KANNAPOLIS, N.C., Nov. 19, 2009 – USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced today that it has awarded $1 million to North Carolina State University to launch a scholarship program that will train graduate students in the fields of human health, nutrition and food science.  NIFA Director Roger Beachy made the announcement today at the North Carolina Research Center (NCRC) in Kannapolis, N.C.

“To address critical issues in human health and nutrition -- and especially our priority areas of global hunger and child obesity --we need to train the best and brightest in these fields,” Beachy said.  “NIFA’s investment today will ensure we are prepared to find solutions to health and nutrition problems in the future.              

Students who participate in the Kannapolis Scholars program will be immersed in a rich transdisciplinary training environment at the NCRC that spans subject matter from the field to the fork.  This training will enable students to develop integrated approaches to solving complex problems within the broad domain of functional foods, bioactive food components, and human health.  Students will have access to advanced instrumentation such as high-throughput sequencing, mass spectrometry, laser imaging and world-class, high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance.  Program participants will also learn techniques spanning molecular-cellular to plant and animal models to human clinical studies.

The program will provide a stipend to cover the students’ first 15-months of graduate study, including tandem 10-week summer sessions at NCRC that flank the first year of coursework undertaken on their respective home campuses.

The grant was awarded through NIFA’s Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).  As one of the first AFRI education grants, it was jointly funded through AFRI’s Bioactive Food Components for Optimal Health and Improving Food Quality and Value programs.  Adding an education component to AFRI signifies NIFA and Beachy’s strong commitment to raising up the next generation of scientists.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA has awarded more than $46 million through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) to solve critical specialty crop agriculture issues, address priorities and solve problems through multifunctional research and extension. 

“Specialty crops are an important part of American agriculture, valued at nearly $50 billion every year,” Vilsack said.  “This significant investment into research, education and extension will enable specialty crop producers to improve their products and increase their profitability.”

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative was established by the 2008 Farm Bill to support the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address the needs of specific crops in five focus areas: 1) improve crop characteristics through plant breeding, genetics and genomics; 2) address threats from pests and diseases; 3) improve production efficiency, productivity and profitability; 4) develop new innovations and technologies and 5) develop methods to improve food safety. Each of the focus areas received at least 10 percent of the available funds. The majority of the funded projects address two or more focus areas.

The projects funded in 2009 address research and extension needs for crops that span the entire spectrum of specialty crops production, from studying invasive mealy bug pests in west coast vineyards to developing biodegradable mulches for specialty crops produced under protective covers. Major projects were also funded to protect important specialty crops from invasive pests and to develop improved varieties.

Although 20 institutions will manage the research/extension grant funds from this program, each award includes an average of 8 principal investigators from three other states who will work together in a multi-disciplinary approach to solve problems. All of the awards required 100 percent matching funds from non-federal sources which will double the impact of the award dollars.
      
Fiscal Year 2009 SCRI research and extension grants were awarded to:

• University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark., $1,463,234
  Management of Virus Complexes in Rubus

• University of California, Davis, Calif., $3,965,999
  Increasing Consumption of Specialty Crops by Enhancing their Quality and Safety

• University of California,  Berkeley, Calif., $1,957,835
  An Invasive Mealybug Pest and an Emerging Viral Disease: a Dangerous Mix for West Coast Vineyards

• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $1,894,904
  A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Sustainability and Profitability of U.S. Blueberry Production Using the Tree-like Species Vaccinium arboreum

• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $1,967,863
  Laurel Wilt of Avocado: Mitigation and Management of an Exotic, Insect-vectored Disease

• University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $774,581
  Advancing Onion Postharvest Handling Efficiency and Sustainability by Multimodal Quality Sensing, Disease Control and Waste Stream Management

• University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., $1,951,981
  Integrated Genomics and Management Systems for Control of Fire Blight

• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., $2,841,987
  Participatory Modeling and Decision Support for Improving Sweet Potato Production Efficiency, Quality and Food Safety

• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., $518,749
  Development of an eXtension Community of Practice - All About Blueberries

• University of Maryland, College Park, Md., $5,161,495
  Precision Irrigation and Nutrient Management for Nursery, Greenhouse and Green Roof Systems: Wireless Sensor Networks for Feedback and Feedforward Control

• University of Maine, Bangor, Maine, $1,023,805
  Systems Approach to Improving the Sustainability of Wild Blueberry Production

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $1,831,469
  RosBREED-Enabling Marker-assisted Breeding in Rosaceae

• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,  New Brunswick, N.J., $1,503,166
  Locally Grown Ethnic Greens & Herbs: Demand Assessment and Production Opportunities

• USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ithaca, N.Y., $2,381,759
  Development of Comprehensive Strategies to Manage Potato Virus Y in Potato and Eradicate the Tuber Necrotic Variants Recently Introduced into the United States

• USDA Agricultural Research Service, Wooster, Ohio, $1,826,298
  Intelligent Spray Systems for Floral and Ornamental Nursery Crops

• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $422,964
  Development of a Grape Community of Practice for the eXtension System

• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $1,392,933
  Expansion of Hazelnut Production, Feedstock and Biofuel Potential through Breeding for Disease Resistance and Climatic Adaption

• Texas AgriLife, College Station, Texas, $3,900,889
  Management of Zebra Chip to Enhance Profitability and Sustainability of U.S. Potato Production

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $3,891,952
  A Total Systems Approach to Developing a Sustainable Stem-free Sweet Cherry Production, Processing and Marketing System

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $1,821,721
  Agronomic and Biochemical Impacts of Biotic and Abiotic Stress on Pacific Northwest Flavor Crops

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $1,999,002
  Biodegradable Mulches for Specialty Crops Produced Under Protective Covers

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $474,115
  Tree Fruit GDR: Translating Genomics into Advances in Horticulture

• USDA Agricultural Research Service, Kearneysville, W.V., $637,330
  FasTrack a Revolutionary Approach to Long Generation Cycle Specialty Crop Breeding

• USDA Agricultural Research Service, Kearneysville,  W.V., $559,531
  Manipulating Host- and Mate-finding Behavior of Plum Curculio: Development of a Multi-life Stage Management Strategy for a Key Fruit Pest

The 2009 awards included a group of planning grants that will enable awardees to develop quality proposals for future SCRI funding opportunities. The FY 2009 planning grants were awarded to:

• Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo., $49,949
  Planning Grant to Document the Health-promoting Properties of Dry Beans and to Increase Consumption in the United States

• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $23,126
  Improving Profitability of Blueberry Production with a Comprehensive Precision Agriculture Program

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $22,903
  Limiting Bird Damage to Fruit Crops: A Planning Program to Identify Research Directions for the Future

• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $50,000
  Establishing a Broccoli Industry in the Eastern United States

• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $50,000
  Planning to Expand the New Knowledge Fusion Model: Spurring Innovations for Specialty Crops

• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $49,979
  Addressing Research and Extension Needs of the Emerging Cold-climate Wine Industry in the Northeast and Upper Midwest

• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $47,297
  Developing a Team to Address Major Viticultural, Enological and Market Driven Challenges to a Strong and Sustainable Eastern Wine Industry

• The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $49,966
  Identifying Stakeholder Needs for Establishing Urban Specialty Crops Enterprise

• Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., $48,947
  Bridging Specialty Crop Producers and Institutional Food Purchasers: Distilling a Research and Extension Agenda in Support of Local Food Systems

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $49,479
  Placing Fruit Canopy Management Automation Technology in the Field

• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $46,146
  Development of a Smart Targeted Spray Application Technology Roadmap for Specialty Crops

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future.  For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that more than $5 million will be awarded to 16 organizations to increase access to healthy, affordable local foods.

"Building local sustainable food systems is a key step in fighting hunger and obesity, a priority for USDA and for the Obama Administration," Vilsack said. " These grants are an important part of USDA’s new ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative and put funds in low-income communities and areas of need that struggle with access to healthy, nutritious food. They are critical if we are to achieve the President’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015 and improving the nutrition and health for all Americans.”

Launched in September 2009, the ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ includes such major agricultural topics as supporting local farmers and community food groups; strengthening rural communities; enhancing direct marketing and farmers’ promotion programs; promoting healthy eating; protecting natural resources; and helping schools connect with locally grown foods.

The 16 organizations receiving awards were selected through the Community Food Projects program, which is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  The current projects will fund food policy council training, urban agriculture, new farmers on preservation farmland, promotion of native food sovereignty, youth, urban and rural food production projects and community food assessments.  Community Food Projects have been funded in nearly to 300 communities in 48 states during its 13-year history.

The primary goals of the Community Food Projects program are to (1) meet the food needs of low-income individuals; (2) increase the food self-reliance of low-income communities; (3) promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm and nutrition issues; and (4) meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including needs relating to infrastructure improvement and development, planning for long-term solutions and the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
 
The FY 2009 Community Food Projects grants were awarded to:

• Food Bank of North Alabama, Huntsville, Ala., $300,000
• Community Food Bank, Inc., Tucson, Ariz., $293,215
• Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corp., Brinkely, Ark., $16,530
• Arkansas Sustainability Network, Little Rock, Ark., $26,561
• Fresno Metropolitan Ministry, Fresno, Calif., $300,000
• East Bay Asian Youth Center, Oakland, Calif., $204,937
• Mandela MarketPlace, Inc., Oakland, Calif., $285,376
• Soil Born Farm Urban Agriculture Project, Sacramento, Calif., $239,960
• International Rescue Committee, Inc., San Diego, Calif., $300,000
• Nuestras Raices, Inc., Holyoke, Mass., $170,000
• United Teen Equality Center, Lowell, Mass., $25,000
• Center for Rural Affairs, Lyons, Neb., $25,000
• American Friends Service Committee, Albuquerque, N.M., $300,000
• Farm to Table, Inc., Santa Fe, N.M., $24,904
• World Hunger Year, Inc., New York, N.Y., $250,000
• The Minnesota Project, Inc., St. Paul, Minn., $25,000
• The Corporation for Findlay Market of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, $218,890
• Community Food Security Coalition, Inc., Portland, Ore., $253,243
• Community Food Security Coalition, Inc., Portland, Ore., $25,000
• The Food Trust, Philadelphia, Pa., $267,090
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philadelphia, Pa., $300,000
• Appalachian Native Plants, Inc., Mountain City, Tenn., $24,990
• Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., $25,000
• Sustainable Food Center, Austin, Texas, $25,000
• YouthLaunch, Austin, Texas, $299,972
• Solid Ground Washington, Seattle, Wash., $299,102
• Growing Power, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisc., $250,000
• Central Wisconsin Community Action Council, Inc., Wisconsin Dells, Wisc., $25,000

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2009. - The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) awarded the Experiment Station Section Award for Excellence in Multistate Research to the multistate project Biology, Impact and Management of Soybean Insect Pests in Soybean Production Systems during its annual meeting in Washington, DC this week.  The project’s work has formed the foundation for extension efforts on national and regional soybean insect problems for more than 30 years.

The current project, supported the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA),  includes researchers and extension personnel from 18 land-grant universities throughout the south and north central regions.

The project, also called S-1039, has recently focused on the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines), which resulted in a new pest management tool for soybean growers in North America.  Survey results of growers within the north central region reveal widespread adoption of the project’s recommendations.  When considering the recommendations for using insecticides against the soybean aphid, the initial estimates indicate a projected savings to growers of $1.3 billion in the next 15 years.

Members of the S-1039 successfully leveraged NIFA funding to attract funding for outreach from multiple partners representing many agricultural stakeholders.  With the arrival of the soybean aphid, check-off programs provided $500,000 to $1.5 million per year to members of the project.  In addition, members are cooperating with multiple agribusiness partners, resulting in additional funding in the amount of $20,000 to $100,000 per year.  The S-1039 project serves as an excellent model of multistate collaboration between institutions, working with stakeholders and providing leadership in partnering with private organizations.

The multistate research program, authorized by the Hatch Act, enables research on high priority topics among the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES) in partnership with NIFA, other research institutions and agencies and with the Cooperative Extension Service. In this way, technological opportunities and complex problem-solving activities, which are beyond the scope of a single SAES, can be approached in a more efficient and comprehensive way. These activities involve cooperative, jointly planned research employing multidisciplinary approaches.  They are oriented toward accomplishment of specific outcomes and impacts and based on priorities developed from stakeholder input and are responsive to NIFA goals.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2009 - The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy today announced projects selected for more than $24 million in grants to research and develop technologies to produce biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products. Of the $24.4 million announced today, DOE plans to invest up to $4.9 million with USDA contributing up to $19.5 million. Advanced biofuels produced through this funding are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent.

"The selected projects will help make bioenergy production from renewable resources more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "These advancements will benefit rural economies through creation of new processing plants and profitable crops for U.S. farmers and foresters."

"Innovation is crucial to the advancement of alternative, renewable energy sources, and these awards will spur the research needed to make significant progress in bioenergy development," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Projects announced today must contribute a minimum of 20 percent of matching funds for research and development projects and 50 percent of matching funds for demonstration projects. Funding is provided through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and DOE's Biomass Program. Selected projects are aimed at increasing the availability of alternative fuels and biobased products that are produced from a diverse group of renewable sources of biomass.

Projects selected for award today include:

Biofuels and Biobased Products:

USDA Awards

GE Global Research (Irvine, CA) up to $1,597,544: to develop detailed and simplified kinetic models of biomass gasification. A fundamental modeling capability will enable the widespread design of feedstock-flexible biomass gasifiers that are cost-effective and scaled to match the regional distribution of biomass feedstocks.

Gevo, Inc. (Englewood, CO) up to $1,780,862: to develop a yeast fermentation organism that can cost-effectively convert cellulosic-derived sugars into isobutanol, a second generation biofuel/biobased product. As an advanced biofuel, isobutanol strikes a unique balance between high octane content and low vapor pressure, it can be converted into hydrocarbons, and as a biobased product it can be used as a chemical precursor for numerous high-value products such as isobutylene and PET plastic products.

Itaconix (Hampton Falls, NH) up to $1,861,488: to develop production of polyitaconic acid from northeast hardwood biomass, using an integrated extraction-fermentation-polymerization process. Polyitaconic acid is a water soluable polymer with a 2 million metric ton per year market potential as a replacement for petrochemical dispersants, detergents, and super-absorbents.

Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation (Columbus, OH) up to $1,800,000: to demonstrate, at scale, the operation of a dry fermentation system that uses pre- and post-consumer food wastes from supermarkets and restaurants, waste sawdust, grass, leaves, stumps and other forms of wood waste to produce biogas, heat, and electrical power. Yenkin-Majestic will use these products to demonstrate a distributed stand-alone system for the operation of a large industrial facility.

Velocys, Inc. (Plain City, OH) up to $2,651,612: to improve biorefinery economics through microchannel hydroprocessing. This project will explore the unique capabilities of heat and mass transfer inherent in microchannel reactor technology with advanced catalysts to intensify chemical processes, resulting in more efficient conversion of cellulosic residues to liquid transportation fuels.

DOE Awards

Exelus, Inc. (Livingston, NJ) up to $1,200,000: to develop a Biomass-to-Gasoline (BTG) technology that represents a fundamental shift in process chemistry and overall approach to creating biofuels. The technology uses unique, engineered catalysts that facilitate new reaction pathways to liquid motor fuels from biomass. The BTG process replaces conventional high-temperature processes like gasification and pyrolysis with a series of mild, low-temperature reactions. The self-contained process uses minimal water and no acids or chemical additives.

Biofuels Development Analysis:

USDA Awards

Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) up to $933,883: to develop an analysis of the global impacts of second generation biofuels in the context of other energy technologies and alternative economic and climate change policy options. This project will modify, extend and link established modeling frameworks to capture the strengths of each framework in a hybrid, multidisciplinary system.

University of Minnesota (St. Paul, MN) up to, $2,715,007: to assess the environmental sustainability and capacity of forest-based biofuel feedstocks within the Lake States region. This project will address key uncertainties about expanding feedstock harvests in the northern Lake States, including environmental impacts, economic feasibility and avoided fossil-fuel CO2 emissions.

DOE Awards

Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (Washington, Idaho, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee) up to $1,430,535: to compare the life cycle environmental and economic impacts for collecting forest residuals, short rotation crops, mixed waste, and biomass from fire risk reduction activities on federal lands for conversion to fuels via biochemical, pyrolysis and gasification systems. National estimates of biofuel production will be based on stratified biomass collection and processing implementation scenarios that can be evaluated against the Renewable Fuel Standard greenhouse gas emission objectives.

Feedstock Development:

USDA Awards

Agrivida (Medford, MA) up to $1,953,128: to develop new crop traits that eliminate the need for both expensive pretreatment equipment and enzymes. Transgenic switchgrass will be engineered with cell wall-degrading proenzymes that are dormant when the plant is in the field, but activated after harvest, under processing conditions with specific temperature and pH.

Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK) up to $4,212,845: to develop best practices and technologies necessary to ensure efficient, sustainable and profitable production of cellulosic ethanol feedstocks. Utilizing large-scale feedstock production research, the economic and environmental sustainability of switchgrass, mixed-species perennial grasses and annual biomass cropping systems will be evaluated, and the synergy between bioenergy and livestock production will be explored.

DOE Awards

The University of Tennessee (Knoxville,TN) up to $2,345,290: to compare three varieties of switchgrass using various management practices, harvesting equipment and harvesting timelines in Eastern Tennessee. This 2,000-acre demonstration-scale project will use field plots ranging in size from 10 - 50 acres that incorporate different varieties of switchgrass seed: the current Alamo variety, the Ceres EG 1101 improved Alamo variety, and the Ceres EG 1102 Kanlow variety.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will partner with the Department of Defense to form the Extension-Military Partnership, which will bring the extension expertise of land-grant universities to military family support programs.  USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Rajiv Shah made the announcement today at the National Leadership Summit on Military Families.

“Military families face many challenges as a result of their commitment to our country, and USDA recognizes this significant sacrifice and believes very strongly that Cooperative Extension can play a critical role in supporting these families,” Shah said. “This new partnership will enhance our 20-year relationship with the Defense Department and extend the many resources of the Cooperative Extension Service to serve the entire military community.”

The partnership will focus on three overall areas: community capacity building in support of military families, workforce development, and strengthening family, child care and youth development programs. 

The National Leadership Summit on Military Families was planned to start an ongoing conversation to transform family support and readiness programs and lead to more effective and productive ways for coordination in implementation.  More than 200 leaders who provide support to military families attended the summit over the past few days at the University of Maryland.  The summit was organized through collaboration between USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Military Community and Family Policy and the University of Maryland.  Participants included leadership within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, USDA, land-grant universities and non-governmental partners.

USDA has worked with DoD for 20 years, including partnership with all branches of the military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the National Guard & Reserve. USDA began the partnership by bringing the 4-H Youth Development Program to youth living on military bases throughout the world. In 2008, 24,000 youth participated in 4-H club programs on military bases and installations around the globe.  Additionally, Cooperative Extension faculty are working in partnership with bases and installations across the country to address critical needs of military families, including needs related to health, nutrition, financial management, family stress, etc.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future.  For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave.,SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

"Beginning farmers and ranchers face unique challenges and need educational and training programs to enhance their profitability and long term sustainability," Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said. "The training and education provided through these grants will help ensure the success of the next generation of farmers and ranchers as they work to feed people in their local communities and throughout the world."

Merrigan announced the funding in Elgin, Minn., at the Hidden Stream Farm and was joined by representatives from the Land Stewardship Project, the local grant recipient that provides local and regional training, education, outreach and technical assistance initiatives that address the needs of beginning farmers and ranchers. Eric and Lisa Klein, the proprietors of Hidden Stream Farm, were some of the first graduates of the Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings course. Since graduating from Farm Beginnings, the Klein's have developed a thriving pasture-based livestock operation that markets pork, chickens and beef in southeast Minnesota and the Twin Cities.

This funding announcement is part of USDA's new 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative which was launched in September 2009 to emphasize the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' includes such major agricultural topics as supporting local farmers and community food groups; strengthening rural communities; enhancing direct marketing and farmers' promotion programs; promoting healthy eating; protecting natural resources; and helping schools connect with locally grown foods.

The grants were awarded through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA, formerly the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). BFRDP is an education, training, technical assistance and outreach program designed to help U.S. farmers and ranchers, specifically those who have been farming or ranching for 10 years or fewer. Congress authorized the FY 2009 funding for this program in the 2008 Farm Bill, with another $19 million in mandatory funding for FY 2010. Under the program, USDA will make grants to organizations that will implement programs to help beginning farmers and ranchers.

Beginning farmers and ranchers interested in participating in any of the education, outreach, mentoring and/or internship activities are asked to contact the grantee institutions listed below.

Fiscal year 2009 recipients include:

• Developing Innovations in Navajo Education, Inc., Flagstaff, Ariz., $674,507
• Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation, Brinkley, Ark., $313,278
• Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, Salinas, Calif., $515,862
• California FarmLink, Sebastopol, Calif., $525,000
• Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Fla., $225,079
• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., $596,219
• University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, $508,618
• Angelic Organics Learning Center, Inc., Caledonia, Ill., $750,000
• University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., $749,883
• Cultivating Community, Portland, Maine, $600,000
• USDA National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, Md., $1,498,137
• Land Stewardship Project, Minneapolis, Minn., $413,820
• Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc., St. Paul, Minn., $506,170
• Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, Columbia, Mo., $730,722
• University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., $692,198
• University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., $541,239
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $644,408
• Holistic Management International, Albuquerque, N.M., $639,301
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $750,000
• Fort Berthold Community College, New Town, N.D., $614,356
• Langston University, Langston, Okla., $525,000
• Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., 572,178
• Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., 733,821
• South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D., $701,608
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $74,000
• University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, $665,038
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $748,651
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $524,896
• Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, Spring Valley, Wis., $151,515

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Media Contact: Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2009 – An international team of scientists, funded with a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), has completed first draft of the genome of a domesticated pig.  This first draft sequence will spur advancements in swine production and human medicine.

“Understanding the swine genome will lead to health advancements in the swine population and accelerate the development of vaccinations for pigs,” said Roger Beachy, NIFA director.  “This new insight into the genetic makeup of the swine population can help reduce disease and enable medical advancements in both pigs and humans.”

At 98 percent complete, the draft sequence will allow researchers to pinpoint genes that are useful to pork production or are involved in immunity or other important physiological processes in the pig. It will enhance breeding practices, offer insight into diseases that afflict pigs -- and, sometimes, also humans -- and will help in efforts to preserve the global heritage of rare, endangered and wild pigs.

NIFA, previously the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, provided the $10 million in funding in 2006 to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).  The total cost was about $24.3 million, with additional support from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and various American, Asian and European funders. 

UIUC selected a red-haired Duroc pig from a farm at the university to use for the sequencing project.  The Duroc now will be among the growing list of domesticated animals that have had their genomes sequenced. Researchers will announce the achievement today at a conference at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK.

In addition to the USDA funding, funding and technical support were provided by the European Union SABRE; the Institute for Pig Genetics, Netherlands; INRA Genescope, France; Iowa Pork Producers Association; Iowa State University; Korean National Livestock Research Institute; National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan; National Pork Board, U.S.; North Carolina Pork Council; North Carolina Agricultural Research Service; North Carolina State University; University of Illinois; the UK-based Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (which also performed most of the sequencing); and the UK-based Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Media Contact: Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188

PORTLAND, Maine, October 30, 2009 - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced more than $19 million in grants have been awarded to universities across the country to solve critical organic agriculture issues through the integration of research, education and extension projects.

"Organic agriculture is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture and USDA and Congress, through the 2008 Farm Bill, are committed to helping this industry succeed by addressing critical organic agriculture issues through the integration of research, education and extension projects," Merrigan said. "These grants are an important part of USDA's new 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, which will help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity by assisting organic producers with new production and marketing practices to meet rising consumer demand."

Merrigan announced the funding in Portland, Maine, and was joined by representatives from the University of Maine, the local grant recipient which is conducting research that will increase farmers' capacity to produce high quality organic bread wheat. The announcement was made at Borealis Breads bakery where proprietor, Jim Amaral, benefits from the USDA funded research by using the locally produced organic bread wheat that meets the higher quality standards necessary for bread production.
Supplying this expanding market for organic bread wheat represents a significant economic opportunity for this region's farmers.

Launched in September 2009, the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' includes such major agricultural topics as supporting local farmers and community food groups; strengthening rural communities; enhancing direct marketing and farmers' promotion programs; promoting healthy eating; protecting natural resources; and helping schools connect with locally grown foods.

U.S. producers are turning to certified organic farming systems as a potential way to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets and premium prices and boost farm income. Research at USDA increasingly focuses on the science that supports development of sustainable practices in agriculture and forestry, including organic farming, to both reduce negative impacts on the environment and keep U.S. farmers competitive.

Since the late 1990's, U.S. organic production has more than doubled, but the consumer market has grown even faster. Organic food sales have more than quintupled, increasing from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $24.6 billion in 2008. More than two-thirds of U.S. consumers buy organic products at least occasionally, and 28 percent buy organic products weekly.

The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), funds projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who already have adopted organic standards to grow and market high-quality organic agricultural products. Meanwhile, the Integrated Organic and Water Quality Program funds projects that demonstrate benefits to soil and water availability posed by implementing certified organic practices. Projects combine physical measurements of soil and surface and/or groundwater conditions at the field or farm scale with modeling information generated at the same spatial and temporal scale.

More information about USDA's National Organic Program is available online at www.ams.usda.gov/nop. Additional information about USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative is available at www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer.

Fiscal Year 2009 Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative grants were awarded to:

• University of California, Davis, Calif., $372,135
• University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam, $41, 616
• University of Hawaii, Manoa, Hawaii, $47,500
• University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, $351,028
• Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $1,047,024
• University of Maine, Orono, Maine, $1,320,378
• Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Md., $759,480
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $38, 466
• Michigan State University, Lansing, Mich., $1,049,674
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $69,806
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $1,419,710
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $894,069
• Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $1,431,591
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.  $1,174,942
• The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $470,696
• The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $1,089,190
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $522,108
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., $ 317,182
• The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., $538,415
• Utah State University, Logan, Utah,  $637,519
• University of Vermont and State Agriculture College, Burlington, Vt., $946,675
• Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend, Wash., $46,281
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $46,794
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $410,077
• Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., $1,040,210
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., $541,172

• University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, $547,621

Fiscal Year 2009 Integrated Organic and Water Quality grants were awarded to:

• Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $599,027
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., $658,769
• The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $659,527

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.  To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).