Simpler Grants.gov #USDA-NIFA-SCRI-011676

USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative Grant Solicitation

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is soliciting pre-applications for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), supporting research and extension projects to address critical needs in the specialty crop sector. - Government Buyer: - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) - Program Focus: - Supports research and extension projects for specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops) - Emphasizes systems-based, transdisciplinary approaches - Strong focus on innovation, including automation, artificial intelligence, mechanization, and sensor technologies (AAIMS) - At least $20 million reserved for AAIMS-related projects - Project Types and Funding: - Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP): up to 5 years, up to $2 million/year - Standard Research and Extension Projects (SREP): up to 5 years, up to $1 million/year - Workforce Readiness and Talent Pipeline Projects (WRTPP): up to 5 years, $1–5 million total - Planning Projects: 1 year, up to $100,000 - Total available funding: approximately $175 million - Cost sharing or matching is required - Eligibility: - Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions, private organizations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, individuals, or groups of these entities - Notable Requirements: - Integration of research and extension activities - Stakeholder engagement - Projects must address national, regional, or multi-state importance - No specific OEMs or vendors are named, as this is a grant for research and extension activities rather than procurement of products.

Description

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program aims to address critical needs of the specialty crops industries by awarding grants to support research and extension activities that tackle key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining food and agriculture systems. The program focuses on projects that integrate research and extension, encouraging a systems approach to solving problems facing the specialty crop industry. It supports various project types including Coordinated Agricultural Projects, Standard Research and Extension Projects, and Workforce Readiness and Talent Pipeline Projects. The program emphasizes innovation in automation, artificial intelligence, mechanization, and sensors to reduce labor needs in specialty crop production.

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