Webinar-Federal
Register Notice Announcement for National-State Commodity Boards Informational
Webinar; June 1, 2016
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May 24, 2016 NIFA Seeks Research Topics from Commodity Boards for FY
2017 AFRI Program Agency Builds on Positive First-Year Implementation of
New Farm Bill Initiative The National Institute of
Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is reaching out to eligible national and state
commodity boards, and marketing orders to propose topics for research under
its FY2017 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grants
program. The Agriculture and Food
Research Initiative (AFRI), established by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill, is
the nation’s premier peer reviewed competitive grants program for fundamental
and applied agricultural sciences. AFRI-funded science is vital to meeting
food, fiber, and fuel demands as the world’s population races toward a
projected nine billion by 2050, diminishing land and water resources, and
increasingly variable climatic conditions. In addition, AFRI programs help
develop new technologies and a workforce that will advance our national
security, our energy self-sufficiency, and the health of Americans. This is the second year NIFA
has implemented the 2014 Farm Bill commodity board provision, which is
enhancing collaboration between the Agency and commodity groups as well as
leveraging additional funds for critical research in areas of common
interest. Proposed topics may be chosen for inclusion under a specific
priority area of an AFRI RFA (Request for Applications). In FY 2016, the first year of
collaboration with commodity boards, seven topics from five commodity boards
were integrated into two AFRI RFAs: the Foundational Program
RFA and the Food Security Challenge Area RFA.
The five boards included the Kansas Wheat Commission, the National Pork
Board, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, the Washington State Potato Commission
and the National Peanut Board. Collectively, these five commodity boards have
offered $1.7 million for research projects to be funded on topics proposed by
the boards: novel pre-breeding applications for quality enhancement in hard
red winter wheat; breeding for genetic resistance to wheat viruses;
evaluation of various compounds as alternatives to antibiotics to treat and
prevent disease in pork production; environmental influence on phenomics in crop improvement and production;
understanding soil ecology to manage potato soil health; drought tolerance
and efficient use of water resources in peanuts; and improved peanut and food
allergy diagnostic methods. Applicants interested in these topics are
encouraged to learn more about these grant opportunities at AFRI Request for Applications and
contact the respective board to discuss their applications. FY17 Federal Register Notice
“Solicitation of Commodity Board Topics
and Contribution of Funding Under the Agriculture and Food Research
Initiative Competitive Grants Program,” published May
18, invites topic submissions from eligible commodity boards and
marketing orders, outlines the process NIFA will use to evaluate the
appropriateness of these topics for inclusion in AFRI Request for Applications,
and describes the commitment commodity boards will be required to make in
order for NIFA to jointly fund AFRI applications competitively selected for
award within a topic area submitted by the commodity boards. Eligible commodity boards and
marketing orders must address an agricultural commodity that:
Boards can propose topics
with contributed funding amounts that vary depending on AFRI priority areas,
up to $2.5 million; no more than $10 million can be contributed from any one
board. Boards are encouraged to visit the NIFA Commodity Boards web page for
more information on these areas and details on the topic submission process. An informational webinar is
planned for June 1, 2-3:30 p.m. (EST). To participate, visit: http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/commodity_board_webinar/ Call in number: 1 888 844
9904 Participant access code:
1658110# For more information about
the 2014 Farm Bill: Implementation of Commodity Boards Provision and about
NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program
(AFRI), visit NIFA Commodity Boards web page or
email commodityboards@nifa.usda.gov. Wide dissemination
of this notice is encouraged.
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