CSREES Announces Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Funding Opportunities

Media Contacts:
USDA: Media Contact: Scott Elliott, (202) 720-7185

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2009 – USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) announced the availability of approximately $200 million in funds available through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

AFRI is the new core competitive grant program to provide funding for fundamental and applied research, extension, and education to address food and agricultural sciences.  As mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill, AFRI replaces the former National Research Initiative and the Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems programs and addresses six priority areas:  1) plant health and production and plant products; 2) animal health and production and animal products; 3) food safety, nutrition and health; 4) renewable energy, natural resources and environment; 5) agriculture systems and technology; and 6) agriculture economics and rural communities.

CSREES published a Program Announcement on December 17, 2008, providing an initial announcement about the administration of AFRI for FY 2009. The individual opportunity descriptions in the AFRI RFAs are consistent with those in the AFRI Program Announcement. Although no Letter of Intent deadlines have changed, some application deadlines have been modified to allow for the preparation and submission of applications.  Additional AFRI information is available at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/afri/afri.html.

Applicants and other parties interested in the AFRI funding opportunity are encouraged to contact CSREES at (202) 401-5022 or AFRI@csrees.usda.gov.  Specific program information and application deadlines are available at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri_rfa.html.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, CSREES focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

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