The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announces the launch of a new competitive grant opportunity aimed at rapidly addressing emerging and re-emerging pest and disease threats across the nation’s food and agricultural systems.
The grant opportunity, Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems, is designed to deploy timely, science-based solutions to protect agricultural productivity, ecosystem health, and food security.
“Invasive and emerging pests and diseases can devastate crops, livestock, and ecosystems, disrupt supply chains and threaten food security,” said NIFA Director Dr. Jaye Hamby. “This opportunity empowers researchers and Extension professionals to act quickly, delivering practical solutions that safeguard our agricultural communities and the nation’s food supply.”
This grant opportunity is part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grant program. It is designed to improve plant and animal production, and human and environmental health. AFRI is the nation’s leading and largest competitive grant program for agricultural sciences. This funding is available to eligible colleges, universities, and other research organizations.
With a maximum award of $500,000 and a grant duration of 12 to 24 months, the grant opportunity supports grants for research, Extension, or integrated projects. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, within 180 days of a qualifying pest or disease event, ensuring swift mobilization of resources when threats arise.
Applications must directly address the effects associated with the emergence or re-emergence within the last 180 days of pests and/or disease in animal and/or plant production systems or within the food supply, and one or more of the following emphasis areas: One Health, plant and animal health, and ecosystem health.
Source : usda.gov