nursery

USDA Grant Fuels Automation Research for Nursery Growers

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, Nursery Crops, USDA-NIFA

A $9.8 million grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is set to address labor challenges in the nursery industry through cutting-edge automation research. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will manage about $1 million of the grant to explore automated solutions, such as potting machines and weed-spraying robots, to reduce …

USDA Investing in Food Waste Reduction Projects

Dan USDA-NIFA, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it is investing approximately $11.5 million in agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. The Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly …

Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small Continues College Tour with Visit to University of Florida

Dan Agri-Business, Education, Florida, USDA, USDA-NIFA

Visit underscores Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to Land-Grant Institutions, Includes Specialty Crop Roundtable The visit is part of Deputy Secretary Torres Small’s College Tour, which began earlier this month, and continues over several weeks.  (GAINESVILLE, FL, Jan. 26, 2024) – U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small visited the University of Florida (UF) on Friday, January 26, to highlight the U.S. Department …

Changing Climate Means More Pests for Almonds, Peaches, Walnuts

Dan Climate Change, Environment, Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, USDA-NIFA

How a changing climate could mean more pests for some tree crops. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Department of Agriculture research shows climate change may increase the insect population that poses a threat to the specialty crops industry. Led by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the University of California, the research shows populations …

NIFA Helps Veterinary Medical Students Repay Loans

Dan Beef, Cattle, Dairy, Economy, USDA-NIFA

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) helped 89 food animal veterinary practitioners with loan repayments from the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program in 2022. NIFA reported this week that the 89 students from 28 American Veterinary Medical Association accredited Colleges received nearly $9 million in loan repayment benefits. The Debt Repayment Program with EDUdebt up to $75,000 in loan repayment …

USDA Announces Investment in Meat and Poultry Processing Research, Expansion and Innovation

Dan Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Pork, Poultry, Research, USDA-NIFA

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $43 million in meat and poultry processing research, innovation and expansion in support of its ongoing efforts to transform the food system at every stage along the supply chain. This investment is funded through the American Rescue Plan and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). “Farmers rely …

USDA Investing in Historically Underserved Communities to Bolster Meat, Poultry Sector

Dan Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Poultry, USDA, USDA-NIFA

Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an additional investment of more than $14 million to support agricultural workforce training in historically underserved communities that will increase the resilience of the U.S. meat and poultry processing sector. This investment is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts through the American Rescue Plan to strengthen the nation’s food supply chain by promoting …

Multi-Million Dollar Gift for Students from Diverse Backgrounds

Dan Education, This Land of Ours, USDA-NIFA

The USDA’s multi-million dollar gift for students from diverse backgrounds.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The U. S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced a 16-million-dollar investment in agricultural education and workforce development for students from diverse backgrounds. This will ensure that all students, including underrepresented and underserved students, in community colleges …

Expanding the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Program

Dan Education, Health, USDA-NIFA

Recent grant awards were made to state agriculture departments in the latest efforts to build upon a network designed to aid ag producers dealing with stress. Brent Elrod, with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), provides examples of state-led projects that were recently awarded grants under NIFA’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. And one of those is …

USDA Invests Millions to Support Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Dan Education, USDA-NIFA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an investment of over $21.8 million to 1890 Land-grant Institutions to support research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded these dollars to 1890 Land-grant Institutions to support 58 projects at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation’s Land-grant University System and organizations as part …