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Mississippi State University Film Ignites Farm Stress Conversation
Stress-related mental health issues present a very real risk among the nation’s farming and ranching families. The challenges of the industry are often amplified by the economy and multiple factors that producers have no control over. …
Blog
Building A Better Peanut Plant
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) supports multiple competitive grant programs, but the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is NIFA’s flagship and the nation’s leading competitive grants program for…
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Dr. Caroline Crocoll Henney to Deliver 2023 Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Director Dr. Manjit Misra has announced that Dr. Caroline Henney will deliver the 2023 Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture on November 12 in Seattle, WA, at the Association of Public and Land…
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Oregon State University Effort Addressing Labor Issues Facing State’s Meat Processing Industry
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) continues to invest in projects that will increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity, expand market opportunities for farmers and support a growing workforce in…
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NIFA Communications Training with Hopi Community
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funds a number of programs that promote learning, opportunities and health in tribal communities. But the agency continues to look for ways to expand its support of Tribal…
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Ants and Beetles and Lanternflies, Oh My!
From the Asian long-horned beetle to the Spongy Moth, these are just a few examples of invasive pests that have a knack for wreaking havoc on our environment. Healthy ecosystems are vital to plant, animal and human life. …
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AgrAbility: Helping Overcome the Odds
For more than 30 years, the AgrAbility Program, supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, has helped to empower individuals with disabilities to keep doing what they love. AgrAbility’s efforts have…
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USDA, Cooperative Extension and APLU Award 2023 Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity
Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Cooperative Extension, and the Association of Public and Land…
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Vanilla Could Be the Next Big Crop for Small Farmers in Southern Florida
New ideas grounded in science are helping farmers expand their production capabilities and enter new markets. For 35 years, Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), a grants and outreach program of USDA’s National Institute…
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Research Safeguards U.S. Pork Industry from African Swine Fever
Pork production is a major U.S. agricultural industry with an estimated production value of $30 billion in 2022, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service. While never identified…
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NIFA Programs Benefiting Small Farmers
Small farms account for 90% of all U.S. farms, and they play an important role in the agricultural sector. The viability and sustainability of small farms is important to the nation’s economy and to the stewardship of our biological…
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Linking Food Access, Fiber Intake, Gut Microbiota & Health Outcomes Among New Hampshire’s Hispanic Residents
The U.S. obesity epidemic continues to have profound impacts on individuals’ health and socioeconomic well-being. With funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, researchers across the nation are working to improve…
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Arkansas Blackberry Breeder Will Develop New Tools to Unlock Consumer Preference
Researchers who breed new cultivars of fruits and vegetables are always working to develop ones that match consumers’ tastes and preferences. That can be a challenging prospect, but a researcher with the Arkansas Agricultural…
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Happy National 4-H Week!
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has proclaimed October 1-7 as National 4-H Week! 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States – a network of 500,000 volunteers and 3,500 4-H professionals that provides…
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Advancing Environmental Justice Through Improved Responses to Extreme Weather Events
Climate change is contributing to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, heatwaves and flooding, which can have devastating consequences for communities, ecosystems and…
Impact
Multi State Research Efforts Focus on Climate Data & Monitoring
Climate information—historical, real-time and predictive—is vital for the sustainable management of agriculture and natural resources. Climate change poses major challenges to agriculture and natural resources in the western…
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Alabama Extension Partnership Benefiting Young People with Intellectual Challenges
The nation’s Cooperative Extension System in partnership with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, translates research into action and puts discoveries into hands who can put knowledge into practice. At a time when…
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Multiple NIFA Grantees Inducted to the 2023 Institute of Food Technologists Fellows
Recently, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) named this year’s 10 IFT Fellow honorees. The IFT Fellow award is bestowed upon an IFT member by their peers to recognize career excellence and significant service, leadership, and…
Impact
Scientists Across the Country Working to Create More Nutrient-Dense Diets
Many American diets don’t include enough basic nutrients, which can lead to health issues as we age. Low-nutrient diets can lead to issues such as macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and diabetes. Improving the…
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Ready, Set, Prepared: National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. At this time of year people come together as a community to prioritize safety and readiness for unforeseen challenges. From disasters caused by natural hazards to man-made emergencies, being…
Impact
Supporting Healthy Habits Among Young Adults
About 30 million Americans are between the ages of 18 and 26. This stage of life is associated with changes in living and social situations and often involves declines in healthy behaviors. For example, many young adults live on…
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Can Avocado Peels Help Curb a Plastic Waste Problem?
Over the past two decades, the United States has been importing more and more avocados each year, underlining a growing obsession with the nutrient-dense fruit. Simultaneously, the U.S. and the rest of the world have been dealing with…
Impact
IR-4 Petition Yields First Conventional Pesticide Tolerance for Hemp
Hemp growers seeking more pest management tools now have a conventional pesticide tolerance for hemp seed as a result of work by the Minor Crop Management Program Interregional Research Project #4, or the IR-4 Project, which is funded…
Impact
GusNIP Efforts Impacting Rural Communities – and Economies
After the deaths of both her husband and daughter, Teresa found herself the legal guardian of her 12-year-old grandson – essentially becoming a single mother in her 70s. The Putnam County, West Virginia, resident had to give up her…
Impact
Smart Water Management
Today, agricultural engineering includes the wide range of technologies and disciplines that must be employed to meet the challenges of a new century. A hundred years ago, agricultural engineers were developing and refining the…
