The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announce this funding opportunity to carry out the Plant Protection Act Section 7721 (PPA 7721) National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) program. APHIS will consider project proposals that clearly and directly support the strategic goals and objectives of the National Clean Plant Network as described in the NCPN Strategic Plan . The purpose of the NCPN program is to establish a network of Clean Plant Centers for diagnostic and pathogen elimination services to produce clean propagative plant material and to maintain blocks of pathogen-tested plant material in sites located throughout the United States. The NCPN provides propagative plant material free of targeted plant pathogens to protect the environment and ensure the global competitiveness of U.S. specialty crop producers.
Program priorities align with the goals specified in the NCPN Strategic Plan and include: 1) Optimizing the production, maintenance, and distribution of clean plants, 2) Advancing special initiatives by optimizing the adaptation and implementation of novel technologies and new ideas while increasing the awareness of the importance, availability, and use of clean plants, and 3) Optimizing network resources. Applicants should refer to the NCPN Request for Proposals on the USDA APHIS NCPN website for additional details.
APHIS is providing at least $10 million in funding for the Plant Protection Act (PPA) National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) program under Section 420 of the PPA (7 USC § 7721). The purpose of the NCPN program is to establish a network of Clean Plant Centers for diagnostic and pathogen elimination services to produce clean propagative plant material and to maintain blocks of pathogen-tested plant material in sites located throughout the United States. Additional details about the program are available on the USDA APHIS NCPN website.
Program Goals: The National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) was established under The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) Title X, Sec 10202. Its purpose is to support a network of clean plant centers in the United States for specialty crops to provide reliable sources of propagative material that are free of targeted propagative-borne pathogens. Network clean plant centers conduct diagnostic and pathogen elimination services and establish foundation blocks (nuclear stock) to provide pathogen-tested plant materials to nurseries, growers, and to state certification programs.
Expected Outcomes: Projects funded under this announcement are expected to support programs that provide propagative plant material free of targeted plant pathogens to protect the environment and ensure the global competitiveness of U.S. specialty crop producers.
Funding Priorities: APHIS will consider project proposals that clearly and directly support the strategic goals and objectives of the National Clean Plant Network. Program priorities align with the goals specified in the NCPN Strategic Plan and include: 1) Optimizing the production, maintenance, and distribution of clean plants, 2) Advancing special initiatives by optimizing the adaptation and implementation of novel technologies and new ideas while increasing the awareness of the importance, availability, and use of clean plants, and 3) Optimizing network resources. Projects that support one of the current crop groups in NCPN and show coordination with the appropriate NCPN specialty crop governing body are prioritized for funding. Existing Federal or State facilities with demonstrated capacity to provide clean plant material are also prioritized for funding.
Applicants can find all application materials on the ezFedGrants website or the Grants.gov website by searching Assistance Listing number 10.031 . Application materials and additional i nformation are also available on the USDA APHIS NCPN website . All application materials are compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for accessibility.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureHealth and Medical
The purpose of the NIDA Animal Genetics Program is to identify genetic, genomic, and molecular (epi)genetic variants that underlie: 1. Phenotypes associated with addictive behaviors and/or vulnerability to distinct stages along the substance use disorders (SUD) trajectory (e.g. initial/acute use, escalation of use, acquisition of tolerance, dependence, uncontrolled use, abstinence and relapse or recovery); 2. Behaviors associated with SUD (e.g. impulsivity, novelty seeking, delayed discounting, and other genetically-associated phenotypes); and 3. Comorbidities that demonstrate genetic correlations with phenotypes and behaviors linked with SUD (e.g. anxiety, stress, poor maternal care, social defeat, and other paradigms). Applications may examine any type of genomic variant, including single nucleotide variants (SNVs), indels, large and small structural variants, and all types of mobile DNA. NIDA encourages applications that take genomics, multi-omics, and/or data-based approaches that integrate multi-level omics data, delineate gene networks, and/or uncover the function of known or newly discovered genetic or epigenetic variants. Other areas of interest include genomics analysis at the circuit level and the application of neuroscience to genomics studies. NIDA expects these studies to uncover novel mechanisms that contribute to various stages across the SUD trajectory and inform future studies about potential targets and therapeutic strategies for addiction.
EducationHealth and MedicalPets and Animal Wildlife
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to advance efforts for a nationally integrated animal food safety system providing state animal food regulatory programs the ability to achieve full implementation of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) within 5 years and to maintain full implementation. This NOFO will also fund optional projects for state animal food regulatory programs to:
Advance food safety and protect public health by strengthening partnerships with the FDA and other state animal food regulatory partners through sharing, collaboration, coordination, and leveraging each other’s expertise, work, data, and enforcement actions.
Develop and standardize processes, procedures, systems, and other methods to integrate federal and state animal food regulatory work resulting in mutual reliance.
Specific outcomes may include, but are not limited to:
State animal food regulatory programs will achieve and maintain implementation of the AFRPS, which is recognized as a critical element to creating a national, fully integrated food safety system.
Operational use of standardized animal food regulatory systems developed by state programs to compel federal reliance on state regulatory work and resources and reciprocal state reliance on federal work and resources, resulting in mutual reliance.
This project will strengthen and improve FDA efforts to build an integrated food safety system by building high quality state animal food regulatory programs that can promote regulatory compliance and prevent foodborne illnesses.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food
The purpose is to provide a funding opportunity for national feed associations to advance and promote a national animal food safety system by building inter-agency collaboration, improving states' regulatory and surveillance protection programs, and promoting the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS). Effective leveraging of animal food safety resources and harmonization requires collaboration with relevant initiatives, including those of federal partners, national initiatives and associations, and state partners.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to advance efforts for a nationally integrated animal food safety system providing State animal food regulatory programs the ability to achieve and maintain full implementation of the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS), and to fund optional projects for State animal food regulatory programs to develop and standardize processes, procedures, systems, and other methods to integrate federal and state animal food regulatory work resulting in mutual reliance.
Specific outcomes may include, but are not limited to:
• State animal food regulatory programs will achieve and maintain implementation of the AFRPS, which is recognized as a critical element to creating a national, fully integrated food safety system.
• Operational use of standardized animal food regulatory systems developed by state programs to compel federal reliance on state regulatory work and resources and reciprocal state reliance on federal work and resources, resulting in mutual reliance.
Outputs, Objectives, and Outcomes for this NOFO are currently under development and subject to change before the submission of the NOFO for clearance.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food
The goal of FDA/ORA's Cooperative Agreement Program is to facilitate long-term improvements to the national food safety system by strengthening interagency collaboration, improving States' regulatory and surveillance protection programs for manufactured foods, conducting research, and promotion of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS).
Objectives include:
1. Support the efforts of federal and state government agencies to build a national integrated animal food safety system;
2. Establish systems for sharing, promotion, and collaboration of best practices, guidance documents, sampling plans, procedures, memorandums of understanding, and other tools to facilitate and encourage mutual reliance between federal and state animal food regulatory programs and public health agencies;
3. Identify, develop, deliver promote, and/or assist with attendance of animal food safety training programs to support implementation of the AFRPS, as well as training and stakeholder support for provisions of FSMA; and
4. Support the advancement of the AFRPS and future revisions of the AFRPS as part of a system of continuous improvement to ensure the standards are modernized and support the needs of animal food regulatory programs.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food
The purpose of the grant is to help mitigate the impact of wolves on livestock producers in California. The Wolf-Livestock Compensation Grant Program has established three primary areas of need and compensation; direct livestock loss from wolf depredation, the use nonlethal deterrent tools, and the compensation for indirect loss or affects from wolves on livestock.
The Wolf-Livestock Compensation Grant Program has three “prongs”, or potential grant opportunities, for eligible applicants: direct loss compensation, nonlethal deterrent methods support, and indirect loss compensation. This grant opportunity involves the first prong, direct loss compensation, in which producers can be compensated for direct livestock loss (death, injury) due to confirmed or probable wolf depredation. Wolf depredation is determined during an investigation and documented by CDFW on a Livestock Loss Determination form. Each reported depredation incident is unique and requires a case-by-case analysis of the evidence, context, and other factors that inform the determination process. CDFW strives to conduct investigations as soon as reasonably possible to preserve physical evidence and gather information from producers and potential eyewitnesses. Wolf depredation is “confirmed” when there is physical evidence that an animal was injured or killed by a wolf and “probable” when there is sufficient evidence to suggest wolf predation (e.g., evidence of predation and evidence that wolves were likely present at the time of injury or death), but not enough evidence to confirm it. Upon issuance of compensation for a direct loss, producers will be expected to consult with the Department to evaluate and implement a deterrent strategy that may be beneficial in reducing wolf-livestock conflict. The deterrent tools and/or actions implemented as part of this strategy may be eligible for compensation under the program’s second prong, if and when sufficient funds are available.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureEnvironment and Conservation
FDA announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2024 funds to support one or more projects to 1) collect antimicrobial use data from diverse animal sectors, including domestic livestock, poultry, companion animals (dogs, cats, and horses), and minor species (e.g., fish, sheep, goats, etc.) and 2) contribute to the development of data collection frameworks, including providing data and expertise as resources and a public-private partnership frameworks are established.
This grant will support the continued advancement of FDA's initiatives to support antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings. It will also support the National Action Plan objectives to engage the animal health community and relevant stakeholders to advance strategies intended to improve understanding of antimicrobial use and foster antimicrobial stewardship in animal agriculture.
Nutrition and FoodHealth and MedicalPets and Animal Wildlife
The purpose of this FOA is to develop and maintain Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to facilitate long-term improvements and innovation to the national integrated food safety system by unifying and coordinating federal/state/local human and animal food (HAF) emergency response efforts including:
1) Strengthening the link among epidemiology, lab and environmental health/regulatory components;
2) Improving States' regulatory and surveillance HAF protection programs to include using Incident Command System (ICS)/National Incident Management System (NIMS) principles and a Unified Command structure to conduct integrated responses to all-hazards HAF emergencies, rapidly identifying and removing tainted food from commerce, and conducting root cause investigations to inform future prevention efforts; and
3) Addressing supporting components, such as training, data sharing, data analysis, communications, continuous process improvement, and development of best practices and other resources to support national response capacity/capability development.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food