Ohio Ag Connection - NIFA Invests $17.2 Million for Ag Education and Workforce Development

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NIFA Invests $17.2 Million for Ag Education and Workforce Development
Ohio Ag Connection - 05/06/2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced Wednesday an investment of $17.2 million for 37 awards in Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates. This program is funded through NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

"Developing the next generation of research, education and extension professionals in food and agricultural sciences is critical to the growth of the agriculture industry," said NIFA Director Dr. Carrie Castille. "NIFA programs support colleges, universities and technical education institutions to ensure a steady pipeline of talent to fuel the future workforce."

"Future Restoration: Food in Urban Environments - Training Undergraduates for Research and Extension in Restoration and Agroforestry" at The Ohio State University is one of the projects to be funded.

The objectives are: 1) participants in research and extension career opportunities; 2) prepare fellows to use the scientific method to restore food production to urban environments; and 3) train fellows to present evidence-based results to relevant stakeholders. The program will actively recruit underrepresented minorities at 2-year and 4-year institutions. Fellows will participate in a 9-week summer program that includes a 1-week intensive cohort building, leadership development, and professional skills with succeeding weeks at The Ohio State University-Columbus campus. Fellows will conduct a field-based integrated research and extension project to restore an urban landscape to improve sustainability and food production. Fellow's will be mentored by OSU faculty members in critical thinking and problem-solving skills during research implementation and completion. Fellows will be trained in field-based restoration methods using spatial analysis, small ruminant grazing, prescribed fire, and soil management to reduce invasive spices, increase biodiversity and improve soil health. Fellow's will learn communication skills by creating an extension factsheet, a written research report and make public presentations of their work to extension professionals, stakeholders, a research forum with 100 peer undergraduate researchers, and at national professional meeting. Impacts of this program will be an increased number of students entering graduate school and research or extension careers in restoration and sustainability.

Other project examples from the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates priority area include: Texas A&M University-Kingsville's project, "The Drone WAVE Factor (drone use for women advancement, visibility and experiences in food and agriculture cyberinformatics and tools oriented to research)," to recruit, train, mentor, and graduate the next generation of women professionals with competitive geospatial sciences and technology skills. University of Hawaii's project, "Empowering Women and Underrepresented Undergraduates with Advanced Technology Research Training in Agriculture and Food Sciences," to develop the local agriculture and food science industry workforce in Hawaii through education and training. Clemson University's project, "Florece!: Future Leaders Obtaining Research & Extension Career Experiences," to prepare 40 undergraduate students to become globally-engaged professionals with world-class research and extension skills that allow them to identify critical factors that impact the sustainability of agricultural systems.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA's total investment was $1.95 billion.

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