Objective:
To fund research projects, proposal development and other project related international travel through the CRDF Grant Access Program (GAP)in support of the ARS ¿ Former Soviet Union (FSU) Scientific Cooperation Program and the Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP). Funds originate from the Department of State Bio-Chem Redirect Program and are used to engage former weapons scientists in the former Soviet Union (FSU) in peaceful, agricultural projects and from BEP to engage bioscientists with dual-use expertise in regions with high terrorist activity. In addition, ARS will utilize the CRDF GAP program to support a new activity funded by the State Department to assist in the training of Iraqi scientific personnel in agricultural research that has been previously associated with radioactive source irradiation. This project will help Iraq develop access to a safer and more reliable food supply with an emphasis on building agricultural research capacity that does not include potentially dangerous radioactive sources. Purpose of Funds: To fund and implement projects under the Former Soviet Union Scientific Cooperative Program, Biosecurity Engagement Program; and ARS - Iraq Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) program all originally funded by the Department of State International Security and Nonproliferation Office. Projects range in topics from plant health to animal health to food safety.

Approach:
The Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, (hereafter, ¿Sponsor¿) supports international scientific research projects involving collaboration between U.S. and foreign scientists. The Sponsor¿s collaborative research is related to civilian agricultural research and that all funds and/or materials being provided to the foreign individuals and institutions (hereafter, ¿Beneficiaries¿) are to support or assist the Project. The Sponsor anticipates providing funds and material support (hereafter, ¿Project Resources¿) under the program to Beneficiaries, including individual salary support, equipment and supplies, travel and institutional support. The U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (hereafter, ¿CRDF¿) has agreed to support the Sponsor¿s efforts in the implementation of the Sponsor¿s projects by providing financial, administrative and logistical support. The CRDF has the infrastructure and capacity to support the distribution of Project Resources to the Beneficiaries identified by the Sponsor as technical assistance to the extent allowable in the host country; ARS scientists from multiple locations will develop the proposals with their foreign counterparts and serve as collaborators throughout the life of the project and provide technical oversight.