Dear Colleagues,

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture is soliciting proposals for their Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) program which provides funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. The long-term purpose of the SAS is to help transform the U.S. food and agricultural system to increase agricultural production while also reducing its environmental footprint. Achieving these goals will require transdisciplinary approaches to address current and future food and agricultural challenges within the context of the economic, societal, and environmental attributes of sustainability.

Visit the program web page at https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/agriculture-food-research-initiative-sustainable-agricultural-systems  for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applications Due: June 6, 2024
Maximum Grant Amount: $10,000,000.
Required Match: Match not required if the applied research or integrated project with an applied research component is not commodity specific or is national in scope, then no match is required.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is soliciting proposals for their Local Food Promotion Program, Farmers Market Promotion Program, and Regional Food System Partnerships program.

Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) supports the development, coordination, and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:
• Supporting the processing, aggregation, distribution, and storage of local and regional food products that are marketed locally or regionally, including value-added agricultural products;
• Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products;
• Assisting with business development plans and feasibility studies;
• Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food and value-added products;
• Facilitating regional food chain coordination and mid-tier value chain development;
• Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste;
• Responding to changing technology needs in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing; and
• Covering expenses related to cost incurred in obtaining food safety certification and improvements to food safety practices and equipment.

Visit the program web page at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/lfpp for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applications Due: May 14, 2024
Grant Amount: Planning projects: $25,000 to $100,000; implementation projects: $100,000 to $500,000. Turnkey Marketing/Promotion and Recruitment/Training projects: $50,000 and $100,000.
Required Match: 25% match

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:
• Supporting and promoting domestic direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant, and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) marketing such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, or online sales;
• Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products;
• Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food and value-added products;
• Facilitating regional food chain coordination development;
• Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste;
• Responding to changing technology needs in direct producer-to-consumer marketing; and
• Covering expenses related to costs incurred in obtaining food safety certification and improvements to food safety practices and equipment.

Visit the program web page at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/fmpp for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applications Due: May 14, 2024
Grant Amount: Capacity Building projects: $50,000 to $250,000; Community Development Training and Technical Assistance projects: $100,000 to $500,000; Turnkey Marketing/Promotion projects and Recruitment/Training projects: $50,000 and $100,000.
Required Match: 25% match

Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) program:
Eligibility Note: ANR is ineligible to be a lead applicant on a 2024 application as we have an active RFSP award.
RFSP supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The RFSP focuses on building and strengthening the viability and resilience of the local or regional food economy. Applicants must partner to promote the development of local or regional food systems. Applicants will coordinate efforts within the partnership to set priorities, connect resources and services, and measure progress towards common goals.
Partnerships receiving a grant may:
• Determine the size and scope of the local or regional food system in which the project's goals, outreach objectives, and eligible activities are to be carried out.
• Coordinate with AMS to receive technical assistance; and
• Conduct outreach and education for potential participation in the partnership agreement and eligible activities.

Visit the program web page at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/rfsp for more information on this funding opportunity.
Applications Due: May 14, 2024
Grant Amount: $100,000 to $1,000,000
Required Match: 25% cash match

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research is soliciting pre-proposals for their Seeding Solutions grant program. Seeding Solutions encourages the development of unique partnerships that support innovative and transformative research focused on one of our Research Priority Areas.

Projects should:

1) Contribute to the goal of sustainable food and agriculture.

2) Accelerate innovation within FFAR's Priority Areas (Innovation includes: Development of new technologies, Application and validation of new or emerging technologies, processes, or management strategies, Adaptation of existing technologies, processes, or management strategies for entirely new agricultural applications)

3) Fit within FFAR's Research Priority Areas:

• Cultivating Thriving Production Systems: supports research that equips producers with information and tools to manage their enterprises efficiently and profitably, including animal and crop management practices
• Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems: supports research that provides tools, technologies and integrative models at scales that allow producers to build and maintain healthy, productive agroecosystems under a changing climate
• Bolstering Healthy Food Systems: supports research that provides food processors, distributors and retailers with the information and technology needed to create efficient and sustainable supply chains that deliver nutritious food to consumers

4) Demonstrate fully integrated partnerships with different sectors so research outcomes may be scalable and applicable to food and agriculture systems. The development of public-private partnerships is central to FFAR's vision and core mission.

5) Uphold FFAR's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by seeking unique perspectives through participatory stakeholder engagement and developing results to serve the diverse stakeholders committed to addressing challenges related to food supply and agricultural sustainability.

6) Serve the public good by making data open and accessible, creating unique economic development opportunities, or contributing to food and agriculture workforce development.

Visit the program web page at https://foundationfar.org/grants-funding/opportunities/seeding-solutions-request-for-applications/ for more information on this funding opportunity.

To see their full list of open funding opportunities please visit: https://foundationfar.org/grants-funding/open-opportunities/

Pre-proposals Due: April 3, 2024 2pm PT

Recommended Grant Amount: $300,000 to $1,000,000

Required Match: 1:1 match required. (Of that amount, the cash match portion must be at least 50%. Personnel effort is considered cash match per their guidelines.)

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

USDA NIFA is soliciting pre-proposals for the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (ECDRE) for projects that support the fight against Huanglongbing (HLB) and its disease complex.

The proposals must address one or more of the following priority needs.

1. Development of commercial citrus varieties with genetic resistance or tolerance to HLB using traditional breeding techniques and/or gene editing.
2. Regional management or eradication of ACP on commercial citrus groves and residential plantings.
3. Optimized detection and surveillance programs for ACP and/or HLB.
4. A cure for HLB-infected trees and strategies for maintaining their productivity.
5. A delivery system for therapeutics, nutrition and other HLB solutions.
6. Consolidation of screening efforts for intervention targets and reduction of candidate lists to include only those most worthy of advanced testing and commercialization
7. A reliable technique for culturing CLas bacteria.
8. A better understanding of the HLB/vector/citrus pathosystem, including phloem biology, the movement of CLas and therapy into and through phloem, and the interaction of host, pathogen, and vector.
9. Greater understanding of the ecology and interactions of the citrus production system and the citrus greening disease complex (HLB and ACP).

The ECDRE program supports two types of projects: Standard Projects (SPs) and Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs). SPs supports projects that are narrower in scope while CAPs supports national-scale projects that require multi-state/ multi-institutional teams.

Standard Projects (SPs)
Period: Up to 3 years
Budget: Maximum $1,500,000
Aims:

1. farm-level implementation or commercialization of proven solutions
2. examination of innovative ideas that will address one of the goals identified by the Citrus Disease Subcommittee.

Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs)
Period: Up to 5 years
Budget: Maximum $15,000,000
Aims:

1. Consolidation of screening efforts for intervention targets and reduction of candidate lists to include only those most worthy of advanced testing and commercialization.
2. A cure for infected trees and strategies for maintaining their productivity.
3. Regional management or eradication of ACP on commercial citrus groves and residential plantings
4. Optimized detection and surveillance programs for ACP and/or HLB
5. Development of commercial citrus varieties (rootstocks and scions) with genetic resistance to HLB using traditional breeding techniques and/or gene editing.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications package including a Stakeholder Relevance Statement (SRS) via the grants.gov portal by the due date. Shortlisted applications will be invited to submit full applications at a later date. For more information, please visit the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program website at https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/emergency-citrus-disease-research-extension-program-pre-applications?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.

Pre-Applications Due: March 28, 2024 at 2PM

Required Match: matching funds are not required.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

USDA NIFA is soliciting proposals for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. The primary goal of BFRDP is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and its territories enter and/or improve their successes in farming, ranching, and management of non-industrial private forest lands, through support for projects that provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to give beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations and enhance their sustainability. (The term “farmer” is used in the broadest sense and may be interpreted to include agricultural farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest owners and managers.)

Priority Areas:

1. Basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practices;
2. Innovative farm, ranch, and private, nonindustrial forest land transfer and succession strategies;
3. Entrepreneurship and business training;
4. Technical assistance to help beginning farmers or ranchers acquire land from retiring farmers and ranchers;
5. Financial and risk management training, including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit;
6. Natural resource management and planning;
7. Diversification and marketing strategies;
8. Curriculum development;
9. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships;
10. Resources and referral;
11. Farm financial benchmarking;
12. Agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veteran farmers and ranchers;
13. Farm safety and awareness;
14. Food safety and record keeping; and
15. Other similar subject areas of use to beginning farmers or ranchers such as: projects that address climate change with climate smart agriculture, food, and forestry solutions; improved nutritional security; and economic revitalization, particularly in socially disadvantaged communities.

Visit the program web page at https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/beginning-farmer-rancher-development-program-bfrdp for more information.

Applications Due: April 4, 2024 at 2PM

Maximum Grant Amount: 1) Large Standard: No more than $250,000 per year for three years, for a maximum of $750,000; 2) Medium Standard: No more than $175,000 per year for three years, for a maximum of $525,000; 3) Small Standard: No more than $100,000 per year for three years, for a maximum of $300,000; and 4) Simplified Standard: No more than $49,999 for one year.

Required Match: 1:4 match required; may be waived if criteria is met by serving an underserved area or population

Eligibility: Please read eligibility section for details.Multiple awards will not be made to the same organization, institution, or Project Director in the same calendar year. Project Directors, and Co-Project Directors on current BFRDP projects are ineligible to apply for another BFRDP grant. Further, organizations and institutions that have received a standard or education team grant in the last two funding cycles (FY 2022 or FY 2023) are ineligible to apply.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)