Money, Not Access, Key to Resident Food Choices in 'Food Deserts'
A new NIFA-funded study from North Carolina State University and Campbell University, NC, finds that, while access to healthy foods is a significant challenge, the biggest variable limiting diet choices in so-called “food deserts” is limited financial resources. Food deserts are areas that are far from supermarkets, which typically have a greater variety of nutritious foods at lower prices than those found in the corner stores more common in food deserts. While supermarkets offered a wide range of fruits and vegetables, neighborhood stores offered little or no fresh produce. What’s more, staple foods and healthier options that were available in the neighborhood cost, on average, 25 percent more than they did at supermarkets.
A research article was published March 13, in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, titled “Black and Latino Urban Food Desert Residents’ Perceptions of Their Food Environment and Factors That Influence Food Shopping Decisions.”
NIFA News
 NIFA’s 2016 Annual Report Highlights Significant Achievements by
its Grantees
NIFA is pleased to present its 2016 Annual Report: “Today’s Science, Tomorrow’s
Solutions.” This year’s annual report
highlights the transformative and exciting work undertaken by NIFA-funded
grantees.
As Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA’s Director, notes in the
introduction, the report showcases numerous examples of how NIFA funding is
delivering “user-inspired discoveries” to classrooms across the nation, and
directly to farmers, producers, counties, community organizations, families,
and countries where the need is greatest.
NIFA is proud of the significant progress
being made toward solving our nation’s most pressing concerns in the areas of
food safety and security, nutrition and public health, natural resource
stewardship, the bioeconomy, job growth, and economic health.
Read
NIFA’s 2016 annual report to learn more
about how the Agency’s
investments are moving
it closer to its vision of “catalyzing transformative discoveries,
education, and engagement to address agricultural challenges.”
|
 Texas 4-H Youth Speak to 4-H Alumni and NASA Astronaut on
International Space Station
4-H youth from the
Hartsfield Elementary School 4-H Club in Texas spoke with a NASA astronaut
currently living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS) last
week. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call aired live on NASA Television.
The recording of that conversation can be found on You-Tube.
Expedition 50 Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson, a former 4-H member, answered questions from
current 4-H youth about living on the ISS, her 4-H experiences, and the
research she is conducting in space. This 4-H club is part of the Texas 4-H
Program through Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension in cooperation
with USDA-NIFA.
Learn about the
curriculum created by 4-H and NASA called Expeditionary
Skills for Life.
Check out the blog written
about Commander Whitson’s 4-H experiences.
|
 The Vegetable Technology Gap
Washington spends millions on crop research. Why doesn't more go toward the foods we are actually supposed to eat?
"If Americans were to actually go ahead and jump into consuming the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended, we'd be hard-pressed to meet that demand," said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA Director. "There's an incredible amount of innovation that we need, all the way from farm to the table." Read the full POLITICO article.
|
Science Breakthroughs 2030: A Strategy for Food and Agricultural Research Call for Nominations
The National Academies of Science (NAS) has officially announced the Breakthroughs 2030: A Strategy for Food and Agricultural Research study to produce a 10-year agenda for food and agriculture research. Nominations for the study's lead committee are due by Wed., March 22 and can be submitted online via the Call for Nominations announcement. In addition to making nominations, they welcome any help in spreading the word about the Call for Nominations and the overall project via social media and other communication channels. As the project moves
forward, there will be additional calls for input. To sign up for subsequent study updates from NAS, fill out the subscription form.
 Subcommittee Examines Importance of Agricultural Research
Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13), Chairman of the House Agriculturae Committee's Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, held a hearing to highlight the importance of agricultural research as part of the committee's hearing series on the next farm bill.
Written testimony provided by the witnesses from today's hearing is linked below. Click here for more information, including Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Davis' opening statement and the archived webast.
|
 National Cover Crop Initiative
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) will announce the launch of a national, multi-partner effort to enhance soil health across the United States. The announcement and reception will be held March 22 from 9:30 a.m. at the National Press Club. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research is awarding its first Healthy Soils, Thriving Farms grant to The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation to lead a $6 million initiative to develop and deploy improved cover crop varieties. RSVP: http://bit.ly/cover-crop-event.
|
2017 National Extension Energy Summit
The 2017 National Extension Energy Summit is April 3-6 in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is the third biennial
conference sponsored by the Cooperative Extension System. This will be an learning and networking opportunity for energy educators and researchers. This is an opportunity for participants to present and discuss their current work and what is planned for the future. Information about the summit is available on University of Tennessee website. Contact Tim Prather, Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science Dept., for additional details.
Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program
The Farm Business Management and Benchmarking (FBMB) Competitive Grants
Program provides funds to improve the farm management knowledge and skills
of agricultural producers, and establish and maintain a national, publicly
available farm financial management database to support improved farm
management.
Request for Applications
Apply for Grant
Closing
Date: April 17, 2017
Funding
Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-FBMB-006247
Estimated
Total Program Funding: $1,350,000
Crop Protection and Pest Management
The Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM) program addresses high-priority issues related to pests and their management using IPM approaches
at the state, regional and national levels. The program supports projects
that will ensure food security and respond effectively to other major societal
pest management challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches that are economically
viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health.
Request for Applications
Apply for Grant
Closing
Date: May 9, 2017
Funding
Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-CPPM-006264
Estimated
Total Program Funding: $12,100,000
USDA Announces $2.9 Million to Support Tribal Extension Programs
NIFA announced $2.9 million in available funding for projects that make Extension programs and resources more accessible to Native American communities. Funding is made through NIFA's Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP).
The Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program supports the development of community-based programs and
activities that deliver science-based, traditional, and culturally appropriate
knowledge. Proposed programs show the value of informed outreach to
identified tribes and align with tribal needs. Extension projects may
include tribal youth and 4-H, Indian farmer and rancher productivity and
management, economic workforce development, food systems and community food
markets, natural resource conservation and human nutrition and reduction of
childhood and adolescent obesity.
Eligible applicants include 1862 or 1890 land-grant
institutions that have a Federally Recognized Tribe within their state jurisdiction.
Application deadline: April 26,
2017.
See the request for
applications for details.
|
