National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Update

National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Update

W2002 Annual MeetingEtta Saltos

National Program Leader, Human NutritionMarch 4, 2010

Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) • Creation of National Institute of Food and

Agriculture (NIFA) Oct. 1, 2009

• Creation of Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which supersedes National Research Initiative (NRI) and Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS); this began in FY 2009

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

• Raise the profile of agricultural science: research, education, and extension

• All current CSREES authorities have been transferred to NIFA

• Transition to NIFA occurred 10/1/09; re-organization is under review

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)• Led by a presidentially-appointed Director, Dr. Roger Beachy,

founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center – Dr. Beachy’s speech at APLU 11/16/09:– http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/speeches/pdfs/2009_nov_1

6_beachy_aplu_final.pdf– Dr. Beachy’s speech at Ag Outlook 2/18/10:

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/speeches/10_beachy_outlookforum.html

Five focal areas:

• Global Food Security and Hunger. • Climate Change• Sustainable Energy• Childhood Obesity • Food Safety

Institute of Food Production and Sustainability

•Enhancing global food security through productive and

sustainable agricultural systems

Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and Environment

• Ensuring energy independence through clean, biobased energy systems

• Ensuring sustainable and adaptive agro-ecosystems in response to climate change

Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition

• Ensuring a safe food supply• Improving citizens’ health through nutrition• Reducing childhood obesity• Improving food quality

Institute of Youth and Community Development

• Enabling vibrant and resilient communities• Preparing the next generation of scientists• Enhancing science capacity in minority-serving

institutions• Enhancing youth development

AFRI Authorization• Authorized for appropriation of $700M for FY

2008 - 2012 (FY 2009 $202M; FY 2010 $262M)

• No less than 30% will be made available for integrated programs

• Of funds allocated for research, 40% for applied research & 60% for fundamental research

•Indirect costs capped at 22%

AFRI Project Types

Fundamental Research

• Increases knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and has the potential for broad application

• Has an effect on agriculture, food, nutrition, or the environment

AFRI Project Types

Applied Research

• Expansion of the findings of fundamental research to uncover practical ways in which new knowledge can be advanced to benefit individuals and society

AFRI Project Types Education

• Formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences

• Related activities, e.g. faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies

AFRI Project Types

Extension

• Informal education program conducted in the States in cooperation with USDA

• Act or process that delivers science-based knowledge and information educational programs to people, enabling them to make practical decisions

Integrated Projects – Putting It All TogetherBringing together the three components of the

agricultural knowledge system (research, education, extension) around a problem or activity

Integrated Project

Research

Education

Extension

Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP)

• Supports large-scale multi-million dollar projects to promote collaboration, open communications, and the exchange of information; reduce duplication of effort and coordinate activities among individuals, institutions, States and regions

• May be research CAP or integrated CAP

AFRI 2010 Five Societal Challenge Areas• Keep American agriculture competitive while ending world

hunger

• Improve nutrition and end child obesity

• Improve food safety for all Americans

• Secure America’s energy future through renewable biofuels

• Mitigate and adapt agriculture to variations in climate

AFRI 2010• Grants will be larger – up to $25M and longer in

duration

• Grants will be longer in duration – up to 5 yrs and in some cases, renewal will be granted upon achieving specific goals.

• Grants for challenge areas will be awarded as continuation grants

• Pre- and postdoctoral fellowship grants “NIFA Fellows”

AFRI RFA• http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2010ne

ws/01062_afri.html• There will be seven separate RFAs: one for each

societal challenge area, one for foundational research programs and one for NIFA Fellows

• AFRI Request for Application:http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri_rfa.html • Also available from Grants.gov (search keyword

“AFRI” or CFDA Number 10.310)

Abstracts from NRI/AFRI: Abstracts of previously funded projects from National Research Initiative (2008 and earlier, listed by program):

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/nri/nri_abstracts_topic.html

Abstracts of previously funded projects from AFRI (2009 and later, listed by state):

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/afri/afri_reports.html

NIFA 2011 Budget (President’s Request)

• AFRI: $428.8M• Formula: Same as 2010

Other NIFA News: • USDA Joins National Collaborative on Childhood

Obesity Research: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2010news/02252_nccor.html

Other NIFA News: • USDA Awards $1 Million to North Carolina State

University to Train Students in Human Health and Nutrition: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2009news/11191_ncsu.html

THANK YOU!Etta SaltosNational Program Leader202-401-5178; esaltos@nifa.usda.gov