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NIFA supports research, educational, and extension efforts in a wide range of scientific fields related to agricultural and behavioral sciences.

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    Second Annual Virtual Grants Support Technical Assistance Workshop
    Check out this five-day workshop in March 2024 workshop, designed to help you learn about NIFA grants and resources for grants development and management.

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The National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences.

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    Plant BreedingSharePrint Friendly Email Twitter Facebook
    
    Plants
      Crop Production
          Nematology
          Pest Management
          Plant Breeding
          Plant HealthPlant breeding — the science of maximizing plants’ positive genetic traits to produce desirable effects — continues to open new frontiers in agricultural production. Advancements in plant genetics and genomics, when used in breeding, help support higher production and cultivation of crops resistant to pests, pathogens, and drought.

Importance of Plant Breeding & Genetics

Scientific advances in genetics and genomics have produced:

More affordable prices for fruits and vegetables
	Abundant staple crops for producing meat and dairy products
	Development of sustainable sources of energy
	Reductions in agriculture-related pollutionHowever, science must continue to advance to meet challenges created by evolving plant pests and pathogens, global climate change, and changing societal needs.

NIFA’s Impact

NIFA programs are supporting plant breeding, genetics, and genomics through services such as:

Leadership and coordination of national genomics research
	Research and education in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics and other methods to improve crop characteristics and performance
	Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases

  Programs
    Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI)
              Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants (BRAG) Program
              Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program
              Equipment Grants Program (EGP)
              From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals (NextGen)
              Future Proofing Plants to a Changing Climate
              Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Programs
              Plant Health and Production and Plant Products Program Area
              Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
              Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture

  Funding Opportunities
    Potato Breeding Research
              Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development
              Specialty Crop Research Initiative
              Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) (Joint NSF) Competitive Grants Program
              Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems
              Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative
              Research Facilities Act Program Return to top
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