The NextGen Program
The From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Food and Agriculture Professionals (also referred to as "NextGen") program enables institutions of higher education to engage, train, and support students to build the next generation of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences professionals.
Participating Institutions
Projects are led by 1890 Land-grant Institutions, 1994 Land-grant Institutions, Alaska Native-serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, and institutions of higher education located in the Insular Areas.
Most projects collaborate with a myriad of other partners, including other colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, as well as state and USDA agencies.
| Locations | Lead Institution | Partner Institutions |
| Alaska, Guam | University of Alaska Fairbanks | Arizona State University; University of Guam; Hawaii Pacific University; Food Corps |
| California | California State University, Monterey Bay | |
| California | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | California State University System |
| California, Arizona | Hartnell College | Imperial Valley College; University of Arizona, Yuma; California State University, Monterey Bay |
| California | San Diego State University | |
| California | University of California, Santa Cruz | California State University, Monterey Bay; Hartnell College; Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association |
| Colorado | Adams State University | |
| Connecticut | University of Connecticut | |
| Florida | Barry University | University of Florida; Urban Greenworks, Inc. |
| Florida, Georgia | Florida A&M University | Fort Valley State University; University of Florida; USDA ARS CMAVE |
| Guam, Marianas, Florida, Hawaii, Utah | University of Guam | Northern Marianas College; Guam Community College; University of Florida; University of Hawaii; Utah State University |
| Hawaii, Oklahoma | University of Hawaii | Leeward Community College; Oklahoma State University |
| Idaho | College of Southern Idaho | |
| Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Florida A&M University; Kentucky State University; Southern University A&M College |
| Minnesota | Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College | Leech Lake Tribal College |
| Missouri, Ohio, Texas | Lincoln University of Missouri | Central State University; Missouri S&T University; Texas A&M University - College Station |
| Marianas, Guam, Tennessee, Washington | Northern Marianas College | University of Guam; Tennessee State University; Washington State University |
| North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia | North Carolina A&T State University | Tuskegee University; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Florida A&M University; Fort Valley State University; North Carolina State University; University of Maryland at Eastern Shore; Virginia State University |
| North Dakota, Montana | Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College | Montana State University |
| New Jersey | Bergen Community College | |
| New Mexico | Luna Community College | |
| New York, New Jersey | LaGuardia Community College | Rutgers University - New Brunswick |
| Puerto Rico | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras | |
| South Carolina, Alabama | South Carolina State University | Alabama A&M University |
| Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia | Tennessee State University | Fort Valley State University; Alcorn State University; Chief Dull Knife College; Middle Tennessee State University; University of Tennessee; University of Tennessee at Martin; University of Houston; University of Memphis; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; MANRRS |
| Texas | The University of Texas at San Antonio | |
| Texas | Texas State University | |
| Texas | Our Lady of the Lake University | |
| Texas, New Mexico, Puerto Rico | Texas A&M University, Kingsville | New Mexico State University; Texas State University; University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez |
| Texas | St. Edward's University | Texas A&M University - College Station |
| Washington, California | Northwest Indian College | University of California, Santa Cruz |
| Wisconsin, Virginia | College of Menominee Nation | Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University; Menominee Tribal Enterprises; University of Wisconsin; AIHEC |
| West Virginia | West Virginia State University | West Virginia Department of Agriculture |
NextGen Projects Support Three Main Activities
- Scholarships and Fellowships: Reducing financial challenges for student recruitment, retention, and graduation from associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs.
- Experiential Learning Opportunities: Supporting paid domestic or international internships and apprenticeships that provide job shadowing, hands-on learning, and peer-to-peer engagement for students to put academic knowledge into action and develop job-ready skills.
- Outreach and Engagement: Raising awareness and exposing learners to possible food and agriculture careers.
USDA awarded seventeen Tier 1 (up to $5 million single institution) projects, eleven Tier 2 (up to $10 million, at least two institutions) projects, and five Tier 3 (up to $20 million and at least three institutions across two states) projects. Each project is funded for five years.
NIFA partners with The Extension Foundation to provide technical assistance to grantees. NIFA also partners with Intercultural Development Research Association to track program benefits, report impacts, and evaluate activities to determine overall program effectiveness.
Agricultural Business
Agricultural Commodities
Agricultural Management
Agricultural Marketing
Agronomy
Animal Science
Archaeology
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Computer Sciences and Information
Technology
Contracting and Procurement
Crop Insurance Administration
Economics
Engineering and Architecture
Food Safety
Forestry and Natural Resource Management
Geology and Hydrology
International Trade
Mathematics and Statistics
Nutrition
Plant Pathology and Physiology
Program Management and Analysis
Public Affairs
Public Health
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Soil Sciences and Conservation
Veterinary Medicine
Wildlife Biology
and other disciplines supportive of food and agricultural sectors.
Announced in 2023, NextGen is part of USDA efforts toward sharing of USDA programs and services for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and communities.
These initiatives include an array of targeted technical assistance and outreach activities; meaningful, sustained engagement with stakeholders to inform USDA policies and programs; and supporting and preparing students for future careers in agriculture.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) manages the NextGen program, supported by funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act.