ASA-CSSA-SSSA Science Policy Report

Multiple awards to participate in ASA, CSSA, SSSA Virtual Congressional Visits Day

2020-12-09 12:00:00

For 2021, the ASA, CSSA, SSSA Congressional Visits Day will be a VIRTUAL event!

Vilsack chosen as Biden's Agriculture secretary

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Vilsack, who served as Agriculture secretary for eight years in the Obama administration, was a top rural and agriculture policy adviser during Biden's presidential campaign.

Goodbye, U.S.D.A., hello, Department of Food and Well-Being

2020-12-09 12:00:00

An editorial by Ricardo Salvado, the Director of the Food and Environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Mark Bittman, a former New York Times columnist, write that it’s time the secretary of agriculture leverages the department’s impact for more than the benefit of agribusiness.

Must-pass U.S. defense bill would harmonize funding disclosures for all federal grant applicants

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The U.S. Congress appears poised to pass legislation making uniform what are now a hodgepodge of agency policies on when and how a scientist applying for a federal grant must disclose other sources of funding.

Carbon markets lure farmers, but will benefits be enough to hook them?

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Never mind that Trump-Pence sticker on the back of his Dodge Dakota pickup, Wes Kent and the way he manages his small, diversified farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley figure big in Joe Biden’s vision for addressing climate change by paying farmers to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

NIFA releases employment outlook report for new college graduates in agriculture

2020-12-09 12:00:00

A new report, released today by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, shows a strong job demand for new college graduates with degrees in agricultural programs.

Coalition names Illinois CCA winner of CCA Conservationist of the Year award

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Michael Wilson of Allandale, Ill., was named this year’s recipient of the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Conservationist of the Year Award.

ASA, SSSA member testifies in Senate Agriculture Committee hearing

2020-12-09 12:00:00

On Wednesday, December 2, ASA and SSSA member Dr. Steven Rosenzweig testified at the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry’s final hearing of 2020.

2020 ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting is now available online through February 13 with over 2500+ Presentations

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The 2020 ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting was held virtually November 9-13. Already registered? Access here through February 13. Register now to gain immediate access to the 2,500 oral and poster presentations, and hundreds of recorded sessions! Access the meeting here.

Societies respond to EPA biotech proposed rule

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Societies responded to a request for comments from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding regulatory exemptions proposed for certain plants created using gene-editing technologies.

New Podcast Episode: Dr. Ethann Barnes and Dr. Amit Jhala discuss their work with gene flow in popcorn on the newest episode of Field, Lab, Earth from ASA, CSSA, SSSA

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Popcorn accounts for a small portion of the corn grown in the United States.

SSSA Publishes New Book | Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections, Second Edition

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The new book from SSSA is a revised guide to the study and of soil and regolith thin sections.

E.P.A.’s final deregulatory rush runs into open staff resistance

2020-12-09 12:00:00

President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency was rushing to complete one of its last regulatory priorities, aiming to obstruct the creation of air- and water-pollution controls far into the future, when a senior career scientist moved to hobble it.

Farmers look to innovate their way to a smaller environmental footprint

2020-12-09 12:00:00

With farmers under pressure to cut their environmental footprint, global agribusiness giants as well as small tech startups are rushing to come up with ways to slash farm pollutants and make it possible for producers to cash in on carbon credits and other new forms of income.

Capitalizing on cranberries

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Both cranberries and blueberries are botanically part of the Vaccinium species. Although production and consumption is growing worldwide, the growth of U.S. production has slowed in the past five years.

Where the pomegranate harvest is life, the Taliban brought ruin

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Crack a pomegranate in half and its blood-red seed-filled chambers make it look almost like a broken heart.

England flaunts green reforms while EU stays in hock to farmers

2020-12-09 12:00:00

England on Monday issued a tough timeline for its farmers to wean themselves off subsidies and take a more climate-friendly tack, just as the EU is facing political heat for prioritizing agricultural protectionism over green goals.

Lessons from smallholder coffee farms in Guatemala

2020-12-09 12:00:00

“Coffee is an orphan crop,” Taya Brown says. “We are so far behind in understanding it because coffee is not consumed where it’s produced.”

NC AgVentures Grant Program

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Since forming in 2004, the Mosaic Company has grown to be a global leader in phosphates and potash crop nutrition.

University of Mount Olive AgPrime

2020-12-09 12:00:00

University of Mount Olive AgPrime provides grants to North Carolina farmers for new and innovative agricultural project ideas that will increase farm profits.

Americana Foundation Michigan Agriculture Natural Resources, and Heritage Grants

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Americana Foundation is dedicated to supporting programs that address the sustainable growth and development of American agriculture and community food systems, the conservation of natural resources, and the protection and presentation of expressions of America's heritage.

Maryland Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Grant Program

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Maryland Energy Administration is accepting applications for the Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Grant Program to support improving the energy efficiency and reducing the energy costs of enterprises in the state.

North Dakota Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

2020-12-09 12:00:00

North Dakota Department of Agriculture is accepting proposals for federal funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

NFF Matching Awards Program (MAP)

2020-12-09 12:00:00

Chartered by Congress, the National Forest Foundation engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System.

Washington Specialty Crop Block Grant

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is accepting concept proposals for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, for projects that enhance the competitiveness and increase demand for Washington's specialty crops.

Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund invests in on-the-ground projects to restore, enhance and conserve bottomland hardwood forest and wetland habitats

Young Farmer Grants

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The National Young Farmers Coalition is offering 50 Young Farmer Grants of $5,000 each to a new cohort of young farmers and ranchers

ecoSolution Grants

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Captain Planet Foundation supports educators working to facilitate youth-led projects that result in positive environmental impact in schools and communities.

Bay-Delta Restoration Program: CALFED Water Use Efficiency Grants for Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is a participating agency in the Bay-Delta Restoration Program.

WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I Grants

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) Reclamation provides funding to watershed groups to encourage diverse stakeholders to form local solutions to address their water management needs.

Indiana Partners for Conservation

2020-12-09 12:00:00

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invites potential conservation partners in Indiana to submit project applications for funding through Indiana Partners for Conservation.

Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.

New Earth Foundation Proposals for Environmental Projects

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The New Earth Foundation welcomes proposals for innovative projects with the potential to enhance life on the planet, further peace, and brighten prospects for the future.

Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund is a landmark public-private partnership supported with federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

2021 Keeling Curve Prize

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Keeling Curve Prize invites proposals from organizations around the world for innovative climate change solutions.

Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ECO-CBET)

2020-12-09 12:00:00

ECO-CBET will support fundamental research activities that confront environmental engineering and sustainability problems by developing foundational knowledge underlying processes and mechanisms such that the design of innovative new materials, processes, and systems is possible.

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at the University of California, Davis has issued a call for proposals for its Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Small Grants Program.

Scholarship for Advancing Diversity in the Geoscience Profession

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce its new Scholarship for Advancing Diversity in the Geoscience Profession.

Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Interactions and Mechanisms

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The URoL:MIM program invites integrated, interdisciplinary proposals that create new knowledge in multiple disciplines to develop causal frameworks with well-designed scientific and/or computational approaches to test hypotheses about the relationships within the microbiome, and among the microbiome, the host, and the environment.

Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements (REAP)

2020-12-09 12:00:00

The Rural Energy for America Program will provide funds to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.