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Making a Difference
NIFA Outlines Progress and Sets New Goals on Advancing Climate Change Science in New Report
In May 2022, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outlined an ambitious action agenda for how the agency would address the climate crisis.
More than two years on, a new report outlines the various initiatives NIFA has since undertaken to advance climate-related research, strengthen food supply chains and support communities responding to climate challenges.
Published earlier this month, the NIFA Climate Change Priority Team: Accomplishments and Action Agenda Report highlights the agency’s progress on the 44 unique actions outlined in the NIFA Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan. These concrete, near-term actions, developed through several rounds of staff and external stakeholder input, were identified to reflect a coordinated, collaborative response to the vulnerabilities and impacts caused by a changing climate.
The new report provides descriptions and overviews of NIFA’s accomplishments in the following categories: climate change programming; strategic planning; organizational effectiveness; and stakeholder outreach and engagement. It highlights NIFA’s broad climate change-relevant funding opportunities, exciting projects spearheaded by our partners and stakeholders, actions NIFA has taken to support staff and grantees, and where we plan to go next. Learn more about the report.
View of a seacoast. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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SARE Guiding Food Loss and Waste Grants Program
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is leading an $8 million national Community Foods Project (CFP) Food Loss and Waste Training and Technical Assistance Grants Program, funded through USDA NIFA. The program prioritizes preventing food from becoming waste, diverting edible food to people through donation or upcycling, and feeding animals.
Eligible groups included tribal organizations, nongovernmental organizations, community organizations, gleaning and food recovery organizations, public food program service providers, academic institutions (1862, 1890 and 1994 Land-grant Universities), Hispanic-serving Institutions, and other colleges and universities focused on reducing food loss and waste.
Fourteen projects were selected for funding. They are a diverse group in terms of geographic location, organizational structure and size, and the focus of their food supply chain area work. Over the next three years, these projects will be ongoing, preventing or diverting food loss and waste, and creating educational and training materials. Explore the SARE projects.
Dumpster of spoiled produce. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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Michigan State University Working to Solve Mystery of Alfalfa Autotoxicity
Alfalfa is an important forage crop for dairy cattle, but it has an unusual trait that can challenge hayfield management. It suppresses germination and growth of its own seedlings. This is known as autotoxicity. Alfalfa does not interfere with establishment of other species like forage grasses, clover or rotation crops.
Michigan State University researchers are working to identify the causative compounds in autotoxicity as well as other elements including the alfalfa root microbiome, nutrient deficiency and alfalfa genetics that may be related to the autoxicity problem. Read more about this work which is supported by NIFA’s Alfalfa Seed and Forage Systems program.
Pre-bud alfalfa. Image courtesy of Phil Kaatz, Michigan State University Extension
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REEport Updates to Improve Public Access
USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 1020-006 requires all peer-reviewed, scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets arising from unclassified scientific research supported wholly or in part by the USDA be accessible to the public, to the extent practicable. For more information on these requirements, see the Public Access for NIFA-Funded Work webpage.
To comply with DR 1020-006, NIFA has made several updates to its Research, Extension, and Education Project Online Reporting Tool (REEport). REEport is NIFA’s primary grant reporting application for non-capacity projects, which includes all competitive grant programs.
REEport Annual Progress Reports and REEport Final Reports now include updates to two fields and six new fields. These updates apply to all future submissions, including reports in Draft and Pending Submission to NIFA status.
See the REEport User Guide for more information. Contact the REEport Help Desk at Electronic@usda.gov with questions or concerns.
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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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