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Making a Difference
Discovery of Mechanism Plants Use to Change Seed Oil Could Impact Industrial, Food Oils
Washington State University (WSU) researchers have discovered a new mechanism of oil biosynthesis and found a way to genetically engineer a type of test plant to more efficiently produce different kinds of seed oil that it otherwise wouldn’t make.
While the engineering is proof-of-concept, this discovery could lead to improved production of valuable oils used in food and by a range of industries. The WSU work was supported through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Plant oils are used in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, industrial, chemical and biofuel industries. Plant oils’ value stems from its fatty acid composition. Around 90% of oil is valuable for industrial uses in crops like castor beans. But if the desirable oil-making genes are transferred into another plant, only small amounts of the oil produced is usable by industry. Read more about how the newly discovered mechanism of oil biosynthesis shows a way to bump that production back up.
WSU researchers discovered Physaraia plant can change chemical make-up of oil in its seeds after oil is made. Image courtesy of Washington State University.
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APHIS Notice Regarding HPAI Vaccine Licensure
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would like anyone considering development and licensure of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) vaccines for cattle to be aware of APHIS’ Center for Veterinary Biologics Notice regarding expectations for evaluation of efficacy. Any questions on HPAI vaccine licensure can be addressed to CVB@usda.gov.
Call for Applications for Funding in 2025
Are you organizing an international event (conference or workshop) on state-of-the-art research issues in agriculture, food, fisheries or forests in 2025? Or would you like to spend time working with researchers in another country to help your research project, maybe as part of a sabbatical?
If so, consider applying for funding from the intergovernmental Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Co-operative Research Program (CRP). Applications are now being accepted with a September 10 deadline. Learn more about CRP and how to apply here.
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NIFA Invests $10.6 Million in AFRI Predoctoral Fellowships
USDA NIFA has announced an investment of $10.6 million for 68 awards to help develop new scientists and professionals to enter research, education and/or Extension fields within the food and agricultural sciences in the private sector, government, or academia. The aim of these fellowships is to cultivate future leaders who can solve emerging agricultural challenges of the 21st century.
NIFA Invests $8.1 Million in Sustainable Agroecosystems
USDA NIFA has announced an investment of $8.1 million for 13 awards as part of AFRI’s Sustainable Agroecosystems program area priority. The program area funds research projects that focus on the improvement of ecosystem health and output of ecosystem services in managed production systems — like croplands, forests and rangelands — that are currently under stress or at risk from climate change, pests, pathogens, invasive plants and increased environmental pressures.
Additional Award Announcements
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New: Environmental Justice Listening Session Set for August 20
NIFA is holding a listening session Tuesday, August 20 at 3 p.m. EDT to receive input on potential agency actions related to environmental justice. Input and insights collected through this session will be used to strengthen NIFA’s program delivery. Read more about the listening session and how to register here.
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July 25, 10:30 a.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC) 2024 RFA
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July 25, 1 p.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: AFRI-EWD Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges RFA
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July 25, 3 p.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: AFRI Food Safety, Nutrition & Health
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July 26, 11 a.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: AFRI BNRE Program Area FY24 RFA
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July 30, 1 p.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: SBIR/STTR FY25 Phase I Request for Applications
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August 5, 4 p.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: Biorefining and Biomanufacturing (A1531) RFA
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August 14, 11 a.m. EDT: Technical Assistance Webinar: Tribal Colleges Research Grant Program RFA (FY24)
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August 20, 3 p.m. EDT: Environmental Justice Listening Session
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September 9, 1 p.m. EDT: Leveraging Extension and University Engagement: Developing and Implementing Novel Projects Using Transdisciplinary Approaches
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September 18, 3 p.m. EDT: Live FAQ Session: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems
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Fading lights: Comprehensive Study Unveils Multiple Threats to North America’s Firefly Populations
A landmark study conducted by the University of Kentucky; Bucknell University; Penn State University; and the USDA has shed light on the precarious situation facing firefly populations across North America. The study’s results identified multiple factors impacting their numbers.
The study, published in Science of the Total Environment, identified factors likely responsible for troubling declines in firefly populations across North America. This research marks the first comprehensive attempt to apply a data-driven approach to understanding firefly population dynamics on a continental scale.
Key findings from this new study indicate that fireflies, part of the beetle order, are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends, including the number of growing-degree days related to temperature accumulations. Read more about how this work supported by Hatch Act funding from NIFA.
Firefly on leaf. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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1890 Scholar Applies Interest in Genetics to Help Farmers
The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is aimed at bolstering educational and career opportunities for students from rural or underserved communities around the country. USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement manages the 1890 National Scholars Program, which provides recipients with full tuition, fees, books, room and board.
Bryan Hallman is an 1890 Scholar from south Georgia. Read more to learn how the program has rekindled his interest in genetics and his plans for the future.
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AFRI Plant Health and Production, and Plant Products Webinar Recording and Slide Deck Now Available
A video recording of a recent webinar focused on Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Plant Health and Production, and Plant Products programs is now available. It covers priorities in the Foundational Plant Sciences within AFRI including: (1) Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production (A1141); (2) Conventional Breeding for Cultivar Development (A1143); (3) Physiology of Agricultural Plants (A1152); (4) Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems (A1102); (5) Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products (A1103); (6) Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics (A1811), and (7) Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems (A1541).
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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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