NIFA requests proposals that use culturally and contextually appropriate approaches, where applicable, to investigate the interrelationships of foods, or components of foods, and their impact on the gut microbiota to improve human health. Project results should inform precision nutrition or personalized dietary needs particularly for historically underrepresented populations.

Proposals that align with the animal genome blueprint goals are highly welcome to submit to this program area or other program areas within the RFA based on the best alignment with program area priority goals.

Program Area Priority: Evaluation (which should include assessment of animal welfare) of current animal agriculture (including aquaculture) production practices and/or development of new or enhanced management approaches that safeguard both animal welfare and adaption to climate change, including but not limited to: Advance objective measures of animal welfare, including the use of emerging methods and […]

Program Area Priority: Cellular, molecular, genomic/genetic or whole-animal aspects of nutrition, growth and lactation, especially focusing on: Nutrient utilization and efficiency, this may include influence and impact of the gastrointestinal microbiome and/or mitigation of enteric methane and other greenhouse gases; Innovative approaches to feed formulation or use of novel alternative feedstuffs, especially those that may […]

Program Area Priority: Cellular, molecular, genomic/genetic or whole-animal aspects of animal reproduction relevant to improving reproductive efficiency or enhancing reproductive management, including mitigating reductions in fertility that are exacerbated by climate change, especially focusing on: Gonadal function (including production, function, and preservation of gametes); Hypothalamic-pituitary axis; Embryonic and fetal development (including interaction between the conceptus […]

This program area priority focuses on the development and/or adoption of new models to assist agricultural (farm, forest, or ranch) landowner/manager decision making with respect to appropriate scale management strategies and technologies to enhance economic efficiency and sustainability, including the viability and competitiveness of small and medium-sized dairy, poultry, livestock, crop, forestry, aquaculture, and other operations.

Program Area Priority: The Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products program supports projects to study the biosynthesis of plant-derived, high-value biomolecules for use in foods, pharmaceuticals, and other products. Projects must focus on agriculturally-important plants, but the choice of plant species must be justified. Molecular, biochemical, synthetic biology, or eco-physiological approaches may be used to determine […]

NIFA requests proposals for integrated projects that help prevent and control chronic disease equitably across the lifecycle by supporting and encouraging culturally relevant, healthy dietary choices through data-driven, flexible, customer-focused approaches.

NIFA requests proposals for basic and applied research that will reduce the risk of intentional or unintentional contamination of foods.

Program Area Priority: The Pollinator Health: Research and Application program supports single-function projects (research, extension or education) with the goal of promoting healthy populations of animal pollinators in agricultural systems where reliance of crops on pollinators for pollination services is increasing and where declines of pollinators is evident. The declining health of pollinator populations poses […]

Program Area Priority: The Physiology of Agricultural Plants program will support projects to improve productivity or other performance factors of agriculturally-important plants (including weeds) using molecular, biochemical, whole-plant, agronomic, or eco-physiological approaches. The genetic basis of important traits identified through these studies are expected to translate into plant varieties with improved yield or product quality, […]