Guidance Resources Moved to USDA.gov
To comply with Executive Order 13891, NIFA is reviewing all online resources to identify guidance documents and webpages. The content on this page may have moved and may now be accessible on the new USDA Guidance Portal. If the content was moved, you can access the content directly on the portal by clicking the button link below.
Nominations for the 2026 Teaching Awards are now open.
Nominations must be submitted electronically to TeachAward@usda.gov in one PDF document and arrive no later than the deadline specified in the Teaching Awards Nomination Guidelines linked below.
Full or partial submissions after the deadline will not be considered.
Eligibility
Teacher nominees must be employed by a college or university that:
- Confers a baccalaureate or higher degree in at least one area of the food and agricultural sciences (as defined in Teaching Award Definitions and Evaluation Criteria) for which the teacher is nominated
- Has demonstrated a commitment to the food and agricultural sciences
- Attributes a high priority to its education mission
At the time of the application submission due date, a teacher nominee must hold a fulltime appointment as an active faculty member and have responsibility for higher education teaching in an area of the food and agricultural sciences.
Review Process
Nominees from each of the four regions will be evaluated first in competition with others from within the same region. Teachers deemed most meritorious in each of the four regions will then be placed in competition for the National Awards.
Early Career Teacher Award category nominees will be evaluated separately from the Regional Award category nominees, using criteria specified for this award. Teaching and Student Engagement (TSE) nominees will be evaluated separately from the Regional, National, and Early Career Teacher awards, using criteria specified for this award. Guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract. USDA may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not available through their guidance portal, except to establish historical facts. each of the three award categories due to insufficient meritorious nominations.
2026 Awards Program Schedule
| Step in Process | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Request for Nominations | March 19, 2026 |
| Electronic Nomination Submission Deadline | 5 p.m. Eastern Time, May 19, 2026 |
| Merit Evaluation of Nominations | June-August |
| Notification | After merit evaluation |
| National Awards Ceremony | Fall/Winter (Visit aplu.org for more information.) |