Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (10.302)
Program
10.302 Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems
Federal Agency
COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Authorization
Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Reform Act, Section 401.
Program Number
10.302
Last Known Status
Deleted 02/22/2005 (Program cancelled several years ago, per CSREES)
Objectives
To fund competitive research, education, and extension grants to address critical and emerging agriculture issues.
Types of Assistance
Project Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
This competitive grants program awards large grants to multi-State, multi-institutional, and multi-disciplinary projects across priority topic areas. These priority areas include: Agricultural genomics, agricultural biotechnology, food safety, new uses for agricultural products, natural resource management, and farm efficiency and profitability.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
State Agricultural Experiment Stations, U.S. colleges/universities, other U.S. research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies,private organizations or corporations, and individuals. Proposals from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be considered for support.
Beneficiary Eligibility
State Agricultural Experiment Stations, U.S. colleges/universities, other U.S. research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals. Proposals from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be considered for support.
Credentials/Documentation
Each prospective grantee organization must furnish the organizational information and assurances specified in the guidelines. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
All proposal solicitations are published in the Federal Register. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102 and E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
Formal proposal to USDA/CSREES as outlined in the guidelines. Application procedures are contained in CSREES Research Grant Application Kit. This program is subject to the provisions of 7 CFR 3019.
Award Procedure
CSREES program staff members review and evaluate all proposals with the assistance and advice of a peer panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Proposals are accepted in order of merit to the extent permitted by available funds.
Deadlines
As announced in the Federal Register for each fiscal year.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
None.
Renewals
Proposals for renewal, should be submitted at the announced deadline. Renewals are treated in competition with all other pending proposals.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Normally, competitive research projects will be supported for periods of up to 3 years.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Annual progress reports are due within 90 days after anniversary of grant effective date and final technical reports are due 90 days after expiration of grant. Federal cash transaction reports and financial status reports as stated in 7 CFR 3019.52.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant to insure that funds are used for the purpose for which the grant was made. Records are subject to inspection during life of the grant and for 3 years thereafter.
Program Accomplishments
Funding helped initiate a biologically based control project for the area-wide management of invasive weeds in several Western states; Researchers studied the removal of poorly digestible corn fiber used in swine feed, which substantially reduces the excretions of total dry manure, nitrogen, and odor.
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-1503-0-1-352.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 02 $113,379,694; FY 03 $0; and FY 04 est $0. Note: Grants are competitively awarded.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
From $65,000 to $4,375,000; $1,313,085.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Pages 61290-61306 Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 231, Part II, December 2, 1991; 7 CFR 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations; 7 CFR Part 3017, Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants); 7 CFR Part 3018, New Restrictions on Lobbying. National Competitive Research Initiative Grants Program Administrative Provisions, Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 220, Pages 57950-57958, November 14, 1991; and 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations.
Related Programs
10.001, Agricultural Research_Basic and Applied Research; 10.200, Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants; 10.202, Cooperative Forestry Research; 10.203, Payments to Agricultural Experiment Stations Under the Hatch Act; 10.205, Payments to 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Tuskegee University; 10.207, Animal Health and Disease Research; 10.219, Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research; 10.250, Agricultural and Rural Economic Research; 10.652, Forestry Research.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ag Box 2201, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2201. Telephone: (202) 720-4423.
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Comparative Genomics of Domestication Traits in Lettuce and Sunflower; Genetic Resistance to Paratuberculosis in Dairy Cattle; Sustainability of BT Cotton in the Southwest; Consortium to Address Social, Economic and Ethical Aspects of Biotechnology; Improving Bone Health in Adolescence Through Targeted Behavioral Intervention.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
(1) The scientific merit of the proposal, including the suitability and feasibility of the approaches and methodology; (2) the probability that the research will contribute to important discoveries or significant breakthroughs in food production or human nutrition, in relation to the mission of this program; (3) the qualifications of the principal investigator and other senior personnel, such as training, demonstrated awareness of previous and alternative approaches to the problem, and performance record and/or potential for future accomplishment; and (4) the probable adequacy of available or obtainable facilities, equipment, instrumentation, and technical support. Research grants will be considered in selected areas of plant systems; animal systems; natural resources and environment; and nutrition, food quality and health which have been considered by a number of scientific groups to possess exceptional opportunity for fundamental scientific discovery and for contributing, in the long run, to applied research and development vitally needed on important food and nutrition problems. Consideration will be given to research proposals which address fundamental questions in the relevant areas and which are consistent with the long-range missions of USDA.
