OARS funding Agriculture

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is pleased to offer a limited number of conference grants. These grants will be used to subsidize the cost of attendance for individuals to attend either CUR Dialogues 2015: Climbing the Ladder to Funding Success: Diverse Sources, Diverse Pathways or Undergraduate Research Programs: Building, Enhancing, Sustaining. Nominees are asked to provide contact and demographic information, a statement of expenses, a statement describing financial need, and a statement on expected outcomes from attending the conference. Historically under-represented groups and first-time attendees will be given priority. The review committee will work to ensure awardees represent a diverse subset of the applicants, specifically across discipline/CUR Division and geographic location. Awardees will receive the conference grant as a rebate after their confirmed participation in the conference, and the submission of reimbursement paperwork.

The purpose of the ASHCA Safety Grants Program is to encourage and provide financial support for agricultural safety and health interventions at the local and/or regional level in order to facilitate timely application of evidence-based safety/health strategies to protect agricultural workers.

The Agricultural History Society seeks nominations for its publication awards through December 31, 2014. To nominate a book, article, or dissertation with a 2014 publication date, please follow the directions below. If you have a question, please email executive secretary Jim Giesen (JGiesen@history.msstate.edu).

For fiscal year (FY) 2015, BRDI will require that funded projects address only one (1) of the following three (3) legislatively mandated technical areas: 1. Feedstocks development - The intent of this Topic Area is to address research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities regarding feedstocks and feedstock logistics (including harvest, handling, transport, preprocessing, and storage) relevant to production of raw materials for conversion to biofuels and biobased products. The BRDI program is designed to support near-term commercial systems. Projects should emphasize development and optimization of existing feedstocks that will be available for testing and demonstration during the life of the project. Proposals that include breeding or genetic improvement of feedstocks should reconcile this work with the Program's emphasis on near-term impacts. 2. Biofuels and biobased products development - The intent of this Topic Area is to address RD&D activities to support (i) development of diverse cost-effective technologies for the use of cellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products; and, (ii) product diversification through technologies relevant to the production of a range of biobased products (including chemicals, animal feeds, and cogeneration power) that potentially can increase the feasibility of fuel production in a biorefinery. 3. Biofuels development analysis - The intent of this Topic Area is to apply systems evaluation methods that can be used to optimize system performance and market potential and to quantify the project's impact on sustainability; therefore, successful applications will consider the lifecycle (cradle-to-grave) impacts including environmental, social, and economic implications that are attributable to the project. Successful projects should include these sustainability data in engineering process models and be used over the life of the project to improve the system and quantify sust

The Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America is seeking applications for its 2015 Safety Grants Program, the purpose of which is to encourage and provide financial support for the implementation of evidence-based safety and health interventions that protect agricultural workers. With a theme of "strengthening partnerships for safety," the priority for ASHCA's 2015 grants are projects that engage both management and workers in safety efforts; facilitate new partnerships for providing timely, effective safety programs; reach out to stakeholders that have limited access to safety programs; implement evidence-based agricultural safety and health strategies; and have the potential for being sustained beyond the grant period.

The objective of Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development (PAEGC) is to support new and sustainable approaches to accelerate the development and deployment of Clean Energy Solutions (CES)for increasing agriculture productivity and/or value in developing countries. Such solutions are those that integrate clean energy technologies and innovative business models to: (i) Enhance agricultural yields/productivity; (ii) Decrease post-harvest loss; (iii) Improve farmer and agribusiness income generating opportunities and revenues; and/or (iv) Increase energy efficiency and associated savings within the operations of farms and agribusinesses - while stimulating low carbon economic growth within the agriculture sector of developing countries.

The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) will fund a cooperative agreement to support a Rural Assistance Center (RAC). The RAC is a gateway to information on rural health for residents in rural areas of the United States and for all others interested in the issue. Through daily interactions and responding to inquiries and concerns, the RAC will be able to ensure that ORHP and the Department of Health and Human Services are informed of developing and ongoing grass-roots issues in the rural U.S. The role of ORHP as the Department of Health and Human Service¿s focal point for rural information allows its staff to identify key regulatory and statutory issues. The staff of ORHP will work collaboratively with the RAC to prioritize key issues and develop information resources to share with callers and web users. It is also expected that RAC staff will produce publications to respond to emerging issues. ORHP and Department staff will review RAC proposals for publications to ensure that critical issues are appropriately identified. When publications are prepared for release, ORHP and Department staff will review them for accuracy and completeness. The awardee must be able to identify and facilitate access to information from a wide range of sources that deal with aspects of rural health care. ORHP will also coordinate information sharing between the RAC and the Rural Health Research Centers, the Rural Recruitment and Retention Network, State Offices of Rural Health, and other projects that are funded by the Office. RAC staff will work with ORHP to develop strategies for dissemination of key research findings and for providing synthesis of key research findings. The applicant should be familiar with providers of Technical Assistance (TA) for rural health care providers funded by ORHP and be able to make referrals, avoid duplication of services, and ensure that rural residents are directed to appropriate resources for their information needs. The awardee will provide

The TABB FOA seeks alternative pathways to overcome two of the key barriers to commercializing algal biofuels: the high cost of producing algal biomass and the low yield of target biofuel and bioproduct feedstocks produced from algae.  Specifically, the TABB FOA will support: 1) the development of algae cultures that produce valuable bioproducts alongside fuels to increase the overall value of the biomass; and 2) the development of crop protection and CO2 utilization technologies to boost culture productivity and yield to reduce the cost of the biomass.  The goal is to enable a modeled minimum fuel selling price, assuming mature technologies, of less than $5 gasoline gallon equivalent for algal biofuels through creation of valuable products alongside fuels and achieving increased biomass productivity that leads to higher feedstock yields. 

USAID would like to partner with the private sector, education and research institutions (and organizations working with them) towards improving food security in Ethiopia. This initiative will be used to identify and test innovations that produce cost effective and scalable solutions to addressing the problems Ethiopian households face with regards to food insecurity. The overall objective of this effort is to find ways to accelerate and reduce food insecurity and malnutrition across Ethiopia

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) intends to solicit proposals from offerors having the capability to perform the following tasks: (1) cultivate and harvest, process, analyze, store, and distribute cannabis (marijuana) for research, (2) extract cannabis to produce pure and standardized (current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP)-grade) cannabis extracts containing varying concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), (3) isolate cGMP and research grade THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids, (4) periodically analyze cannabis extracts, and isolated cannabinoids for authenticity, purity and stability, (5) develop new methods for growing cannabis plants containing high THC, low CBD; high CBD, low THC; and equal strength of CBD and THC, (6) manufacture, analyze, determine stability, store, and supply marijuana cigarettes, and (7) supply cannabis, cannabis extract, other phyto-cannabinoids, and marijuana cigarettes to research investigators and/or to the NIDA Drug Supply program upon NIDA authorization.

The overall goal of the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is to support the development and implementation of research, extension and higher education programs to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices. In FY 2014, ORG will continue to prioritize environmental services provided by organic farming systems in the area of soil conservation and climate change mitigation, including greenhouse gases (GHG). Two new priorities have been added to support (1) the development of educational tools for Cooperative Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals who advise producers on organic practices and (2) the development of cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from the National Organic Programs National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Practices and systems to be addressed include those associated with organic crops, organic animal production, and organic systems integrating plant and animal production.

This AFRI Challenge Area promotes and enhances the scientific discipline of food safety, with an overall aim of protecting consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that may occur during all stages of the food chain, from production to consumption. This requires an understanding of the interdependencies of human, animal, and ecosystem health as it pertains to foodborne pathogens. The long-term outcome for this program is to reduce foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety of the food supply, which will result in reduced impacts on public health and on our economy. In order to achieve this outcome, this program will support single-function Research Projects and multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants that address one of the Program Area Priorities (see Food Safety RFA for details).

NIFA initiates a new challenge area to address critical water resources issues such as drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and others in an agricultural context. Funding will be used to develop management practices, technologies, and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and managers, public decision makers, public and private managers, and citizens to improve water resource quantity and quality. NIFA's approach will link social, economic, and behavioral sciences with traditional biophysical sciences and engineering to address regional-scale issues with shared hydrological processes and meteorological and basin characteristics.

This program supports research and extension projects that have robust collaborations to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields that are relevant to USDA priorities identified by the Secretary: (i) Promotion of a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for all Americans and for people around the world; (ii) Sustainable agricultural policies that foster economic viability for small and mid-sized farms and rural businesses, protect natural resources, and promote value-added agriculture; (iii) national leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation; (iv) Building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and (v) Support for 21st century rural communities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the  Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) under which the Secretary of Agriculture may make competitive grants for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension to address food and agricultural sciences (as defined under section 1404 of the National  Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3103)), as amended, in six priority areas. The six priority areas include: 1) plant health and production and plant products; 2) animal health and production and animal products; 3) food  safety, nutrition, and health; 4) renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; 5) agriculture systems and technology; and 6) agriculture economics and rural communities. 

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BARD -the U.S.-Israel Bi-national Agricultural Research & Development Fund. For 2014, the NIFA-BARD MOU has identified a specific priority area, Water for Agriculture (link to RFA) for mutually beneficial collaboration. For this 2014 Request For Application (RFA), American Land Grant University and Israeli partner scientists may apply together, for a joint project. If the project is recommended for award by the review panel, and subject to availability for funding, the Israeli scientists will be supported by BARD. US scientists may request assistance from the BARD office in identifying an appropriate Israeli partner for the NIFA-BARD collaborative program.

United States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development

The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Iowa is requesting proposals to provide implementation of restoration activities on eligible Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Wetlands Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE). With the signing of the 2014 Farm Bill, the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) was de-authorized and program purposes were assimilated into ACEP-WRE. While both WRP and ACEP-WRE easements will undergo wetland restoration activities under this agreement, for consistency with current program offerings all references from this point forward will be made to ACEP-WRE. The objective of ACEP-WRE is to provide technical and financial assistance to landowners in planning, designing and implementing wetland and associated upland restoration plans that maximize wildlife habitat in wetland systems, as well as provide water quality improvements, reduced soil erosion, reduced impacts of flooding and provide wildlife habitat opportunities for threatened and endangered species. Applicants will be responsible for assisting NRCS and landowners by providing technical assistance necessary to implement ACEP-WRE restoration plans, while at the same time improving and protecting wetland habitat for environmental benefits. Performance may include any part or all operations necessary to implement, provide inspection, and management activities for various wetland restoration and enhancement practices and other related conservation practices that meet NRCS standards and specifications.

Support innovative or scalable methods or approaches to reduce climate risk at the municipal and community level.To support the implemetation of priority adaptation strategies in vulnerable communities

Feed the Future is the United States Government's global hunger and food security initiative. It supports country‐driven approaches to address the root causes of hunger and poverty and forge long‐term solutions to chronic food insecurity and under‐nutrition. Drawing upon resources and expertise of agencies across the U.S.Government, this Presidential Initiative is helping countries transform their own agriculture sectors to grow enough food sustainably to feed their people. To support this effort the U.S. Agency for International Development is requesting applications from qualified organizations to implement the Support to Agricultural Research and Development Program, as described fully inSection I below.