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Making a Difference
Celebrating the Hatch Act and Agricultural Experiment Stations
Early agricultural experiment fields and stations laid the groundwork for the vibrant network supporting wide-ranging research across the nation we now have.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports this network of Agricultural Experiment Stations through Hatch Act funding as well as the Multistate Research Fund. This funding enables State Agricultural Experiment Stations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. insular areas to conduct research on all aspects of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture and human nutrition as well as other areas important to farmers and consumers.
Read more to learn more about the oldest experiment fields in the country and some of the exciting work underway at Experiment Stations.
Morrow Plots. Image courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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Upcoming Reporting Deadlines
Several important reporting deadlines are on the horizon. The Annual Report of Accomplishments for FY 2025 must be submitted through the NIFA Reporting System (NRS) by May 1. Additionally, the Plan of Work for FY 2027 is due June 1 and must be submitted via NRS.
Find more information about the reporting cycle, NRS Resources and NRS FAQs here.
Still Time to Register for NERAOC
Late registration is open for the National Extension and Research Administrative Officers Conference (NERAOC). NERAOC will be March 23-26 in Kansas City, MO. NERAOC offers professional development, information sharing and networking to state Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Experiment Station and USDA NIFA professionals. This includes the opportunity to share and exchange current and relevant best practices, obtain interpretation of regulations and discuss issues pertinent to the Land-grant University System. Find more information including how to register here.
Signed Up for Funding Opportunity Announcements?
Make sure that you are signed up to receive NIFA Funding Opportunity Announcements. You can manage your preferences for NIFA information here.
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Information about the following program area priorities—including program contacts, types of projects allowed, and more—can be found in the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development NOFO.
- Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (A7501) March 19
- Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (A7601) March 19
- Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education (A7801) March 19
- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (A7401) March 19
- Predoctoral Fellowships (A7101) April 16
- Postdoctoral Fellowships (A7201) April 30
- Education and Workforce Development Workshop Grants (A7001) Continuous throughout the year but at least 210 days before the start of the workshop and upon invitation after submission of a Letter of Intent at least 255 days before the workshop begins
Deadline March 26
Deadline April 23
Accepted on a Continuous Basis
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Purdue Researchers Invent Wireless Sensor to Assess Subsoil Health in Effort to Cut Costs and Refine Farming
A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems.
The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: the efficient use of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Due to the variability of soil conditions across large fields, applying uniform amounts of these inputs can lead to significant waste, increasing costs for farmers and causing harm if nutrient runoff reaches water systems. Read more about this NIFA-supported work.
Rahim Rahimi, Purdue University associate professor, who led development of wireless sensor system. Image courtesy of Purdue University photo/Kevin Crisp.
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USDA Announces Request for Information on Data Products
USDA has announced a Request for Information (RFI) on Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Areas in Statistical Data, Analysis, and Research at USDA.
Numerous entities within USDA produce statistical data, analysis and research that provide the agriculture community with timely, accurate and useful information. While the data and statistics used to inform reports are often considered the benchmark for other agricultural forecasts, there is always room for improvement to further enhance accuracy and usefulness.
The RFI will be open for public comment until April 9, and preliminary analysis of the feedback will be discussed at the 2026 Spring Data Users Meeting on April 22.
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CRIS Project Pages Being Replaced
CRIS project pages are no longer available. Use Enterprise Search on NIFA's Data Gateway web page to access project summaries.
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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 Gabriel de Zayas, Equal Opportunity Specialist, at Gabriel.DeZayasrodriguez@usda.gov or (202) 655-7842 no later than 10 days prior to the event.
USDA NIFA invests in and advances high-impact agricultural research, education, and Extension to solve the Nation’s pressing challenges, grow U.S. agricultural innovation and competitiveness, fuel rural prosperity, and develop the future agricultural workforce. 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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