|
Making a Difference
Land-grant Universities Support U.S. Beef Production
The United States is the world's largest producer of high-quality beef, which is primarily grass-fed and grain-finished, with increasing opportunities for grass-finishing, for domestic and export use. Cattle and calves accounted for $108 billion in farm cash receipts in 2024, the largest figure for any single commodity. As of January, the U.S. cattle inventory stood at 86.7 million head. Put simply, cattle production is one of the United States’ most important agricultural industries.
NIFA supports research and Extension efforts at Land-grant Universities to ensure cattle producers have access to current science-based information to help them make the best management decisions possible for their operations. Read more about how NIFA and Land-grants are supporting the nation’s beef industry.
Commercial beef cattle in a pasture. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
|
|
 New ASAP Requirement
NIFA grantees using the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system should be aware of a new requirement. Effective May 19, 2025, the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service requires recipient organizations to include a justification for each payment. This field is mandatory and will be part of the first step in the payment request process. The requirement aims to improve transparency and accountability in the federal payment process.
Treasury Fiscal Service has a presentation to learn more about this new feature and the steps needed to process. There is also a video illustrating the new feature and its functionality. Additionally, Fiscal Service will hold webinars to assist grantees with this new requirement.
If you are interested in attending an upcoming ASAP webinar, find more information on their website. Contact the Fiscal Service ASAP Production Support at (855) 868-0151 (option 2, option 3) or at asaphelpdesk@fiscal.treasury.gov if you have questions. You can also reach out to our Financial Management ASAP Team if you have questions at ASAPCustomerService@usda.gov.
EDEN Annual Conference 2025 Call for Presentation and Poster Proposals
The 2025 Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Annual Conference Committee invites EDEN Points of Contact and Delegates, Extension professionals, partners and researchers to submit an abstract to be considered for the EDEN Conference, Oct. 21-24 in Portland, ME.
Submissions should be compelling in both the importance of the subject matter and show experience and knowledge of the subject in at least one of the following areas:
- Current issues in disaster education and management with a special interest in different approaches used by Cooperative Extension and associated programs and partners.
- Current research and practice in disaster education and disaster planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and resilience.
- Successful internal and external partnerships and collaborations.
- Innovative curriculum, programs or projects, including USDA NIF.A and EDEN Initiative funded projects
- Emerging issues in disaster education and disaster management that may have implications for Cooperative Extension and partners.
- Applied research projects that contribute to historical Extension roles and responsibilities and outreach on disaster education.
- Research that addresses systematic response, recovery and community resilience during and after disaster and lessons learned.
Learn more about presentation and poster requirements and find the online submission form here.
|
|
NIFA Invests $600K in Response to Hurricane Helene Flooding
NIFA has funded projects at North Carolina State University and the University of Georgia through the Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems program to address concerns related to Hurricane Helene flooding. Innovative Extension and applied research efforts are needed to alleviate the impacts of extreme weather and disasters across the food and agricultural system.
The Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events program, funded through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, is designed to deploy strategies and fill knowledge and information gaps to protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains — from production through consumption — during and after extreme weather and disasters.
|
|
Fighting Cogongrass: Pretty Plant with Devastating Impacts
Cogongrass, native to subtropical parts of Asia and South Africa, is one of Alabama’s most invasive plant species and a detriment to native plants in Alabama. This pesky grass spreads easily due to the seed heads and underground stems known as rhizomes and creates dense mats that choke out other plant life. It even disrupts wildlife and livestock and can overtake pastures and rangelands.
Alabama Extension and Auburn University work collaboratively Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and Alabama Forestry Commission to reduce the spread of cogongrass through research, outreach, education and marketing. Read more about their work to develop effective management practices here.
Cogongrass along the roadside. Image courtesy of Adobe Stock.
|
|
|
USDA ARS Researchers Make Important Discovery
USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have identified an orange cultivar that shows resistance to citrus greening disease (HLB). The sweet orange cultivar, Donaldson, are early season trees maturing from December to January. ARS scientists are investigating whether Donaldson oranges have long-term HLB tolerance and could replace other varieties for commercial juice production. Read more about the ARS work.
|
|
NIFA Peer Review
NIFA’s Peer Review System (PRS) is back online. PRS allows reviewers to read grant proposal applications, submit reviews, create summaries of panel discussions, and read other panelist's reviews.
If you are interested in serving on a peer-review panel, you can provide your contact information and area of expertise by visiting the PRS Panelist Recruitment link.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
