Deadline: 15 November 2016
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is currently seeking pre-applications for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) for fiscal year (FY) 2017 to solve critical United States specialty crop issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research and extension activities that use systems-based, trans-disciplinary approaches.
This program intends to address the needs of the various specialty crop industries through the promotion of collaboration, open communication, the exchange of information, and the development of resources that accelerate application of scientific discovery and technology.
Priority Areas
The SCRI program has five legislatively mandated focus areas, which are:
- Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics, such as:
- product, taste, quality, and appearance;
- environmental responses and tolerances;
- nutrient management, including plant nutrient uptake efficiency;
- pest and disease management, including resistance to pests and diseases resulting in reduced application management strategies; and
- enhanced phytonutrient content.
- Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators;
- Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing);
- New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and
- Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops, including fresh produce.
Funds Available
The anticipated amount available for support of this program in FY 2017 is approximately $48,128,978.
Eligibility Criteria
Pre-Applications may only be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online via given website.
Eligible Country: United States
For more information, please visit Grants.gov.