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NIFA Strengthens Agriculture Education in the K-12 Classroom
Addressing the complex challenges of the 21st century begins with engaging young learners. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports agricultural literacy in K-12 schools, emphasizing how farming, food and fiber production boost environmental quality.
Projects funded by NIFA education programs include curriculum development, student education, teacher training and community outreach. Read more about projects across the country.
Teacher and students in greenhouse. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
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 NIFA Director Makes First Land-grant University Visit
Dr. Jaye Hamby’s first Land-grant University trip as NIFA Director was a bit of a homecoming when he visited Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently. Dr. Hamby completed his master’s and doctoral studies at OSU.
Dr. Hamby toured OSU agriculture research facilities and units, including the Food and Agricultural Products Center, a 96,000-square-foot facility that houses animal harvesting, food manufacturing, grain milling, sensory profiling, food microbiology and application laboratories for demonstration and prototype testing, as well as education and training capabilities. Additionally, Dr. Bee Chim guided him through the Soil, Water and Forage Laboratory (SWFAL), which handles more than 60,000 samples annually.
During his visit, Dr. Hamby was recognized as OSU’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni in Agricultural Education.
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 Left to right: Drs. Rodney Holcomb, Chris Richards, Scott Senseman, NIFA Director Dr. Jaye Hamby, Joel Jackson, Josiah Cruikshank, Cortney Zimmerman, and NIFA National Program Leader Dr. Jeff Sallee.
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 Left to right: SWFAL technician Alexandria Krueger, SWFAL Director Dr. Bee Chim and Dr. Hamby.
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Dr. Shane Robinson presents the 2025 Distinguished Alumni in Agricultural Education Award to Dr. Hamby.
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National 4-H Conference Photos Now Available on USDA Flickr
More than 300 images from the recent 2025 National 4-H Conference are available at USDA Flickr. If your state 4-H program sent delegates to the conference, check out the National 4-H Conference photo album to see if there are images of your delegation.
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4-H Conference youth delegates presenting at Round Tables. USDA photo.
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Youth delegate Kyra Fowler (Idaho) leads attendees in the pledge of allegiance in front of USDA headquarters. USDA photo.
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 2025 National 4-H Conference opening ceremony. USDA photo.
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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Researchers Find Light Technology Reduces Fungal Contamination of Cereal Grains
Fungal contamination of cereal grains poses a threat to both food security and public health. Additionally, it causes hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses annually. In a new study, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) found far-ultraviolet C (far-UVC) light safely a controlled fungal contamination of corn and wheat.
Supported by funding from NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, U. of I. researchers found the treatment reduced more than 90% of two common grain fungal pathogens. The team also investigated whether the light treatment impacted grain quality. Read more about the project’s findings.
The fungus Aspergillus flavus causes ear rot in corn, severely affecting grain quality. Image courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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NASS Reinstates Select Data Collection Programs and Reports
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reinstating the July Cattle report, as well as County Estimates for Crops and Livestock. The county estimate reinstatement is effective for the 2024 crop season for row crops and the 2025 crop season for small grain crops. Read more about the changes on the NASS website.
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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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