The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Aquaculture National Program 106 and USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are hosting a series of listening sessions for aquaculture stakeholders.
These sessions will solicit stakeholder input regarding current commercial aquaculture research and Extension challenges. This information will provide the framework for developing the next ARS National Program Action Plan and will assist NIFA in programming and administering research and Extension support. Information describing these programs can be found at these links for ARS and NIFA.
“Stakeholder input, feedback and guidance is critical for the success of federal aquaculture research, education and Extension programs,” said National Program Leader Tim Sullivan. “This action is a fundamental part of ensuring USDA ARS and NIFA meet the needs of the aquaculture community in a way that ensures the growth, viability and sustainability of the U.S. aquaculture industry.”
NIFA's funding of scientific and technology transfer goals to support development of a globally competitive U.S. aquaculture industry includes improving:
-
Efficiency of U.S. aquaculture production.
-
Aquaculture production systems.
-
Sustainability and environmental compatibility of aquaculture production.
-
Quality, safety and variety of aquaculture products for consumers.
-
Marketing of U.S. aquaculture products.
-
Information dissemination, technology transfer and access to global information and technology in aquaculture.
The following dates are scheduled for online sessions for different species. All stakeholders are welcome to participate in any or all the sessions. General overviews of ARS and NIFA’s missions, goals and programs will be followed by open time for stakeholders to provide input on current and future challenges, needs and opportunities for commercial aquaculture.
All sessions will be held from 1 – 3 p.m. EDT.
-
May 16: Catfish
-
May 17: Salmonids
-
May 18: Basses and Baitfish
-
May 19: Mollusks and Crustaceans
-
June 6: Warmwater Marine Finfish
-
June 7: Aquaponics
-
June 12: Research and Extension in support of Tribal Aquaculture
Stakeholders interested in providing feedback in one or more of the webinar sessions should register at https://forms.office.com/g/Nt0yhUEuDccontacting. Written input can be sent via email to Aquaculture.Input@usda.gov through June 30.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this webinar, please contact National Program Leader Tim Sullivan at timothy.sullivan@usda.gov no later than May 12. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.