This foundational knowledge will lead to the development of tools, practices, techniques and/or innovations for improving soil health, sequestering soil carbon, and strengthening the resilience and sustainability of agricultural production systems.

Program Area Priority: The Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems program supports plant research to advance our knowledge for the wide range of agricultural production systems found across the rural-urban continuum, from conventional or organic open-fields to protected built environments. Research will address critical or process-limiting dynamics that occur among and within the various management […]

This systems-based integrated program will empower inter-disciplinary teams to develop, refine, and disseminate science-based knowledge about food and agricultural management and production practices that can mitigate or reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain.

Program Area Priority: The goal of the Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems program is to advance knowledge of invasive or established plant pests and associated beneficial species leading to innovative and biologically-based strategies to manage pests. Appropriate plant-based agricultural production systems for study include food and fiber crops, ornamental plants (including turf), […]

A biorefinery is a system that integrates biomass conversion, processes, and equipment to manufacture biofuels, chemicals, and bioproducts. This program area priority focuses on converting, treating, processing, refining, or manufacturing products to utilize plant, animal, and woody biomass.

NIFA requests proposals for research that develop risk-based approaches to ensure the quality, safety and nutrition of novel foods and food ingredients, including products from pulses.

This program area priority supports research on development of theories, methods and applications of agricultural economics.

his program area priority focuses on engineered devices, technologies, and tools to improve agriculturally relevant plant, animal, and forestry systems.

This program area priority focuses on engineered devices, technologies, sensors, and tools to provide precision crop and orchard management, technologies for targeted application of crop protection materials, and improve efficiency of irrigation and nutrient use in agricultural systems.

Program Area Priority: The Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development program will support public breeding efforts that provide farmers with greater access to locally and regionally adapted cultivars and address the public breeding priorities in the USDA plant breeding roadmap (https://www.usda.gov/topics/plants). Applications for research must address later stages of cultivar development focused on datadriven evaluation […]

Program Area Priority: The Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production program will support public breeding efforts to improve crop productivity, efficiency, quality, and performance. Research is welcome to genetically dissect and then introduce desirable traits that may include, but are not limited to: increased nutrient use efficiency; increased photosynthetic efficiency; tolerance to drought, flood and temperature […]

Examining the social implications of technology is a form of technology assessment that anticipates the unforeseen and unintended consequences of technological innovation, including cultural, health, welfare, equity, ethical, and environmental impacts.