USDA FVIAC Committee: 

Research and Grants 

Working Group

• Plant Breeding and the 

National Institute of Food 

and Agriculture’s funding 

priorities 

• Ed Kaleikau, NIFA 

National Program 

Leader for Plant 

Breeding, Genetics and 

Genomics
• USDA’s primary extramural agency to advance food & agricultural 

sciences

• We lead & fund initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of 

agriculture by:

 Supporting research, education, & extension activities in 

partnership with institutions across US (Land-Grant University 

System, other universities/colleges, government, private, and nonprofit organizations)

 AGENCY BUDGET:

– $1.49 Billion (2016)

– $1.88 Billion (2017 Request)

NIFA’s Mission & Vision
• Competitive grants: 

– Basic & applied research, education, & extension activities

– Projects that integrate research, education, & extension 

functions.

• Capacity grants:

– Distributed by formula to Land-Grant Universities, Schools of vet 

medicine, & other partners to maintain “capacity” to conduct 

research & extension. 

– 25% research funds  Multi-state Research Committees focus 

on critical areas needing regional or national coordination

• Non-competitive grants: Directed by Congress to designated 

institutions for research, education, or extension on topics of 

importance to a state or region. 

NIFA Provides
NIFA Covers Many Topics
NIFA’s Many Topics Cont’d
Overview:

NIFA manages a range of funding 

programs that can make awards to 

plant breeding research, education, and 

extension

NIFA listens to stakeholders in various 

ways for input on within-program 

priorities

Success stories from NIFA’s plant 

breeding funding are typically in 

combination with other funding types.

United States Department of Agriculture
NIFA’s Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics 

Portfolio:

• Addresses regional, national and global needs in alignment 

with the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA REE action plan and NIFA strategic 

plan and especially in coordination and alignment with USDA ARS 

National Programs (i.e. NP301 Plant Genetic Resources, 

Genomics, and Genetic Improvement Action Plan, 2018-2022).

– Investments are responsive to stakeholder critical needs to increase 

productivity by providing agricultural plants with higher inherent genetic 

potential.

– Focuses on genetic improvement through more efficient and effective 

breeding, and exploits new sources of genes and traits, innovative breeding 

methods, data-mining, bioinformatics tools, and knowledge of molecular and 

biological processes.

– Goals are to improve the production efficiency, yield, sustainability, resilience, 

healthfulness, product quality, and value of U.S. agricultural plants.
NIFA’s Plant Breeding, Genetics and 

Genomics Portfolio Align with:

The 2014 Farm Bill:

PRIORITY 

AREA

SUBPRIORITIES

A. Plant 

Health and 

Production 

and Plant 

Products

i. plant genome structure and function

ii. molecular and cellular genetics and plant 

biotechnology

iii. conventional breeding, including cultivar and 

breed development, selection theory, applied 

qualitative genetics, breeding for improved food 

quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to 

biotic stress and abiotic stress

iv. Plant pest interactions and biocontrol 

systems

v. crop plant response to environmental stresses

vi. [improved] nutrient qualities of plant products

vii. new food and industrial uses of plant 

products

The USDA REE Action plan goals 1&2:

• Goal 1. Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural 

Production

Subgoal 1A. Crop and Animal Production 

Subgoal 1B. Crop and Animal Health 

Subgoal 1C. Crop and Animal Genetics, Genomics, 

Genetic Resources, and Biotechnology

Subgoal 1D: Consumer and Industry Outreach, 

Policy Markets, and Trade

• Goal 2. Responding to Climate and Energy Needs

Subgoal 2A. Responding to Climate Variability

Subgoal 2B. Bioenergy/Biofuels and Biobased

Products

The USDA NIFA Strategic plan Goal 1 

(Science): • Goal 1: Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, 

education and extension programs

Subgoal 1.1: Advance our Nation’s ability to achieve 

global food security and fight hunger.
Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Programs: 

Agricultural Food Research Initiative (AFRI):

– Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production

• Priorities: Pre-breeding and germplasm enhancement, cultivar development, 

selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, and participatory breeding. In 2016 

included new opportunities for two commodity board topics: (i) Kansas Wheat 

Commission - Breeding for genetic resistance to wheat viruses and; (ii) Iowa Corn 

Promotion Board - Environmental influence on phenomics in crop improvement 

and production.

– Breeding and Phenomics of Food Crops and Food Animals 

• Priorities: development and use of high-throughput genomic technologies, phenomics, 

and advanced computational informatics to (i) produce varieties and breeds with 

improved resilience to climate change, drought, and extreme weather; (ii) increase 

protection of agricultural crops and food animals from disease and pests; and (iii) 

enhance nutritional composition for improved human health.

– Interagency: International Wheat Yield Partnership

• Priorities focus on breakthroughs for wheat breeding using new technologies and also 

discoveries that lead to significantly greater yield e.g. gene editing and Unmanned Aerial 

Vehicles, hybrid wheat.
Example: 

Agricultural 

Food Research 

Initiative (AFRI)

– National 

Cereal 

Germplasm 

Phenotyping 

Coordinated 

Agricultural 

Project
Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics 

Programs examples Cont’d

Special Research Grants Program:

– Potato Breeding Research

• The program seeks to enhance the effectiveness of limited state, federal, and 

industry resources and accelerate the development of superior performing 

varieties that produce greater benefits to the potato industry.

Multi-state Research Projects involve a team of investigators associated with 

several State Agricultural Experiment Stations working together to solve complex scientific 

problems of regional or national interest. 

– Corn Breeding Research

• Facilitates multi-location testing of breeding techniques, training of students, 

and coordination between public and private breeders.

– Database Resources for Crop Genomics, Genetics and 

Breeding Research

• Provide database resources for target crops and further develops a 

standardized database platform for use by other communities. 
Speciality Crops Research Initiative

• Addresses the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to 

support research and extension that address key challenges of national, 

regional and multi-state importance. 

• First authorized in the 2008 farm bill. Since inception, there have been five 

legislatively mandated focus areas. Focus area 1 deals with plant breeding, 

genetics and genomics. 

– ‘‘(1) research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop 

characteristics, such as—

• ‘‘(A) product, taste, quality, and appearance; 

• ‘‘(B) environmental responses and tolerances; 

• ‘‘(C) nutrient management, including plant nutrient uptake efficiency; 

• ‘‘(D) pest and disease management, including resistance to pests and 

diseases resulting in reduced application management strategies; and 

• ‘‘(E) enhanced phytonutrient content

• Since 2012, SCRI has funded 31 projects with some component of genomics, 

genetics and breeding. 
Speciality Crops Research Initiative 

Cont’d

• Example: ROSBREED: COMBINING DISEASE RESISTANCE WITH 

HORTICULTURAL QUALITY IN NEW ROSACEOUS CULTIVARS -

Includes work on apple, blackberry, peach, pear, rose, strawberry, 

sweet cherry, and tart cherry. Provides modern genomic and genetics 

tools, in a nationally coordinated effort, to augment the efforts of 

traditional breeders in the efforts to efficiently and effectively deliver 

cultivars with producer-required disease resistances and marketessential horticultural quality.

• The RosBreed network of over 25 collaborators across North America, 

Europe, and Australia, are sharing both new genetic and historical 

breeding information to facilitate more efficient experimentation with 

varieties in new regions. They are increasing routine use of genetic 

information through the design and implementation of new DNA tests, 

online portals for testing DNA and through direct outreach to industry 

leaders. The project produces a quarterly newsletter, industry briefs, 

brochures, and DNA test cards.
Potential Future areas of research

– Breakthrough enabling technologies such as 

genome editing to create defined genetic changes 

to breed for more nutritive foods for human health 

benefit and crops more tolerant to adverse 

environmental conditions; 

– Remote sensing of yield and other traits in field 

plots to rapidly generate more germplasm testing 

and accelerate breeding cycle improvement; 

– Development of data mining tools for analyzing 

genotypic, phenotypic, and environmental data to 

improve predictive breeding as part of NIFA’s 

Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics and Tools 

(FACT) initiative in data-driven advances. 
Thank YOU!

Ed Kaleikau, Ph.D.

• National Program 

Leader for Plant 

Breeding, 

Genetics and 

Genomics

• Ekaleikau@nifa.usda.gov