WASHINGTON, D.C. June 14, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced 14 grants totaling more than $9 million to help solve critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. The grants are funded through the Water for Agriculture Challenge Area of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.
"Food, water, climate, energy, and environmental issues are all linked together, which is why we invest in multi-level approaches to water management solutions," said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. "These solutions will improve water resource quantity and quality for America's agricultural systems, and also inform decision makers and citizens alike."
The Water for Agriculture Challenge Area aims to address critical water resources issues such as drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and quantity, and other water issues within an agricultural context.
Grants being announced today are listed by description and state.
Water for Agriculture Coordinated Agricultural Projects:
- University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, $2,000,000
- Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, $2,192,992
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, Texas, $1,383,497
Understanding Decisions and Behaviors Connected with Agriculture and Post-harvest Processing Industry Water Use:
- University of California, Berkeley, California, $463,338
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, $462,499
- University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, $458,043
- University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, $462,539
- University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, $453,539
Understanding the Human Health Impacts to Exposure from Nontraditional Water Used in Agriculture:
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, $406,907
- University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, $463,338
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, $499,999
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, $495,692
- University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, $499,617
- Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $500,000
Project details can be found at the NIFA website.
Among the grants, a University of Montana project will improve the efficacy of climate information for water use through developing, testing, and institutionalizing new tools for producers. A University of Florida project will ensure economic sustainability of agriculture and silviculture in Northern Florida and Southern Georgia while protecting the water quantity, quality, and habitat in the Upper Floridian Aquifer.
Since 2014, NIFA has awarded nearly $42 million through the Water for Agriculture Challenge Area. Previously funded projects include a University of Nevada project dedicated to enhancing climate resiliency and agriculture on tribal land. A Clemson University project is focused on developing a near real-time drought forecasting model that would help farmers anywhere in the United States.
NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension and promotes transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA support for the best and brightest scientists and extension personnel has resulted in user-inspired, groundbreaking discoveries that combat childhood obesity, improve and sustain rural economic growth, address water availability issues, increase food production, find new sources of energy, mitigate climate variability, and ensure food safety. To learn more about NIFA's impact on agricultural science, visit http://www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts, sign up for email updates or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAimpacts.
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Media Contact
Sally Gifford
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Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag
