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Making a Difference
NIFA-funded Researchers Investigate Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. In agriculture, antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics are used to treat diseases and maintain animal health. To reduce potential negative impacts from the use of antibiotics and identify alternative strategies for mitigating AMR in the food chain, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funds research that investigates AMR using a systems approach that transcends disciplines in the food and agricultural sciences.
In 2024, NIFA invested $2.6 million in projects as part of the Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain program area priority within NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Learn more about some of the AMR research funded by NIFA.
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NIFA Participates in the Borlaug Dialogue at the World Food Prize Conference
During this year’s World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue in Iowa, NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra led a global panel discussion with a group of experts including Paul Schickler, chairman, World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors; Wendy Wintersteen, president, Iowa State University; and other food systems leaders across the globe. The panel discussion focused on the current investments and future opportunities for empowering the next generation of food and agricultural leaders.
NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra leads panel discussion at World Food Prize. Image courtesy of World Food Prize.
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Dr. Misra announced the David Lambert 'Hunger Fighter' Memorial Scholarship and Graduate Student Award. Alaina Gebel, a junior double-majoring in agriculture education and international agriculture with a minor in agronomy at Iowa State University, received this year's scholarship. Her award was a result of researching the benefits of mobile phones for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa to facilitating educational programs for elementary-age students on the importance of a nutritional diet.
NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra and Alaina Gebel, a junior at Iowa State University. Image courtesy of World Food Prize.
Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use Receives agInnovation Excellence in Multistate Research Award
At the recent annual meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), agInnovation (a unit of the APLU Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources) presented the 2024 Excellence in Multistate Research Award to the NCERA-101 Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use. This multi-state committee has worked for more than 40 years to advance the design and operation of controlled environments such as growth chambers and greenhouses, which are essential for crop production, research and education. Read more about this multi-state project and its impacts.
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Advancing Urban Tree Monitoring With AI-powered Digital Twins
The novel “Tree-D Fusion” system developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers, Google and Purdue University merges AI and tree-growth models with Google's Auto Arborist data to create accurate 3D models of existing urban trees. The project has produced the first-ever large-scale database of 600,000 environmentally aware, simulation-ready tree models across North America.
Tree-D Fusion builds on previous urban forest monitoring efforts that used Google Street View data but branches it forward by generating complete 3D models from single images. The technology’s practical applications extend far beyond mere observation. City planners could use Tree-D Fusion to anticipate where growing branches might tangle with power lines or identify neighborhoods where strategic tree placement could maximize cooling effects and air quality improvements. Read more about this NIFA-supported research.
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 Seize the Moment: Host the 2026 G20 MACS
The U.S. will host the G20 in 2026. The G20 is a group of 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union that meet to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate and other issues. USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research are seeking a site host for the 2026 G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (G20 MACS). Review the Request for Proposal (RFP) to learn more about the process and how to submit a proposal.
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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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