Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA)

 

To assist the NLGCA Institutions in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, and outreach activities relating to agriculture, renewable resources, and other similar disciplines.

Active 10.326 National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016: Actual applications received were 50 compared to 37 in FY 2015. Nineteen (19) of the 50 applications were funded due to availability of funds, as follows: 1 Conference Planning; 10 Regular; 6 Joint; and 2 LCI projects. Actual applications received were 50 compared to 37 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Nineteen (19) of the 50 applications were funded due to availability of funds ($4,789,875) and based on Peer Panel review and recommendations as follows: One (1) Conference Planning; Ten (10) Regular; Six (6) Joint; and Two (2) Large Scale Initiative projects.
Fiscal Year 2017 In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Congressional Appropriations of $5 million for this program were late and as such, the Request for Applications was posted in May with a September 15, 2017, closing date. It is anticipated that we will receive at least 50 applications in this Fiscal Year. A peer review panel will convene late fall 2017. We anticipate $4,795,500 being available for awards.
Fiscal Year 2018 In FY 2018 the program received 54 applications for received for consideration $5,000,000 was appropriated for these programs The amount available for awards was $ 4,737,638 after legislatively mandated set-asides. The funding rate was 31% 17 projects were awarded: - 1 Conference/Planning Grant - 9 Regular Grants - 3 Joint Collaborative Grants - 4 Large Collaborative Grants
Fiscal Year 2019 This program’s Request for Applications (RFA) was delayed because of the 2018 Farm Bill mandated changes to NLGCA institutional eligibility. The FY 2019 RFA was published and proposals are due October 1, 2019 Approximately 54 applications, and 17 awards are anticipated. $5 million has been appropriated for this program. The amount available for awards is $ 4,700,000 after legislatively mandated set-asides.
Fiscal Year 2020 This program is subject to congressional budget approval for FY 2020. If funding is provided, it is anticipated that the number of proposals received and projects awarded will be similar to prior years. Pertinent information will be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date. National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), Section 1473F
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Section 7138
7 U.S.C. 3319i
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Section 7102 Only a non-land-grant public college or university (NLGCA) offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agriculture or forestry. The terms "NLGCA Institution" and "non-land-grant college of agriculture" do not include - (i) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities; or (ii) any institution designated under - (I) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known as the "First Morrill Act"; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); (II) the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the "Second Morrill Act") (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.); (III) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note); or (IV) Public Law 87-788 (commonly known as the "McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act") (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.) A non-land-grant public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agriculture or forestry, faculty of NLGCA, students engaged in the study of agriculture or forestry, the public, interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant and interested communities. The System for Award Management (SAM) combines eight federal procurement systems, including CCR, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. CCR activities are conducted through SAM (the CCR website will redirect users to SAM). Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number and System for Award Management (SAM): Each applicant (unless excepted under 2 CFR ? 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR ? 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. It also must state that the Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. Applicants must furnish the information required in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs). Successful applicants recommended for funding must furnish the information and assurances requested during the award documentation process. These include, but are not limited to the following: Organizational Management Information - Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis, as part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. NIFA will provide copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the preaward process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors which may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information). This information collection is approved under OMB Circular Control No. 0524-0026, "Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights, Compliance and Organization Information." SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available as follows: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) only accepts electronic applications which are submitted via Grants.gov in response to specific Requests for Applications (RFA). Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle application processes see: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html. Further, applicants must follow the instructions provided in the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, which can be assessed as follows: Adobe NIFA Applications. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the RFA. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFA). 2 CFR 200 - Subpart C and Appendix I and 2 CFR part 400 apply to this Program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL), as indicated per CFDA Section # 152 - Headquarters Office regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time. Information is also available via our website and may be obtained via the Grants.gov website. NIFA's respective links regarding general information are provided below: http://nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.grants.gov. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Not Applicable. 2 CFR Part 200 - Subparts D & E apply to this program. Specific details are provided in the Request for Applications (RFA), which are generally published annually. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca To maintain and expand the capacity of the NLGCA Institution to: compete, successfully, for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest;disseminate information relating to priority concerns to interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities; the public; and any other interested entity; and encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach activities by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds. This can be accomplished through the: purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure; professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution; and development of graduate assistantships. Performance Reports: PERFORMANCE MONITORING: See above for pertinent and specific details. Records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General. In accordance with 2 CFR Part 400 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, ? 200.334 Retention requirements for records. Grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and must be retained at least three (3) years. Records must be retained beyond the three (3) year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved. 2 CFR 200 Subpart D applies to this program. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years. Further details are provided in the Award document Form NIFA-2009 and the NIFA General Terms and Conditions Grants and Cooperative Agreements (dated October 2016) at: https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Additional details will be provided at a later date. National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205 Courier/Package Delivery Address: 2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 Michelle Schelske-Santos
Institute of Youth, Family, and Community,
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205
Courier/Package Delivery Address:
2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061
Kansas City, MO 64141 US
Michelle.schelske-santos@usda.gov
Phone: (757) 378-8380 http://nifa.usda.gov/program/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program 12-1500-0-1-352 (Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 22$4,800,000.00; FY 23 est $4,800,000.00; FY 24 est $5,700,000.00; FY 21$4,700,000.00; FY 20$4,700,000.00; FY 19$4,800,000.00; FY 18$4,737,638.00; FY 17$4,790,100.00; FY 16$4,789,875.00; - SPECIAL NOTES: (1) The difference between the appropriation and obligation numbers reflects legislative authorized set-asides deducted as appropriate, and in some cases the availability of obligational authority from prior years. If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive and/or capacity project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca As an administrator of U.S. government support, NIFA works in partnership with grantees to ensure responsible stewardship of federal funds. Our grantees and partners are required to comply with all relevant rules and regulations. The following resources are provided to NIFA's partners and award recipients to support their adherence to federal regulations governing program performance: NIFA's primary (main) website: https://nifa.usda.gov/regulations-and-guidelines The following represent specific documents and direct links: POLICY GUIDE NIFA's Federal Assistance Policy Guide describes agency policies and procedures. https://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide CERTIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS Certifications and representations provided through the NIFA application process. https://nifa.usda.gov/certifications-and-representations ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF USDA SUPPORT BY NIFA When acknowledging USDA support in accordance with 2 CFR Part 415, grantees must use the following acknowledgement for all projects or initiatives supported by NIFA. https://nifa.usda.gov/acknowledgment-usda-support-nifa FEDERAL REGULATIONS The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists all regulations published in the Federal Register. https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations FOIA The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal documents and information such as research data. https://nifa.usda.gov/foia NEPA POLICY AND GUIDANCE The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Policy and Guidance set the standard for identifying potential environmental impacts. https://nifa.usda.gov/nepa-policy-and-guidance OGFM ISSUED CORRESPONDENCE The Office of Grants and Financial Management occasionally issues correspondence to applicants, grantees, and/or the general public for informational or clarification purposes. https://nifa.usda.gov/ogfm-issued-correspondence RESEARCH MISCONDUCT NIFA requires that all its awardees adhere to the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy and the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct. https://nifa.usda.gov/research-misconduct NIFA'S GENERAL AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant's circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements. References to the terms and conditions of awards are located on the NIFA 2009 Award Fact Sheet. NIFA's general award terms and conditions (see link below) is applicable to this program, for awards with an award date on December 26, 2014 and thereafter. https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016: Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and Consumers Through Research, Education and Outreach This project would achieve 2 goals: (1) to bridge the gap between the state’s agricultural producers/farmers and consumers by analyzing how farmers markets in urban communities could play a role in improving both farmer livelihoods and the nutrition of low-income consumers with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables; and, (2) to strengthen food and agricultural research, education, and outreach through community engagement and Service-Learning at the university. The project anticipates achieving the following objectives: (1) identify the factors to influence farmer behavior in Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) marketing channels, including their financial incentives, revenue targets for farmers markets, and they choose certain DTC channels over others; (2) Assess the consumer preferences of low-income community residents and their willingness to pay for local fruits and vegetables at farmers markets; and, (3) Expand educational opportunities in food and agricultural sciences by creating curricular materials and by promoting higher education and careers in these fields to under-represented students and underserved communities. This project aligns with the strategic goals of the USDA and NLGCA Program. Managing Nutrient Inputs to Enhance the Sustainability of Forage-Based Beef Systems Project focuses on nutrient management in pasture-based beef production systems and enhance the research and outreach capacities of the university faculty through a collaborative partnership with faculty of the two partner institutions within the state. PDs will study the impact of using supplemental feed or annual legumes as a nitrogen source on forage and cattle productivity, nitrogen use, and economics in stocker and feeder cattle systems. Research will be conducted during 2017 and 2018 at the institution’s Shealy Farm and Forage Systems Research Center. Results will be shared with stakeholders via field days at the two participating institutions, other products include printed materials and a website featuring the project. Student interns will be hired from both partner institutions to participate in both research and outreach functions of this multidisciplinary project, enhancing their undergraduate experience through experiential earning and faculty mentoring. The project anticipates further partnership with other agricultural institutions in the region. Establishment of a Hydrologic Observatory to Support Long-Term Agro-ecosystems Research, Education, and Outreach in the Upper River Basin Project’s primary goal is the establishment of a Long-Term Hydrologic Observatory in the upper reaches of the Fever River Watershed, supporting the Long-Term Agro-systems Research (LTAR) program within the USDA Agricultural Research Service. The project will not only provide discharge data, but will evaluate two real-time, in situ water quality monitoring methods currently employed in the LTAR network. The two in situ systems (NITRATAX and S::CAN) will be compared with laboratory analyzed discrete samples to determine if concentration estimates are significantly different. Synergy will be created in the collaboration and each partner will benefit from each other including recipients of the Cooperative Extension Service in the community. Further, the students in this project will benefit from the much needed experiential, hands-on agricultural research opportunity preparatory for their respective professional careers. Moreover, the hardware and monitoring methods will be incorporated into classroom and laboratory learning activities. Education and Research Cap. Building Through Investigation of Long-Term Anthropogenic and Climatic Effects on Water Quality in Agricultural Watersheds This project’s critical concern is cropland soil loss and associated transport of nutrients from croplands. The severity of cropland soil loss is associated with land management and climatic changes. The research component of this project will investigate the long-term effect (>30yrs) of agricultural practices and climate on water driven non-point source pollution loads using USDA-supported AnnAGNPS pollution model. Historic land management information will be generated using integrated machine learning and remote sensing methods to disaggregate county-level surveys into field-level datasets. Future climatic estimates will be sued to evaluate the potential changes in sediments and nutrient loads due to long-term projected precipitation variations. The two institutions in the project will coordinate efforts to develop agricultural modules involving geospatial topics and concepts in undergraduate and graduate courses. A new joint hybrid field-classroom course will be offered in the second year of the project. Students will learn and use geospatial skillsets in positions supporting modern agriculture practices. A training workshop will reach the stakeholders, watershed managers, and conservationists on the latest technology in assessing the impact of farming practices at the watershed scale. LCI PROPOSAL TO BUILD AGRICULTURE CAPACITY THROUGH REGIONAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES. The project will administer a Large Scale Comprehensive Initiative that will invest in human capital and integrate education and outreach to assist rural a rural county in creating posterity to become self-sustaining, re-populating and economically thriving. The project will focus on: (1) creating educational equity for under-represented students through high school educational outreach and recruitment; (2) building leaders by integrating training within experiential learning; (3) building agriculture career pathways for high school students; (4) support agriculture business development through legal services, micro-credentialing and by building a regional farm and food asset map; and (5) leading and facilitating economic development efforts. Project goals will be accomplished by working closely with regional K-12 educators to expand agriculture educational opportunities through College in the High School, distance learning and targeted recruitment activities and focus on improving academic support services to increase retention among freshman agriculture students. The project will train students engaging in community-based experiential learning projects to be effective leaders and will assist agriculture entrepreneurs to develop new products and/or businesses by providing training and legal and business development technical assistance. INTEGRATING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY THROUGH LOCAL FOOD MARKETING CHANNELS The overall purpose of this capacity building project is to develop a new Education Program that is built around a new instructional unit on local food marketing to train future agricultural business managers (students) and to develop a new Outreach Program that will train current agricultural business managers about local food marketing opportunities. This project leverages an interdisciplinary and collaborative relationship between the university sector, the business community and the private sector in an effort to advance the quality of education and outreach designed to remove the barriers in local food marketing channels and increase agricultural profitability. This is accomplished by (1) developing new curriculum to increase the College of Agriculture faculty and student knowledge of the profit opportunities in local food marketing channels, (2) using targeted outreach and training workshops to increase producer knowledge of local food marketing opportunities, and (3) developing and distributing a local food buyer’s guide to increase consumer knowledge of local food purchasing opportunities. Providing local food marketing training to students/producers and creating a new local food buyer’s guide will expand the institution’s capacity to assist future and current agricultural business managers to become more profitable and resilient. BUILDING CAPACITY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION (CCE) AND EXPANDING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES The primary objective is to incorporate climate change education in the curriculum for undergraduate and graduate agriculture classes in two (2) partnering. This will be achieved by means of developing new in-class and web-based course offerings. Specific course offerings will focus on the following priority areas: (1) Basic and advanced understanding of the science of climate; (2) Basic and advanced understanding of climate change; (3) Evaluating and measuring economic impacts of climate change on agriculture; (4) Policy issues in climate change and agriculture - U.S/ Global Market related impacts of climate change on agriculture and risk management. A second objective is to build capacity in the partnering institutions for developing both face-to-face and online teaching interfaces to deliver specific course offerings related to climate change, and include professional development of faculty for both campuses especially in design, development, and delivery of online courses. The third objective is to encourage undergraduate and graduate level student involvement in teaching and research related to understanding of the science of climate, and its impact on agriculture. This will also be extended to student research in the partnering institutions by conducting a willingness to pay survey study among students with a focus on financial implications for dealing with climate change. Finally, the fourth objective is to introduce climate change education in high school curriculum in the respective areas of the collaborating institutes by means of courses/ web-based materials with a focus on climate and impacts of climate change on agriculture, and by conducting a two (2) to three (3) day workshop for stakeholders. This will broaden the dissemination of the outreach materials to a much broader audience. The ability to develop online materials that can be accessed by anyone will also help to further disseminate the information to a wider audience beyond the service area for each university. BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FARMERS AND CONSUMERS THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH This research, outreach, and education project is designed to achieve two (2) goals: (1) to bridge the gap between agricultural producers/farmers and consumers by analyzing how farmers markets in urban communities could play a role in improving both farmer livelihoods and the nutrition of low-income consumers with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables; and (2) to strengthen food and agricultural research, education, and outreach through community engagement and Service-Learning. Specifically, the project will achieve the following objectives: (1) Identify the factors that influence farmer behavior in Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) marketing channels, including their financial incentives, revenue targets for farmers markets, and why they choose certain DTC channels over others; (2) Assess the consumer preferences of low-income community residents and their willingness to pay for local fruits and vegetables at farmers markets; and (3) Expand educational opportunities in food and agricultural sciences by creating curricular materials and by promoting higher education and careers in food and agricultural sciences to underrepresented students and underserved communities. BUILDING CAPACITY OF FOOD SCIENCE CLUSTER TO CONTROL PATHOGENS ON FRESH PRODUCE AT FARMERS` MARKETS The number of foodborne illnesses linked to fresh produce has increased in the last few years, causing significant economic losses, which are especially damaging to small farmers. The specific objectives of this project are to: (1) Conduct a survey to determine consumer perceptions of food safety of locally grown fresh produce sold at farmers markets in two (2) States; (2) build a research capacity of a novel mobile automated electro-chemical activation system to control food borne pathogens on fresh produce from those States farmers markets; and (3) train small farmers and farmers market vendors through workshops and webinars on proper handling of fresh produce from field to market. Training workshops for producers, handlers, and sellers of fresh produce will be held both in person and also as online and paper modules to be completed anytime. The main purpose of these workshops is to educate small produce farmers and other stakeholders on the use of good agricultural and management practices to minimize microbial food safety hazards.
Fiscal Year 2017 Global AgLeader: Development of Leadership and Global Competency to Enhance Recruitment and Retention of Minority Students in Agriculture This project will improve agricultural education for students from underrepresented and minority groups to support their recruitment and retention in academic institutions as well as hire-ability in the workforce. The project objectives are to 1) increase awareness of career opportunities in the FANH science among minority students; 2) develop a professional leadership program for undergraduate and graduate students; 3) provide international and domestic career and experimental learning opportunities; and 4) develop and implement an innovative international exchange program. Building Research and Education Capacities to Strengthen the Black Walnut Breeding Program This project is building a collaborative black walnut breeding program. In addition to mapping populations for genetic analysis of agriculturally important traits of the Black Walnut, this project also builds black walnut breeding education capacity for undergraduates and graduates through course enhancement and by training two graduate students. Finding Specialty Niche Markets For Farmers Using Social Aspects of Food This project will assist small and medium sized farmers in developing new marketing strategies to increase efficiency and profitability. The project’s goals are to: 1) identify the prestige- seeking and social status -achieving behaviors of consumers for food products; 2) characterize different consumer segments more likely to engage in direct-to-consumer niche markets and assess their price sensitivity; 3) thoroughly disseminate project results to stakeholders; and 4) evaluate the direct socioeconomic impacts to farmers of using customer segmentation targets. Building Partnerships between Stakeholders Involved in the Local Production, Marketing and Education of Vegetable Production in Western Missouri This large-scale collaborative project takes a holistic approach to micro-scale agricultural economies. The goal of the project is to increase the capacity and diversity of local vegetable production in western Missouri through partnerships, education, research and marketing. Additional educational opportunities for students include internships and new courses on fruit and vegetable production and agricultural marketing. Partners Against Invasive Species This collaborative project will provide education and extension to regional landowners, foresters, farmers, ranchers and others related to a variety of invasive species in west Alabama and east Mississippi. The objectives of the project are: 1) ensure stakeholder awareness by developing programs to enhance knowledge of the damage invasive species inflict on the region; 2) provide outreach assistance to regional landowners in the control and management of the invasive species; 3) enhance career opportunities for students in conservation biology programs through education, and hands on experience and training; and 4) develop a regional center of expertise and dedication toward research and management of invasive species. Enhancing Undergraduate Agribusiness Students Marketing Knowledge through Experiential Learning Opportunities This project will build capacity for delivering agricultural marketing courses by establishing a marketing lab. The lab will include computer hardware, trading software and data analysis tools for hands on training for students. The project will also provide opportunities for short-term undergraduate research projects on commodity markets.
Fiscal Year 2018 Maternal Recognition of Pregnancy (MRP) in Mares: Is the Uterine Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) Receptor Involved? this project provides enhanced educational and outreach opportunities by way of researching maternal recognition of pregnancy in mares. Through the acquisition of state-of-the art laboratory and classroom equipment, both high school and undergraduate students and animal science faculty are involved in experimental and applicable research that advances the body of knowledge in the field of reproductive physiology. Native Bee Community Composition in Mississippi Delta Soybean Fields and their Effect on Yield This study investigates native pollinator community composition and potential for increasing yields in Arkansas soybeans through a combination of field surveys and experimental work. The project supports the USDA’s goal to investigate ways to increase food security and investigate means for mitigating adverse effects of climate variability and change. Further, it will augment research in agricultural entomology and promote minority student agricultural science engagement. Assay Development for the Detection of the Major Fish Allergen in Foods This education and research-based program will promote both undergraduate and graduate student interests in food safety. The overall research goal is to develop two assays using two highly selective agents (antibody and aptamer) for the detection of the major fish allergen (i.e., parvalbumin). The overall educational goal is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with multidisciplinary research experience in protein chemistry, immunochemistry, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. MASTERS (Mentoring Agriculture Students through Training, Experiential learning, and Research Skills) for the Future Agricultural Workforce The MASTERS project trains and educates underrepresented and first generation graduate and undergraduate students in the field of agriculture with a focus on citrus and water challenges. The project accomplishes these goals by establishing cooperative links between the university and ARS, educating and training graduate and undergraduate students through internship experiences and research, developing a mentoring system, and broadening student perspectives, educational experiences, and professional development opportunities. An Integrated Project to Enhance Sustainable Agriculture Education Through Research-based Pedagogical Practices This project will: 1) expand the capacity for sustainable agriculture research and education at the two participating non-land grant institutes; 2) partner with a land grant institute for training our students on the use of latest analytical and instrumentation techniques; 3) better educate both undergraduate and graduate agricultural students to learn sustainable agroecosystem practices and its implementation; 4) provide opportunities for students to interact with local producers and scientific communities; and 5) improve sustainable agriculture curriculum in all three participating institutions.
Fiscal Year 2019 Projects for FY 2019 will not be awarded until the first quarter of FY 2020 due to the 2018 Farm Bill Impact and the late publication of the RFA. We anticipate projects will address current and emerging issues in agricultural research, Extension/outreach, and education. Project data is not yet available. Pertinent details to be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2020 Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.