Biomass Research and Development Initiative

For fiscal year 2011, applicants seeking BRDI funding must propose projects that integrate science and engineering research in the following three technical areas that are critical to the broader success of alternative biofuels production:

• Feedstock Development
  Funding will support research, development and demonstration activities for improving biomass feedstocks and their supply, including the harvest, transport, preprocessing, and storage necessary to produce biofuels and biobased products.
• Biofuels and Biobased Products Development
  Research, development and demonstration activities will support cost-effective technologies to increase the use of cellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels and/or biobased products. Funding will also support the development of a wide range of technologies to produce various biobased products, including animal feeds and chemicals that can potentially increase the economic viability of large-scale fuel production in a biorefinery.
• Biofuels Development Analysis
  Projects will develop analytic tools that improve the sustainability, environmental quality, cost effectiveness, security, and rural economic development of renewable biomass technologies. Funding will also be used to develop new tools to better evaluate the impact of expanded biofuel production on the environment and to assess the potential of using federal land resources to sustainably increase feedstock production for biofuels and biobased products.

Integrating multiple technical areas in each project will encourage collaborative problem-solving approaches, enable grantees to identify and address knowledge gaps, and facilitate the formation of research consortia. The agencies are also seeking projects that demonstrate the use of biodiesel in farming equipment and processing facility operations that are used to produce grain and/or cellulosic ethanol.

Subject to annual appropriations, USDA plans to invest up to $25 million with DOE contributing up to $5 million for this year's Biomass Research and Development Initiative. This funding is expected to support five to ten projects over three to four years. A description of the solicitation, eligibility requirements, and application instructions can be found on the FedConnect website, Fedconnect.net and the Grants.gov website under Reference Number DE-FOA-0000510. Pre-applications are due on May 31, 2011 and must be submitted electronically. It is anticipated that applicants who are encouraged to submit full applications will be notified by August 3, 2011.

Food / Ag Sciences Grad/Post grad Fellowship grants

The fellowships supported through the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program (NNF) are intended to encourage outstanding and committed students to pursue and complete graduate degrees in critical areas of national need, through graduate programs at eligible institutions. The support provided through this NNF program, is a student stipend for the Fellow and a cost-of-education allowance to the institution. The typical period of performance for an award is five years, although a few programs may specify shorter (maximum of five years) periods. For the FY 2011 award cycle, NIFA intends to support graduate Fellowship training grants for both Master’s and doctoral levels of study. Also, Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) awards will provide support for eligible USDA Fellows to conduct thesis/dissertation research or to undertake studies at sites outside of the United States. IRTA awards for eligible USDA Fellows will only be available as provided for within this announcement. IRTA for current, eligible NNF Fellows must be requested as a stand-alone application. Applicants provide clarity about the philosophy of their graduate training, and relevance to USDA mission science, NIFA priorities and recommendations presented by the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, projected work force needs from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the National Science Foundation, Survey of Earned Doctorates. Each funded proposal is expected to increase the understanding, development of 21st Century skills, research-based knowledge, assessment, and utilization of technology and resources to advance a first class next-generation, diverse work force in USDA mission sciences. Post-doctoral Fellowships will not be awarded, under this grant announcement. Further, NIFA supports Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral fellowships in the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (see, http://nifa.usda.gov/funding/afri/afri.html).

Link to Full Announcement

Food And Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants

Current Closing Date for Applications: Jun 01, 2011

Estimated Total Program Funding:	$3,600,000
Award Ceiling:	$262,500
Award Floor:	$4,500

Career Training & Housing for farmworkers

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced two grant competitions for the National Farmworker Jobs Program. One competition will fund organizations that will provide training, the other housing services, to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families.

"Our nation's prosperity is linked to the labors of farmworkers across the United States," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "By supporting skills training and related housing services for farmworkers, the Labor Department will help them improve their career outcomes, and that is a win for all of us."

The National Farmworker Jobs Program helps farmworkers upgrade their agricultural job skills or acquire new ones in occupations that offer higher wages and more stable employment. In addition, the program provides supportive services such as child care, health care and transportation. These services remove barriers to farmworkers beginning or remaining in training, and enable them to retain their employment.

The housing portion of the program allows organizations to provide permanent housing assistance, temporary and/or emergency housing assistance, or a combination of both. Specific types of activities allowed are defined in the solicitation for grant applications. Typically, housing assistance grantees provide these services in more than one state or areas of a single state.

The National Farmworker Jobs Program is authorized by Congress in Section 167 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to counter the impact of chronic unemployment and underemployment experienced by migrant and seasonal farmworkers who depend primarily on agricultural jobs.

Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, community-based and public agencies that assist farmworkers and their families in attaining greater economic stability.

This competition is being conducted before the passage of the Department of Labor's fiscal year 2011 appropriation in anticipation of funds being made available for National Farmworker Jobs Program grants, but the department will not obligate any funds for 2011 grants until they are appropriated by Congress.

Notices of both solicitations for grant applications will be published in the March 17 edition of the Federal Register. To view the full solicitations online, visit http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm or http://www.grants.gov.

Women And Minorities In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS)

Description

This grant program supports research and extension projects that have robust collaborations to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields that are relevant to USDA priorities identified by the Secretary: (i) Promotion of a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for all Americans and for people around the world; (ii) Sustainable agricultural policies that foster economic viability for small and mid-sized farms and rural businesses, protect natural resources, and promote value-added agriculture; (iii) national leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation; (iv) Building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and (v) Support for 21st century rural communities. Legal authority for this program is contained in Section 7204 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L. 110-246), which amends Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925).

Link to Full Announcement

Women And Minorities In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) - FY '11 RFA

Net Farm Income Forecast Up 31 Percent in 2010

[From USDA]

Net farm income is forecast at $81.6 billion in 2010, up 31 percent from 2009 and 26 percent higher than the 10-year average of $64.8 billion for 2000-2009. Net cash income at $92.5 billion would be a nominal record, 2.3 percent above the prior record attained in 2008. Net value added is expected to increase by almost $20 billion in 2010 to $132.0 billion. The net value added of agriculture to the U.S. economy in inflation-adjusted terms reached its two highest levels since the mid 1970s in 2004 and 2008. Inflation-adjusted net cash income has reached levels not seen since the mid-1970s for the fourth time since 2004, including the forecast for this year. The mid-1970s was the last comparable period when U.S. farming enjoyed multiple years of sustained levels of high output and income.

Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

FSMIP provides matching funds on a competitive basis to assist eligible entities explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the U.S. marketing system. FSMIP funds a wide range of applied research projects that address barriers, challenges, and opportunities in marketing, transporting, and distributing U.S. food and agricultural products domestically and internationally. Proposals may address issues throughout the marketing chain including direct, wholesale, and retail. Proposals may involve small, medium or large-scale agricultural entities but should potentially benefit multiple producers or agribusinesses. Proposals that address issues of importance at the State, multi-State), or national level are appropriate for FSMIP. Proprietary proposals that benefit one business or individual will not be considered for funding. FSMIP also seeks unique and innovative proposals on a smaller scale that may serve as pilot projects or case studies useful as models for other States. Of particular interest are proposals that reflect a collaborative approach between the States, academia, the farm sector and other appropriate entities and stakeholders. FSMIP funds may be awarded for projects of 1 to 2 years’ duration.

Link to Full Announcement

FSMIP website incl application guidelines, FR notice and press release

Conservation Innovation Grant

The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS policy, technical manuals, guides, and references or to the private sector. CIG does not fund research projects. Projects intended to formulate hypothesis do not qualify. CIG is to apply proven technology which has been shown to work previously. It is a vehicle to stimulate the development and adoption of conservation approaches or technologies that have been studied sufficiently to indicate a likelihood of success, and to be candidates for eventual technology transfer or institutionalization. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users. CIG funds projects targeting innovative on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations.

Link to Full Announcement

NRCS Homepage