain
USDA has released a plan that will boost biomass supply chain resiliency for domestic biobased product manufacturing, while also advancing environmental sustainability and market opportunities for small and mid-sized producers.
The report — Building a Resilient Biomass Supply: A Plan to Enable the Bioeconomy in America — is one of the key USDA deliverables of President Biden’s Executive Order 14081, which was issued in 2022 and defined bold goals and new priorities meant to catalyze action inside and outside of government to advance America’s domestic bioeconomy. Read more on how this roadmap will strengthen biomass production and preprocessing systems.
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Now Accepting Cochran Fellowship Proposals
Funded by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Cochran Fellowship Program provides short-term training opportunities to agricultural professionals from middle-income countries, emerging markets and emerging democracies. FAS is now accepting FY 2024 proposals for the following Cochran Fellowship Programs:
- Marketing and Grading of U.S. Hardwoods for Pakistan
- Meat Stock Inventory Management for Peru and Ecuador
The application deadline is May 3. Learn more at Grants.gov.
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Meet NIFA SBIR/STTR Representatives on America’s Seed Fund Road Tour – South
In April, staff from NIFA’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs will join the South leg of America’s Seed Fund Road Tour to help small businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, small technology firms and others navigate the over $4 billion in early-stage funding opportunities through America’s Seed Fund.
The tour — which features programming as well as 1:1 in-person meetings — will stop in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas from April 2-5. Visit the America's Seed Fund Road Tour website to register.
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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 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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