1. Update: NIFA’s Farm Bill Implementation

2. Update on Key Provisions
Commodity Boards
Centers of Excellence
New Match Requirement
Veterinary Services Grant Program

3. Commodity Boards: Enabling Co-funding for Common Priorities
The 2014 Farm Bill (Section 7404) directs USDA to solicit AFRI topics from eligible commodity boards for co-funding
Desired Benefits:
Increase funding leverage for both parties
Increase project relevancy
Increase engagement between NIFA and commodity boards (and commodity groups)

4. Progress and Success to Date
2014
Gathered stakeholder input, developed plan
2015 and 2016
4 boards, 5 awards and $1.3m in co-funding
Co-funded awards in final stages of approval
2017
2 boards, 4 topics and $1.15m in co-funding
2017 AFRI RFAs released in March and April 2017
All co-funded opportunities in AFRI Foundational RFA
Mushroom Council and National Peanut Board co-funding
2018
Federal Register Notice soliciting topics – April 2017

5. The AFRI funding opportunities table below will be updated for FY 2017 as the information becomes available.
NOTE: In FY 2017, the Food Security and Water for Agriculture Challenge Areas are combined into the Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area.
2017 AFRI RFAs Released
RFA Title
FY 2017
AFRI Childhood Obesity Prevention Challenge Area
Posted April 5
AFRI Education and Literacy Initiative
Posted April 21
AFRI Food Safety Challenge Area
Posted March 21
AFRI Foundational Program
Posted April 11
AFRI Resilient Agroecosystems in a Changing Climate Challenge Area
Posted April 17
AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area
AFRI Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area*
Posted March 24

6. Centers of Excellence
Farm Bill required that NIFA recognize Centers of Excellence for food and agricultural research, education, and extension beginning in FY15 and provide them with priority in funding
Year 1 - NIFA awarded more than $41.8 million to a total of 33 projects with the Center of Excellence designation
FY17 RFAs continue to provide priority funding across competitive research and extension programs

7. Competitive Grant Programs Offering COE Opportunities in FY16 and FY17
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Challenge Areas
Farm Business Management and Benchmarking
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Foundational Program
Farm Safety and Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification
Aquaculture Research
Methyl Bromide Transition
Biomass Research and Development Initiative
Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program
Organic Transition Program
Children, Youth, and Families at Risk
Rural Health and Safety Program
Crop Protection/Pest Management
Specialty Crop Research Initiative

8. FY16 Awardees Meeting Center of Excellence Criteria:
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
Johns Hopkins University
Kansas State University
North Carolina State University (2)
Ohio State University
University of California, Davis
University of Florida
Aquaculture Research
Auburn University
Stony Brook University

9. FY16 Awardees Meeting Center of Excellence Criteria:
Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program
Old Dominion University
Crop Protection/Pest Management
Colorado State University
North Carolina State University
University of Minnesota
Washington State University
Farm Business Management and Benchmarking
University of Nebraska, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Tennessee

10. FY16 Awardees Meeting Center of Excellence Criteria:
Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
Clemson University
Michigan State University
University of Wisconsin
USDA Agricultural Research Service (2)
Rural Health and Safety Program
Montana State University
University of Georgia

11. FY16 Awardees Meeting Center of Excellence Criteria:
Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Iowa State University
North Carolina State University (2)

12. FY16 Center of Excellence Recipients

13. Number of FY16 Awards with CoE Designation by Institution Type
Type of Institution
# of COE Awards by Institution Type
1862 Land Grant Institutions 26
USDA-ARS 2
Non-Land Grant Institution 1
1890 Institutions
Non-profit
Private (University and Colleges)
Non-USDA Federal
International Partners
Total 31

14. Status of Implementing NARETPA 100% Matching Requirement
Guidance published on NIFA’s website describing covered competitive programs, process for requesting a waiver
Majority of grantees excepted with no waiver needed
Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture can be certified, excepted – public with 4 year food and ag science degrees
List of certified Non-Land-Grants is available at

15. Veterinary Services Grant Program
Competitive grant program to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services
Broad eligibility including for-profits and non-profits, institutions with programs in veterinarian shortage situations
Newly-funded in FY 2016 at $2.5m
4 Rural Practice Enhancement awards and 8 Education, Extension and Training awards made in FY16
Final Regulations published March 2017
RFA for FY17 released ($2.4m) – May 19 deadline