Division of Agricultural Systems

Overview

Treating agricultural operations as a whole system includes greater management options with environmentally and economically sustainable practices that create safer and healthier conditions. Our projects help agricultural producers and ranchers use scientific discoveries, next generation engineering systems, climate-smart agricultural practices, and other tools to develop sustainable agricultural operations for United States and global agriculture and food systems. Further, our projects support research on economic and behavioral impacts of consumption related to food access, consumption, and nutrition. 

GOALS

• Provide leadership to Land-grant university partners and other grantees to conduct research, education, and extension activities in programs related to agricultural systems.
• Support beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved farmers or ranchers, and small- and medium-sized farms or ranches to promote rural economic development and sustainability.
• Support climate-smart agricultural technologies and precision crop and water management practices  to create positive economic, environmental, and social impact and to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.
• Develop robotics and mechanization of labor, including tools for small- or medium-sized farms and disabled farmers.
• Incorporate AI, modeling, and adaptive learning to solve problems in both animal and plant systems.
• Fund technologies that convert biomass and waste products into value-added chemicals and materials
• Support research on consumer behavior related to agriculture including food and nutrition choices as well as food and nutrition security.
• Support efforts to grow the resiliency and viability of the local and regional food system from the perspective of the producer and consumer thereby expanding market opportunities within this system.

Agricultural Systems Capacity Grant Programs 

• Smith-Lever Act Capacity Grant (SLBC)
• Hatch Act of 1887 (Regular Research Fund)
• Hatch Act of 1887 (Multistate Research Fund)

Agricultural Systems Competitive Grant Programs

• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Programs - Agriculture Systems and Technology (AST), Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC), Sustainable Agriculture Systems
  • Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems (A1511)
  • Engineering for Agricultural Production and Processing (A1521)
  • Biorefining and Biomanufacturing (A1531)
  • Crosscutting Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems (DSFAS) (A1541)
  • Engineering for Precision Crop and Water Management (A1551)
  • Small and Medium-Sized Farms (A1601)
  • Economics, Markets and Trade (A1641)
  • Social Implications of Food and Agricultural Technologies (A1642)
  • Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (A1651)
  • Rural Economic Development (A1661) 
  • Crosscutting Extension, Education & USDA Climate Hubs Partnership (A1721)
  • Sustainable Agricultural Systems (A9201)
• Agency-Collaborative Programs
  • Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR) (A7301)
  • Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) (A7302)
• Non-AFRI Programs
  • Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
  • Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR)
    • Topic Area 8.8 Biofuels and Biobased Products
    • Topic Area 8.12 Small and Mid-size Farms
    • Topic Area 8.13 Plant Production and Protection - Engineering
  • Open Data Framework

Resources

• Director and National Program Leader (NPL) contacts by Institute and Division
• For NPL contacts by Program
• National Information Management and Support System (NIMSS)
• Institute of Food Production and Sustainability (IFSN)