USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Junior and senior students in the The George Washington University’s Introduction to Food Policy Course visited USDA on Sept. 30 to learn about USDA's efforts in urban agriculture while getting a tour of the People’s Garden, the USDA Whitten and South Buildings and the USDA Museum. During their visit, they met with NIFA's Dr. Fleischhacker, senior technical advisor for nutrition security, to learn about department wide efforts to tackle food and nutrition insecurity.

Last week, NIFA Associate Director for Programs Dr. Toombs served on a panel discussion entitled: Leaders in Policy and Partnerships during the 2025 Women In Agribusiness Summit in Denver, CO. The panel addressed the pivotal role policies and partnerships play to bolster North American competitiveness, the economy, and food security - why it matters and why we should care. There were nearly 990 participants from nine countries and 47 states at the summit. During the event, Dr. Toombs participated in the Colorado State University Spur where they hosted a private screening of Dr. Temple Grandin's not-yet-released documentary - An Open Door.

On Sept. 13, Dr. Toombs, NIFA associate director for programs, participated on a panel discussion entitled: Innovative Approaches to Urban Development: How Cross-Sector Collaboration Between Food & Housing Can Lead to Holistic Solutions. The discussion focused on collaborative programs and strategies to help create more sustainable urban communities nationwide. This event was a part of the Dr. Una S. T. Clarke Women in Government Lecture Series - a program with the Medgar Evers College, College University of New York, whose mission is to educate the student body and the community about the public policy impact that women have on society when they enter public office. This event took place at the Martin Luther King Library Center in Washington, D.C., during the Congressional Black Caucus convening.

NIFA is committed to fostering strong relationships with its college and university partners. As part of that effort, NIFA continues to meet with stakeholders when they visit Washington, D.C. Recently, Michigan Technological University faculty met with NIFA professionals to learn about more about the agency and funding opportunities.

Washington State farm numbers continue to decline. According to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, the state had just over 32,000 farms, down from more than 81,000 in 1940. As aging farmers look to retire, land prices have soared as a result of increasing investor and developer interest. These compounding pressures are making farm ownership inaccessible to many beginning farmers. Supported by NIFA, Washington State nonprofit organizations are investing in the future by developing the next generation of farmers in the state. https://lnkd.in/eCSNsWE8

Join NIFA Oct. 4 for the Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR) Listening Session #2. Stakeholders may share their feedback with NIFA representatives regarding all aspects of CYFAR.

This month, NIFA Associate Director for Programs Dr. Dionne Toombs visited California and met with individuals who work with the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), a NIFA-funded project. The CNIP empower state SNAP shoppers to purchase more fresh, healthy foods, increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and improve their food security and health outcomes while recovering from the pandemic and economic crisis. Dr. Toombs also attended both farmers markets at Capitol Farmers Market in Sacramento, CA, and Davis Farmers Market in Davis, CA.

Effective post award management is needed to accomplish project goals and the legislative intent for the program. Join NIFA for the Post-Award Management for Competitive Grants webinar to learn more about award amendments, no-cost extensions, reporting requirements and more.

Join NIFA for the USDA Actions on Reducing Food Loss and Waste webinar on Oct. 2. Dr. Suzanne Stluka, Deputy Director, USDA NIFA Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, will kick off this webinar highlighting the connection of food loss and waste to tackling food and nutrition insecurity and explain NIFA’s contributions to USDA’s overall efforts. Dr. Jean Buzby, USDA’s Food Loss and Waste Liaison, who will explain the department’s work in this area and share her vision for further integrating approaches to food loss and waste across USDA. Then, Drs. Charlotte Tuttle, Lydia Kaume and Vijay Nandula, NIFA National Program Leaders, will provide overviews of their relevant programs, awardees and accomplishments to date. 

Make plans to join us for the virtual #USDAScience Showcase & Innovation Challenge Reveal is on Sept. 30 from 2:30-3:25 p.m. ET. This event will spotlight USDA's cutting-edge research & reveal the breakthrough Innovation Challenge projects. Livestream link: http://usda.gov/live