Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program

FY2026 - Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program - RFA-MOD1

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
Competitive Grants Program
Foundational and Applied Science Program
MODIFICATIONS: 11/14/25 — This RFA has been modified from the original announcement.
Changes are indicated using track changes and red font so the public/potential applicants can
identify the changes within the solicitation.
The APPLICATION DEADLINE has been extended for various AFRI Program Area Priorities.
Table 2 on page 5 provides a summary of all changes. Individual edits appear on pages: 6, 14,
16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 28, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 49, 52, 54, 56, 59, 60, 62, 65, 68,
70, 71, 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, and 84.
FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Varies by Program Area (see Part I § C)
ANTICIPATED FUNDING: $300,000,000
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134
ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.310
LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Varies by Program Area (see Part I § C)
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ANNOUNCEMENT
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
Assistance Listing Number: The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive
Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science (FAS) is listed in the Assistance Listings
under number 10.310.
Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines
Task Description Deadline
Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, on the 2026 deadline dates indicated in
Part I § C
Letter of Intent: If applicable, 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, on the LOI deadline dates
indicated in Part I § C
Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice
(NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to the extent permitted by law, will no
longer make grants or otherwise fund programs or activities that improperly discriminate on the
basis of race or sex, including discrimination in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
policies. Instead, USDA will prioritize merit and efficiency. USDA recognizes programs and
initiatives will have the greatest impact when these programs and initiatives put American
farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by:
• solving the most pressing challenges they face;
• protecting America’s food, fuel, and fiber supply to enhance national security;
• supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers;
• expanding and developing domestic markets;
• training the next generation of agriculturalists; and
• fueling innovation to keep American farmers at the forefront of productivity.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to advancing these
principles and encourages applicants to actively engage farmers, ranchers, and foresters when
applying for funding opportunities to ensure relevancy and adherence to them. NIFA also
encourages agricultural leaders to engage in the peer review panel process to ensure American
producers are better served through research, education, and extension activities.
Stakeholder Input. NIFA seeks comments on all Request for Applications (RFA) so it can
deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service.
NIFA considers comments to the extent possible when developing RFAs, and uses comments to
help meet the requirements of Section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). Applicants may submit written comments
to Policy@usda.gov. Please use the following subject line: Response to the AFRI FAS RFA.
Centers of Excellence. Applicants are welcome to visit the NIFA’s Centers of Excellence
(COE) for information on COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of
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programs offering COE opportunities. Recordings of COE outreach and COE implementation
webinars are also available.
Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics. NIFA solicits proposed topics from eligible state and
national commodity boards on an ongoing basis for the AFRI program. Topics must relate to the
established AFRI six priority areas. Topics submitted by the commodity boards that align with
NIFA priorities are chosen for inclusion in selected program areas of AFRI RFAs. Details on
general information and topic submission resources for inclusion in future AFRI RFAs can be
found at NIFA's Commodity Board Provision website.
Applicants are welcome to view AFRI Commodity Board Co-funding Topics (A1811) in Part I §
C for additional details on commodity board-specific priorities and submission of applications
relevant to these priorities.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This notice identifies the objectives for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
Foundational and Applied Science program projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility
criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions.
AFRI is America’s flagship competitive grants program that provides funding for fundamental
and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. In
this RFA, NIFA requests applications for the six AFRI priority areas through the FAS Program
for FY 2026. The goal of this program is to invest in agricultural production research, education,
and extension projects for more sustainable, productive, and economically-viable plant and
animal production systems. It is imperative to develop innovative, safe, and sustainable
management strategies for livestock (including poultry and aquaculture species), crops, and
critical underlying resources.
In 2026, applications are sought in the following 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. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;
5. Agriculture systems and technology; and
6. Agriculture economics and rural communities
The amount available for programs included in the FY 2026 AFRI FAS RFA is approximately
$300,000,000. Funding from FY 2026 appropriations will be used for the programs solicited in
this RFA. Funding from FY2025 appropriations was provided to applications submitted to the
FY24 AFRI FAS RFA published December 15. 2023. The amount available to support the AFRI
program is anticipated to be approximately $407,000,000, of which $300 million will be used to
support AFRI FAS programs.
In FY 2026, this RFA solicits Standard Grants, Workshop Grants, and Food and Agricultural
Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, whereas project types solicited in this RFA are Research,
Extension, Education, and Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension projects. Grant
types and project types solicited vary by program area priority and not all grant types are
solicited within each program area priority. See Part I § C (Program Area Descriptions) for grant
and project types solicited by each specific program area priority, and Part II § C for a
description of each individual grant type and project type.
Applications from and collaborations with institutions eligible for Strengthening Grants are
welcome. More information is available on the AFRI FASE and Established Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) page.
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Table 2: Program Area Priorities and Deadlines
The deadlines under this RFA are summarized as follows:
Program Program Program Area Priority Name 2026 Review Cycle Deadlines2
Area1 Code
PHPPP A1102 1a. Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production December 4, 2025
Systems
PHPPP A1103 1b. Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products December 4, 2025
PHPPP A1112 1c. Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural December 18, 2025
Production Systems
PHPPP A1152 1d. Physiology of Agricultural Plants December 4, 2025
PHPPP A1141 1e. Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production December 4, 2025
PHPPP A1113 1f. Pollinator Health: Research and Application December 11, 2025
PHPPP A1143 1g. Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar December 11, 2025
Development
AHPAP A1211 2a. Animal Reproduction December 18, 2025
AHPAP A1231 2b. Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation December 18, 2025
AHPAP A1251 2c. Welfare of Agricultural Animals December 18, 2025
AHPAP A1221 2d. Diseases of Agricultural Animals December 18, 2025
AHPAP A1201 2e. Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics December 18, 2025
FSNH A1332 3a. Food Safety and Defense December 4, 2025
FSNH A1364 3b. Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies December 4, 2025
FSNH A1344 3c. Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic December 4, 2025
Diseases
FSNH A1343 3d. Food and Human Health December 11, 2025
FSNH A1366 3e. Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food December 11, 2025
Chain
BNRE A1401 4a. Soil Health December 4, 2025
BNRE A1411 4b. Water Quantity and Quality December 4, 2025
BNRE A1414 4c. Bioeconomy and Biobased Products December 4, 2025
BNRE A1451 4d. Landscape-Scale Production Systems December 4, 2025
AST A1521 5a. Engineering for Agricultural Production and December 4, 2025
Processing
AST A1531 5b. Biorefining and Biomanufacturing December 4, 2025
AST A1511 5c. Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems December 11, 2025
AST A1551 5d. Engineering for Precision Crop and Water December 4, 2025
Management
AERC A1601 6a. Small and Medium-Sized Farms December 11, 2025
AERC A1641 6b. Economics, Markets and Trade December 4, 2025
AERC A1642 6c. Social Implications of Food and Agricultural December 11, 2025
Technologies
AERC A1661 6d. Rural Economic Development December 11, 2025
AERC A1651 6e. Environmental and Natural Resource Economics December 11, 2025
1 PHPPP=Plant Health and Production and Plant Products, AHPAP=Animal Health and Production and Animal Products;
FSNH=Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; BNRE=Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; AST=Agriculture Systems
and Technology; AERC=Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities; Crosscutting=Crosscutting Program Area Priorities
2 All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
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Program Program Program Area Priority Name 2026 Review Cycle Deadlines2
Area1 Code
Crosscutting A1402 7a. Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and December 11, 2025
Natural Resources
Crosscutting A1701 7b. Critical Agricultural Research and Extension (CARE) December 18, 2025
Crosscutting A1541 7c. Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems December18, 2025
(DSFAS)
Crosscutting A1181 7d. Agricultural Biosecurity December 18, 2025
Crosscutting A1713 7e. Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest Accepted on a continuous basis
and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural after this RFA is published
Systems
Crosscutting A1811 7f. AFRI Commodity Board Co-funding Topics October 2, 2025
Crosscutting A1712 7g. Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Accepted on a continuous basis
Agricultural Systems after this RFA is published
1 PHPPP=Plant Health and Production and Plant Products, AHPAP=Animal Health and Production and Animal Products;
FSNH=Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; BNRE=Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; AST=Agriculture Systems
and Technology; AERC=Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities; Crosscutting=Crosscutting Program Area Priorities
2 All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
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FY 2026 UPDATES
1. This RFA covers the FY 2026 grant application review cycle for which funding from the FY
2026 budget will be used.
2. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirement as a New Investigator (see Part II § C),
will also be eligible to apply for a seed grant, as well as for a New Investigator standard grant
unless they were awarded a seed grant previously, in which case they are eligible to apply for
a New Investigator standard grant but are no longer eligible to apply for a New Investigator
seed grant. While all seed grant applications submitted to a program area priority will be
evaluated together, seed grant applications from New Investigators will not compete for
funding with applications from strengthening-eligible (see Part II § C) institutions. More
information about seed grants is in the “AFRI Grant Types” PDF in the attachments list on
the AFRI RFA Resources page.
3. Year-round Workshop grant applications are accepted after submission of the Letter of
Intent; see Part I § C for more information on which programs accept Workshop grants. The
LOI must be submitted at least 195 days before the start of the Workshop. The full Workshop
Grant application must be submitted, at minimum, 150 days before the start of the Workshop.
4. A new cross-cutting program area priority in this RFA is “Rapid Response to Emerging and
Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems” (program code
A1713)
5. NEW IN FY 2026 – A Mentoring Plan is now required for all AFRI grant applications
(excluding Workshop grants, equipment grants and sabbatical grants) for projects that
involve any type of education, training or mentoring of students or other individuals
including high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, professional
degree students, postdoctoral scholars, other professionals or any other individual receiving
any type of formal, or non-formal training on the proposed project. For additional important
details, see the “FY 2026 Foundational and Applied Science (FAS) RFA Additional
Information for Part IV, C” on the AFRI RFA Resources page.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 4
FY 2026 UPDATES.................................................................................................................... 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... 8
TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 10
PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION ...................................................... 11
A. Legislative Authority ....................................................................................................... 11
B. Purpose and Priorities ...................................................................................................... 11
C. Program Area Description ............................................................................................... 12
1.Plant Health and Production and Plant Products ................................................................ 12
2.Animal Health and Production and Animal Products ........................................................ 26
3.Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health .................................................................................... 36
4.Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment .............................................................. 47
5.Agriculture Systems and Technology ................................................................................ 57
6.Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities ............................................................... 67
7.Crosscutting Programs ....................................................................................................... 76
PART II. AWARD INFORMATION .................................................................................. 100
A. Available Funding ......................................................................................................... 100
B. Application Restrictions ................................................................................................ 100
C. Project and Grant Types ................................................................................................ 101
D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects .............................................................................. 101
E. Partnership Opportunities .............................................................................................. 101
PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ....................................................................... 103
A. Eligibility Requirements ................................................................................................ 103
B. Request for Determination of Status ............................................................................. 104
C. Cost Sharing or Matching .............................................................................................. 104
D. Centers of Excellence .................................................................................................... 105
PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION ............................................................... 106
A. Letter of Intent ............................................................................................................... 106
B. Method of Application................................................................................................... 106
C. Content and Form of the Application ............................................................................ 106
D. Funding Restrictions ...................................................................................................... 108
PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS ................................................. 110
A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process ........................................................................................... 110
B. Evaluation Criteria ......................................................................................................... 111
C. Centers of Excellence .................................................................................................... 111
D. Organizational Management Information ..................................................................... 111
E. Application Disposition ................................................................................................. 111
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PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION .......................................................................... 112
A. General ........................................................................................................................... 112
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements ....................................................... 112
C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements ............................................. 112
PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................ 113
A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget ............................................................................ 113
B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards........................................................ 113
C. Regulatory Information ................................................................................................. 114
D. Language Access Services ............................................................................................. 114
APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT .................................................................................. 115
APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................... 117
APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS .......................................................................................... 118
APPENDIX IV: OTHER AFRI RESOURCES .................................................................. 121
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TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION
Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines .................................................................................................. 2
Table 2: Program Area Priorities and Deadlines ............................................................................ 5
Table 3: Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems Key Information .......... 14
Table 4: Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products Key Information ....................................... 16
Table 5: Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems Key Information ..... 17
Table 6: Physiology of Agricultural Plants Key Information ....................................................... 20
Table 7: Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production Key Information ........................................ 21
Table 8: Pollinator Health: Research and Applications Key Information .................................... 23
Table 9: Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development Key Information .................... 25
Table 10: Animal Reproduction Key Information ........................................................................ 28
Table 11: Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation Key Information .......................................... 29
Table 12: Welfare of Agricultural Animals Key Information ...................................................... 31
Table 13: Diseases of Agricultural Animals Key Information ..................................................... 32
Table 14: Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics Key Information ...................................... 34
Table 15: Food Safety and Defense Key Information .................................................................. 37
Table 16: Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies Key Information ........................... 39
Table 17: Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases Key Information ................... 40
Table 18: Food and Human Health Key Information ................................................................... 43
Table 19: Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain Key Information .......... 45
Table 20: Soil Health Key Information ........................................................................................ 49
Table 21: Water Quantity and Quality Key Information .............................................................. 51
Table 22: Bioeconomy and Biobased Products Key Information ................................................ 54
Table 25: Biorefining and Biomanufacturing Key Information ................................................... 60
Table 26: Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems Key Information ........................ 62
Table 27: Engineering for Precision Crop and Water Management Key Information ................. 65
Table 28: Small and Medium-Sized Farms Key Information ....................................................... 68
Table 29: Economics, Markets and Trade Key Information......................................................... 69
Table 30: Social Implications of Food and Agricultural Technologies Key Information ............ 71
Table 31: Rural Economic Development Key Information .......................................................... 73
Table 32: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Key Information ............................ 75
Table 33: Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources Key Information 77
Table 34: Critical Agricultural Research and Extension (CARE) Key Information .................... 79
Table 35: Data Science for Food and Agricultural Systems (DSFAS) Key Information ............. 81
Table 37: Agricultural Biosecurity Key Information.................................................................... 84
Table 39: AFRI Commodity Board Co-funding Topics Key Information ................................... 91
Table 40: Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems Key
Information ................................................................................................................................... 96
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PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Legislative Authority
Section 2(b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (hereafter referred to
as the Act) (7 U.S.C. 3157), as amended, authorizes the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
(AFRI), a competitive grant program to provide funding for fundamental and applied research,
education, and extension to address food and agricultural sciences in the following 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. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;
5. Agriculture systems and technology; and
6. Agriculture economics and rural communities.
To the maximum extent practicable, NIFA, in coordination with the Under Secretary for
Research, Education, and Economics (REE), will make grants for high priority research,
education, and extension, taking into consideration, when available, the determinations made by
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board
(NAREEEAB) pursuant to the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C.
3157). The Secretary delegates the authority to the Under Secretary for Research, Education and
Economics in 7 CFR 2.21, and the Under Secretary delegates that authority to NIFA.
B. Purpose and Priorities
The purpose of AFRI (listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.310) is to support
research, education, and extension projects that will help farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other
agricultural producers address key problems of local, regional, and national importance in
sustaining food and agricultural systems. These include farm and ranch production efficiency,
profitability, and sustainability; bio-based products; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and
entrepreneurship; human nutrition; mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food
production; food safety; physical and social sciences; rural human ecology; and genetic
improvement of plants and animals. In addition, the economic sustainability of food systems is
an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this RFA; therefore, projects
focusing on plant or animal species or commodities that are important to small- or medium-sized
farms or ranches are also welcome. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both
fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. Additionally, AFRI supports work in
education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing
them to make informed, practical decisions. This AFRI RFA provides funding for research-only,
education-only, extension-only, and integrated research, education, and/or extension projects
addressing six priorities identified in Part I § A.
Background
AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants portfolio for food and agricultural sciences, and
funding is offered through the Foundational and Applied Science, Sustainable Agricultural
Systems, and Education and Workforce Development Requests for Applications for addressing
critical societal issues.
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The Foundational and Applied Science RFA program areas address the following priorities, as
well as all included subpriorities:
A. Plant Health and Production and Plant Products;
B. Animal Health and Production and Animal Products;
C. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health;
D. Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment;
E. Agriculture Systems and Technology; and
F. Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities
For a program informational webinar please visit the NIFA calendar for dates, event registration,
and link. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the informational
webinars listed, please contact the event host listed no later than 10 days prior to the event.
C. Program Area Description
NIFA is soliciting applications under seven AFRI program areas. The program areas and their
respective approximate available funding amounts include:
1. Plant health and production and plant products ($61 million)
2. Animal health and production and animal products ($56 million)
3. Food safety, nutrition, and health ($38 million)
4. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment ($33 million)
5. Agriculture systems and technology ($36 million)
6. Agriculture economics and rural communities ($30 million)
7. Crosscutting programs ($46 million)
Funding amounts indicated for program areas above include funding that may be allocated to
interagency programs for which AFRI engages with other Federal funding agencies and for
which applications are solicited through other Funding Opportunity Announcements.
1. Plant Health and Production and Plant Products
Background
Monumental gains in American crop productivity over the past 60 years are the result of
innovations in agricultural production practices, plant breeding, and pest management. The goal
of the Plant Health and Production and Plant Products (PHPPP) program area is to ensure
continued production gains are achieved via break-through discoveries and the translation of
these into improved plant production and protection practices. The outcomes of these projects are
expected to increase production efficiencies and combat persistent threats and new challenges
that limit the achievement of dependable yields.
Plant agriculture is changing with the introduction of new engineering, technology, and
information tools. Further improvements to plant agriculture will require a greater understanding
of complex, inter-related factors, across a wide range of scales. These include investigations of
plant and pest biology at the molecular, cellular, whole-organism, and systems levels to increase
performance and provide protection from biotic and abiotic stressors. New traits are being
discovered and varieties developed using gene editing and other advanced breeding methods.
Optimal integration of production system components is sought to ensure practices and products
are safe for consumers and achieved with good stewardship of natural resources and efficient use
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of human capital. By supporting extension programming, and training the next generation of
scientists, new technologies will be made readily available to end-users and put into practice.
This strategy will ensure that the United States continues to be a leader in the agricultural
sciences and a reliable source for the expanding domestic demand for an abundant and secure
supply of food, feed, natural fibers, wood, and other plant-based products.
In addition to the program area priorities described in this section, the PHPPP program area also
supports the following program area priorities:
• Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources (A1402), Agricultural
Biosecurity (A1181), and Critical Agriculture Research and Extension (A1701) program
area priorities described in Crosscutting Programs.
• Plant Biotic Interactions will be offered through an interagency program with National
Science Foundation (NSF); the NIFA program email is A1171@usda.gov. For NSF Dear
Colleague Letter, see Dear Colleague Letter: Advancing Plant Transformation (nsf23019) |
NSF - National Science Foundation.
Total Program Funds: Approximately $61 million
Key Information (Applicable to All Plant Health and Production and Plant Products Program
Area Priorities):
a. All applications must adhere to the requirements in Part IV.
b. Choice of plant species (including crops, trees, and weeds) and objectives must be
justified in terms of importance to agricultural food, feed, fiber, ornamental plants
(including turf), planted forest, or industrial crop production systems in the United States.
c. Projects focusing on plant species and commodities that are important to small- or
medium-sized farms are welcome.
d. Applications that include collaborations with international partners may also be
submitted. The AFRI International Partnerships webpage contains additional information
on international partnerships.
e. Applications with highly complex, large scale, transdisciplinary, and integrated research,
education, and extension projects that incorporate foundational knowledge from this
program area should be submitted to the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS)
program (A9201). Please check the NIFA website for when the AFRI SAS RFA will be
available.
f. An applicant may submit a Workshop Grant application anytime during the year. A
Letter of Intent (LOI) is required for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must be
submitted at least 195 days before the start of the Workshop. The full Workshop Grant
application must be submitted, at minimum, 150 days before the start of the Workshop.
Program Area Priorities – Each application must address at least one of the seven program
area priorities listed below. Details about each of the PHPPP program area priorities are provided
later in this section.
1a. Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems
1b. Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products
1c. Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
1d. Physiology of Agricultural Plants
1e. Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production
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1f. Pollinator Health: Research and Application
1g. Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development
1a. Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems
Table 3: Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1102
Program Code Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research and Integrated Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 2December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: Submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Research Projects
Amount(s): b. Including indirect costs: $750,000 for Integrated Projects
c. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
d. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1102@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems program area supports plant
research to advance our knowledge for the wide range of agricultural production systems found
across the rural-urban continuum, from conventional or organic open-fields to protected built
environments. Research should address critical or process-limiting dynamics that occur among
and within the various management components of a production system using experimental
manipulations of system components, technological interventions, system analyses, or modeling.
Results are expected to lead to the development of innovative sustainable solutions to challenges
limiting or threatening the productivity, profitability, and human capital.
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Applications must address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Determine how production systems, can alter the structure of microbial communities
associated with plants, soils, or other growing media; the ways alterations affect functions
such as plant nutrient uptake/utilization efficiency; and resilience to weeds, insects,
diseases, weather events, and other stressors that influence productivity and/or product
quality (including nutritional quality);
b. Investigate how changes to cropping systems, including diversification or intensification,
affect crop performance, soil health, and other outcomes beneficial to cropping systems;
or
c. Conduct syntheses and meta-analyses of existing data or develop new or extend existing
models to derive general principles about the function, properties, and performance of
agricultural production systems.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Projects supported by Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems
program area priority can serve as building blocks needed for large inter- and trans-
disciplinary projects funded by the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems program.
e. Appropriate plant production systems for study include food, feed, fiber, ornamental
plants (including turf), industrial crops; harvested forages; pastures; seaweeds; and
planted forests. Conventional, organic, and protected systems (including hydroponics,
aquaponics, aeroponics, vertical farming, and other controlled environment production
systems) are appropriate for study.
f. The production system studied could include key management components such as:
integrated crop management, soil or other growing media fertility, soil health, agronomic
practices, cover cropping, biodiversification, economics, integrated management of target
pests (including arthropods, nematodes, pathogens, and weeds), automation, and worker
well-being and safety.
g. Development of innovative production systems to optimize the production of high-valued
plant products are welcome. Plant products may include but are not limited to oil, fiber,
nutra- and pharmaceuticals, nutrients, juices, fragrances, resins, and biopesticides.
h. Applicants must ensure applications are submitted to the right program or program area
priority, for instance:
1) Applications to study management of pests or beneficial species may be more
appropriate for the Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
program area priority (A1112).
2) Applications to study microbiome function may be more appropriate for the
Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources program area
priority (A1402 in Crosscutting Programs).
3) Applications to study aquatic animals in aquaponics systems may be more
appropriate for the Small and Medium-Sized Farms program area priority (A1601) or
the Economics, Markets and Trade program area priority (A1641) described in the
Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities program area of this RFA.
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i. The Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems program does not
support projects focused on livestock. Please refer to the Animal Health and Production
and Animal Products program area, described elsewhere in this RFA.
j. Applications focusing on integrated crop/livestock systems, rangelands, and forest
management may be more appropriate for Landscape-scale Production Systems (A1451).
k. Starting in 2027, priority c (Syntheses and meta data analyses) will not be offered.
Applicants should consider submitting to the crosscutting program A1541 “Data Science
for Food and Agricultural Systems”.
1b. Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products
Table 4: Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1103
Program Code Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 16December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-48 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
a. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
b. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
c. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1103@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products program supports projects to study the
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biosynthesis of plant-derived, high-value biomolecules for use in foods, pharmaceuticals, and
other products. Projects must focus on agriculturally-important plants, but the choice of plant
species must be justified. Molecular, biochemical, synthetic biology, or eco-physiological
approaches may be used to determine the biosynthetic pathways for industrially-important
biomolecules. The intent of this program is for results to be translated into discoveries that help
create or meet emerging and future markets and contribute towards long-term demand for
agricultural-based products.
Applications must address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Primary and/or secondary metabolic pathways regulating the biosynthesis of plant
metabolites that improve the quality of food and/or feed;
b. Biosynthetic pathways of metabolites with herbicidal or pesticidal activities;
c. Improving the production (biosynthesis) of plant-based chemicals that have industrial
and/or pharmaceutical relevance; or
d. Macronutrient and/or micronutrient biosynthesis, accumulation, and/or availability that
are beneficial to human health and nutrition.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Applications that address topics related to medicinal studies or human health are not
appropriate for this program area priority.
e. Applications that address plant physiology may be more appropriate for Physiology of
Agricultural Plants (A1152).
1c. Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
Table 5: Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1112
Program Code Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research and Integrated Projects (Research and Extension) only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
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Title Description
Application a. 2026: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award Including indirect costs:
Amount(s): a. $750,000 for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard Grants, and
New Investigator Standard Grants; $900,000 with specific
partnerships (see Part II § E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1112@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
This program area priority supports basic and applied research that advances knowledge of
invasive or established plant pests and associated beneficial species and directly leading to the
development of innovative and biologically-based applied solutions to managing pests in U.S.
agricultural systems. Appropriate plant agricultural production study systems include food and
fiber crops, ornamental plants (including turf), managed grasslands, rangelands, and planted
forests. Conventional, organic, and protected systems (including hydroponics, aquaponics,
aeroponics, vertical farming, etc.) are appropriate. Pests may include invertebrates, plant
pathogens or their vectors, nematodes and weeds. Beneficial species in this program are
restricted to biological control agents and microbes that play a role in pest management.
Molecular, organismal, population, and/or community approaches are appropriate to this
program. Foundational projects must exhibit a clear link to U.S. agriculture and clearly illustrate
how new knowledge generated will directly lead to, novel or improved bio-based, applied tools
and approaches to managing plant pests.
Applications must address one or more of the following in the context of enabling the
development and evaluation of innovative practices to improve the management of plant pests
(order does not indicate importance):
a. Biotic and abiotic factors, affecting the abundance or spread of agriculturally-important
plant pests or beneficial species relevant to pest management; including other plant pests or
beneficial species, plant compounds, pesticides, or toxins;
b. Behavioral attributes of pests and beneficial species, including intra- or interspecies
interactions and/or communication systems, relevant to pest management;
c. Factors that contribute to invasiveness, including population genetics/genomic approaches
or models to predict, prevent or manage outbreaks, or to pinpoint geographic distribution or
origin;
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d. Movement or dispersal dynamics of pests (including vectors) or beneficial organisms;
including epidemiological factors that influence disease spread, the influence of agronomic
practices on weed populations, and research on aspects of weed biology that impact
reproductive biology, seed bank dynamics, and other population-level aspects; or
e. Mechanisms of pest resistance to pesticides (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides) or plant
incorporated protectants (e.g., Bt toxin) and the development of strategies to mitigate
resistance or crop failure.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Applicants must ensure applications are submitted to the right program or program area
priority, for instance:
1) Applications that address topics related to pollinators are not appropriate for this
program area priority; consider submitting to the Pollinator Health: Research and
Application (A1113).
2) Studies involving molecular mechanisms that mediate interactions of plants with their
biotic partners may be appropriate for the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions
program.
3) Applications to study microbiome function may be more appropriate for the
Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources program area
priority (A1402 in Crosscutting Programs).
e. Applications to study pests of livestock or humans (e.g., vectors of human diseases or
nuisance pests such as flies, bed bugs, cockroaches, and termites) are not appropriate for
this program area priority. Instead, consider submitting to the Animal Health and
Production and Animal Products program area if you are studying pests of livestock, or to
the Crop Protection and Pest Management RFA if your work is focused on nuisance pests
in urban or rural systems.
f. Applications for work on big data analytics and tool development to support the
development of a data network and cyberinfrastructure for pests and beneficial species
should be submitted to the Data Science for Food and Agriculture Systems (DSFAS)
program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
g. Projects associated with the initiative to sequence 5,000 arthropod genomes (i5K) are
recommended to link with the National Agricultural Library’s i5k workspace.
h. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the Pests
and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems program area priority. For
more information including FAQs about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and
Northern Ireland partnership page. Applicants submitting to this partnership must select
“other” in the AFRI Project Type form and type in “Collaborative” and their application
title should begin as “TRIPARTITE: [full title]”. Note: Research applications
submitted for U.S.-Ireland Tripartite Collaborative grants are ineligible for U.S.
funding above the research program maximum of $750,000.
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1d. Physiology of Agricultural Plants
Table 6: Physiology of Agricultural Plants Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1152
Program Code Physiology of Agricultural Plants
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 23December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1152@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The Physiology of Agricultural Plants program will support projects to improve productivity or
other performance factors of agriculturally-important plants (including weeds) using molecular,
biochemical, whole-plant, agronomic, or eco-physiological approaches. The genetic basis of
important traits identified through these studies are expected to inform breeding efforts towards
improved yield or product quality, or growth resilience to adverse conditions.
This program area priority will support research in the following areas:
a. Plant growth and developmental processes, including plant architecture and source-sink
relationships;
b. Mechanisms of plant response to abiotic stresses, including increased water use
20

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efficiency; or
c. Nutrient uptake, assimilation, and/or utilization, particularly increased plant use
efficiency for nitrogen, phosphorus, or other supplemental nutrients.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Relevance to agriculturally-important traits should be clearly justified and specific.
e. For studies that involve microbes in plant nutrient utilization or abiotic stress tolerance,
consider the Agricultural Microbiomes program area priority (in Crosscutting Programs)
or the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions program to determine the best fit for the
project.
1e. Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production
Table 7: Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1141
Program Code Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research and Integrated Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only for Plant Breeding Projects
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 23December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-48 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Plant Breeding Projects;
Amount(s): $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II, E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
21

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Title Description
Program Area a. A1141@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production program will support public breeding efforts to
improve crop productivity, efficiency, quality, and performance; and address public breeding
needs. Research topics that have strong potential to further support or improve rates of genetic
gain through their direct bearing on components of the breeder’s equation are welcome. This
encompasses strategic and cost effective allocation of resources for: (1) generating and/or
utilizing useful genetic diversity; (2) improving selection accuracy and intensity through direct or
indirect phenotyping across relevant time scales and environments; (3) identifying, modeling,
and exploiting, heritable epigenetic and genetic marks associated with desirable trait(s); (4)
identifying, modeling, and implementing breeding methods that have potential to reduce the
effective generation interval or timeline for cultivar release. The scope may include multiple taxa
and may address any phase of the breeding development cycle not covered by other AFRI
priorities including building genetic resources, pre-breeding, and improvement phases.
The Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production program encourages proposals that address the
following:
a. Advancing plant transformation to enhance U.S. agriculture. See NSF 24-120 for further
details. Application titles should be prefaced with “Plant Transform.”
b. Increased resistance or tolerance to economically damaging pests and disease.
c. Improved tolerance to heat and water stress.
d. Improved nutrient use efficiency.
e. Leveraging plant genetic resources.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Choice of plant species and objectives must be justified in terms of importance to
agricultural food, feed, fiber, ornamental plants (including turf), small and beginning
farmers, or industrial crop production systems in the United States. Crops and germplasm
relevant to tribal food systems are appropriate for this priority.
e. Relevance to cultivar development should be clearly justified, demonstrable, and specific.
f. Data management plan: The data management plan should delineate responsibilities and
actions for managing and stewarding each data type anticipated by the project and should
include budgeted plans to increase public access to results, datasets, and metadata
consistent with USDA’s Public Access and Open Science Policy. Plans for data resulting
from utilization of National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) resources including ex-
PVP and crop wild-relatives should include details on how these data shall be integrated
into GRIN-Global through genebank staff. Release or distribution of plant germplasm
and other plant materials: Researchers are advised to apply for Plant Variety Protection
Certificates or Plant Patents when possible and to report these inventions on iEdison in
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compliance with the Bayh-Dole Act. Researchers must also confer with the relevant crop
curators and Crop Germplasm Committees early in the application development process
regarding the desirability of submitting the preceding plant materials generated by NIFA
funding into NPGS genebanks and stock centers.
g. Applications proposing data science projects that leverage data sets across multiple
disciplines and convert large amounts of data into knowledge and applications through
computer analytics, modeling and simulations should submit applications to the DSFAS
program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
h. Applications focused on latter stages of cultivar development, building and strengthening
field trial networks, or participatory breeding should be submitted to the Conventional
Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development program area priority (A1143).
1f. Pollinator Health: Research and Applications
Table 8: Pollinator Health: Research and Applications Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1113
Program Code Pollinator Health: Research and Applications
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research, Education or Extension and Integrated Projects (Research
and Extension only) only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 9December 11, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $750,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $900,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
23

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Title Description
Program Area a. A1113@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The pollinator health program area priority supports novel hypothesis-driven research projects
focused on improving our fundamental understanding of the factors and underlying mechanisms
that drive pollinator declines and to develop innovative applied solutions that mitigate these
factors and promote healthy populations of pollinators in agricultural systems. Studies involving
ecological, behavioral, genomic, physiological, biophysical, sociological, and/or economic
approaches will be considered for funding. Targeted multi-year monitoring of selected species in
the context of hypothesis-driven research is also appropriate.
Applications must address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Factors that influence the abundance, biodiversity, and health of pollinators, including
biotic, abiotic as well as economic elements.
b. Functions of the pollinator microbiome in promoting healthy pollinator populations and
understanding the impact of changes in bee gut microbial communities on nutritional
health or disease resistance.
c. Use of cutting-edge technologies to develop and evaluate innovative tools and practices,
including innovative genetic/genomic and breeding tools, diagnostic techniques,
alternative chemicals such as new miticides to control Varroa, or biologically-based
strategies to combat key pests of pollinators that are likely to be adopted by stakeholders
to ensure healthy pollinators.
Development, implementation or evaluation of management practices of crop
o
pests that also ensures protection of pollinators and other beneficial species (e.g.,
integrated pest and pollinator management). Involvement of extension leaders
with engagement of various types of stakeholders (crop producers, consultants,
agribusinesses, non-profit organizations, land managers, beekeepers, or others
managing native pollinators) is strongly recommended.
Experience working with stakeholders to overcome barriers to adoption of
o
integrated pest and pollinator management practices is also recommended.
Letters of support or collaboration with stakeholders should be included in the
o
application.
d. Extension only projects that include informal training, workshops or demonstration
projects related to pollinators in agriculture and associated systems.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. A broad range of plant systems are appropriate, such as fruit, vegetable, nut and oilseed
crops, habitat in conservation reserve programs, cover crops, hedgerows, rangelands,
horticultural crops, prairies, forests, agroforestry systems, etc. Rural, semi-rural and
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urban systems are also appropriate.
e. Proposals to establish a research coordination network must include a management plan
that clearly delineates the specific roles and responsibilities of individuals, agencies or
private industries or land managers (e.g., research coordination, leveraging additional
funds or other resources, sharing data and information, or citizen engagement).
1g. Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development
Table 9: Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1143
Program Code Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New Investigator,
Seed, Equipment, and Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Not required.
Deadline:
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 9December 11, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s): Time)
Grant Duration: a. 36-48 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $500,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1143@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
The Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development program will support public
breeding efforts that provide farmers with greater access to locally and regionally adapted
cultivars.
Applications for research must address later stages of cultivar development focused on data-
driven evaluation of developed materials in established regional trials or cooperative networks
with the primary goal of producing distinct, uniform, finished cultivars or heterogeneous-
varieties for public release with benefits to either producers or consumers. Research proposals
must include (1) how the cultivar will be released and marketed, (2) who owns the intellectual
property, (3) letters of support from stakeholders, (4) how the research fits within the overall
existing breeding program, and (5) how this support for later stages of cultivar development will
25

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enhance and increase the availability of cultivars in the market place within the duration of the
award. In addition to the research, proposals may include requests for modern plant breeding
equipment (e.g., ranging from field to seed or processing to laboratory) to support plant breeding
program infrastructure. Stand-alone equipment proposals are not acceptable. Relevance and need
to enhance cultivar development must be clearly justified, demonstrable, and specific. Research
that incorporates education of field-based plant breeders is strongly recommended.
The Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development Program welcomes applications that
address the following:
a. Involvement of producers, consumers, or other stakeholders in participatory breeding
efforts;
b. Strengthening multi-environment trials across programs or regions;
c. Building cooperative networks that efficiently leverage resources across breeding
programs to create value to the consumer; or
d. Applications that will result in and increase the availability of cultivars in the
marketplace within the duration of the award.
Program Area Priority Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms are welcome.
d. Release or distribution of plant germplasm and other plant materials: Researchers are
recommended to apply for Plant Variety Protection Certificates or Plant Patents when
possible and to report these inventions on iEdison in compliance with the Bayh-Dole Act.
Researchers must also confer with the relevant crop curators and Crop Germplasm
Committees early in the application development process regarding the desirability of
submitting the preceding plant materials generated by NIFA funding into National Plant
Germplasm System (NPGS) genebanks and stock centers. More information is available
on the NPGS website.
e. Applications whose primary focus is plant breeding discovery research, pre-breeding,
breeding tools and methods, or genetic engineering should be submitted to the Plant
Breeding for Agricultural Production program area priority (A1141).
f. Applications proposing data science projects that leverage data sets across multiple
disciplines and convert large amounts of data into knowledge and applications through
computer analytics, modeling and simulations should submit applications to the DSFAS
program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
2. Animal Health and Production and Animal Products
Background
Animal health and production play critical roles in the sustainability and competitiveness of U.S.
agriculture. Livestock, poultry, equine, and aquaculture species contribute significantly to the
nation’s economy, food production, and food security. For U.S. agriculture to remain globally
competitive, a better understanding of the critical biological and physiological mechanisms
underlying nutrition, growth, reproduction, and health in these species is needed. Basic and
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applied research at the genetic, genomic, molecular, cellular, microbiome, and organ systems
levels are essential to control and prevent animal diseases, reduce animal health and production
costs, and enhance nutritional quality of animal products. New knowledge gained from this
research will lead to better management strategies for both conventional and organic food
production systems to enhance production efficiency, improve animal health and welfare, and
develop high quality animal products for human use. These strategies may include the
application of biotechnology, conventional/classical breeding, and breed development. Recent
advances in genome modification technologies, such as genome editing, hold promise as a novel
tool for understanding the role of specific genes and gene products in animal biology,
physiology, and production traits, as well as precision breeding. NIFA is soliciting applications
using genome editing in the program areas below. Projects focusing on minor animal species,
including but not limited to goats, farmed deer, elk, and bison, as well as animal species and
commodities that are important to small- or medium-sized farms or ranches are welcome in all
program areas listed below.
In addition to the program area priorities described in this section, the Animal Health and
Production and Animal Products program area also supports the following program area
priorities:
a. Agricultural Biosecurity (A1181)
b. Critical Agriculture Research and Extension (A1701).
Total program funds – Approximately $56 million
Program Area Key Information applicable to ALL Animal Health and Production and
Animal Products Program Area Priorities:
a. All applications must adhere to the requirements in Part IV.
b. Applications that include collaborations with international partners may also be
submitted. The AFRI International Partnerships webpage contains additional information
on international partnerships.
c. Applicants must justify the use of experimental model systems. Applications that
primarily use non-agricultural or non-aquaculture species as models (i.e., encompassing
greater than 50% of the work proposed) will not be considered.
d. Applicants must articulate and demonstrate direct benefit of their proposed project to
animal agriculture or aquaculture productivity, economics, sustainability, or rural
communities, in addition to identifying relevance to the program area priority.
e. When appropriate, applicants must include statistical power analyses and describe the
experimental design, experimental unit, replication and sample size for each experimental
group.
f. Applications with highly complex, large scale, transdisciplinary, and integrated research,
education, and extension projects that incorporate foundational knowledge from this
program area should be submitted to the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems program
(A9201) described in the AFRI SAS RFA.
g. An applicant may submit a Workshop Grant application anytime during the year. A
Letter of Intent (LOI) is required for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must be
submitted at least 195 days before the start of the Workshop. The full Workshop Grant
application must be submitted, at minimum, 150 days before the start of the Workshop.
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Program Area Priorities – Each application must address at least one of the five program area
priorities listed below. Details about each of the Animal Health and Production and Animal
Products program area priorities are provided later in this section.
2a. Animal Reproduction
2b. Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation
2c. Welfare of Agricultural Animals
2d. Diseases of Agricultural Animals
2e. Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
2a. Animal Reproduction
Table 10: Animal Reproduction Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1211
Program Code Animal Reproduction
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must be
Deadline submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins.
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator Standard
Grants
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1211@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Cellular, molecular, genomic/genetic or whole-animal aspects of animal reproduction relevant to
28

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improving reproductive efficiency or enhancing reproductive management, especially focusing
on:
a. Gonadal function (including production, function, and preservation of gametes);
b. Hypothalamic-pituitary axis;
c. Embryonic and fetal development (including interaction between the conceptus and its
uterine environment); or
d. Microbiome of the reproductive tract.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
d. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane on reproductive performance are
appropriate for this program area priority (A1211).
e. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane during gestation on subsequent growth
performance or lactation of the offspring should be submitted to the Animal Nutrition,
Growth and Lactation program area priority (A1231).
f. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane during gestation on immune function or
susceptibility to disease of the dam or offspring should be submitted to the Diseases of
Agricultural Animals program area priority (A1221).
2b. Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation
Table 11: Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1231
Program Code Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator Standard, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment,
and Sabbatical) Grants
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
29

---

Title Description
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1231@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Cellular, molecular, genomic/genetic or whole-animal aspects of nutrition, growth and lactation,
especially focusing on:
• Nutrient utilization and efficiency. This may include the influence and impact of the
gastrointestinal microbiome on nutrient utilization and efficiency of production;
• Innovative approaches to feed formulation or use of novel alternative feedstuffs;
• Improving the efficiency of production or quality of meat, milk, eggs, fish, and
animal fiber; or
• Metabolic disorders and nutritional deficiencies affecting production of meat, milk,
eggs, fish, and animal fiber.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
d. Applications focused on the effects of metabolic disorders (e.g., hepatic lipidosis, ketosis,
post-parturient hypocalcemia, displaced abomasum, insulin resistance) and nutrient
deficiencies on meat, milk and egg production are appropriate for this program area
priority (A1231). Applications focused on the effects of metabolic disorders and nutrient
deficiencies on immune function or susceptibility to disease should be submitted to the
Diseases of Agricultural Animals program area priority (A1221).
e. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane during gestation on subsequent growth
performance or lactation of the offspring are appropriate for this program area priority
(A1231).
f. Applications focused on effects of nutritional plane on reproductive performance should
be submitted to the Animal Reproduction program area priority (A1211).
g. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane during gestation on immune function or
susceptibility to disease of the dam or offspring should be submitted to the Diseases of
Agricultural Animals program area priority (A1221).
h. Applications focused exclusively on post-harvest treatments and their effect on our
understanding of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of animal products or
30

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methods to improve the safety, quality, shelf-life, convenience, nutrient profile or sensory
attributes of animal products, should be submitted to the Innovations in Food
Manufacturing Technologies program area priority (A1364).
i. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the Animal
Nutrition, Growth and Lactation program area priority. For more information including
FAQs about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and Northern Ireland partnership
page. Applicants submitting to this partnership must select “other” in the AFRI Project
Type form and type in “Collaborative” and their application title should begin as
“TRIPARTITE: [full title]”.
2c. Welfare of Agricultural Animals
Table 12: Welfare of Agricultural Animals Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1251
Program Code Welfare of Agricultural Animals
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research or Integrated Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshope and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1251@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
31

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Program Area Priority:
Evaluation (which should include assessment of animal welfare) of current animal agriculture
production practices (including those used in aquaculture) and/or development of new or
enhanced management approaches that safeguard animal welfare, including but not limited to:
a. Advance objective measures of animal welfare, including the use of emerging methods
and metrics for assessment (e.g., functional genomics; epidemiology; automated,
noninvasive methods) for outcome based (health and behavior) welfare assessment
criteria.
b. Alternatives or improvements for painful management procedures; euthanasia and
slaughter methods to decrease pain and distress; handling and transportation to decrease
injury and distress (including thermal stress);
c. Understanding the effect of the microbiome on animal welfare;
d. Development of innovative alternatives to replace or reduce the use of animals in
agricultural research.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
d. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the Welfare
of Agricultural Animals program area priority. For more information including FAQs
about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and Northern Ireland partnership page.
Applicants submitting to this partnership must select “other” in the AFRI Project Type
form and type in “Collaborative” and their application title should begin as
“TRIPARTITE: [full title]”. Note: Research applications submitted for U.S.-Ireland
Tripartite Collaborative grants are ineligible for U.S. funding above the research
program maximum of $650,000.
e. Applications that address animal welfare with a significant engineering component such
as the design, manufacture, and operation of structures, technologies, machines,
processes, and/or systems should be submitted to the Agriculture Systems and
Technology program area priority: Engineering for Agricultural Production and
Processing (A1521).
f. Applications that address animal welfare, but work exclusively on prevention, control, or
treatment of animal diseases, should be submitted to the Diseases of Agricultural
Animals program area priority (A1221).
2d. Diseases of Agricultural Animals
Table 13: Diseases of Agricultural Animals Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1221
Program Code Diseases of Agricultural Animals
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
32

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Title Description
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator Standard, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment,
and Sabbatical) Grants
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact) below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the Workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1221@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Application topics may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:
a. Cellular, molecular, genomic/genetic or whole-animal aspects of animal health and
disease, with emphasis on maintaining healthy agricultural animals to ensure a safe and
adequate food supply.
b. Maintenance of homeostasis, including immunologic responses.
c. Disease prevention and control, including vaccinology; reverse vaccinology; breeding
for disease resistance; and animal and farm management (including precision animal
health management).
d. Diagnostics for diseases endemic to the U.S.
NOTE: Diagnostics for transboundary/foreign and emerging/re-emerging diseases
should be submitted to the Agricultural Biosecurity program area priority (A1181). For
all diagnostic tests, applicants must provide a validation plan.
e. Therapeutic interventions for disease reduction or treatment, including alternatives to
antibiotics and minor use animal drugs.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
33

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b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
d. Research that addresses animal health and disease (including zoonotic or vector-borne
animal disease) with potential for adaptation to changing conditions is welcome. This
program area priority also supports research on both endemic and foreign animal diseases
that have the potential to impact U.S. agricultural animal production.
e. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the Diseases
of Agricultural Animals program area priority. For more information including FAQs
about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and Northern Ireland partnership page.
Applicants submitting to this partnership must select “other” in the AFRI Project Type
form and type in “Collaborative” and their application title should begin as
“TRIPARTITE: [full title]”. Note: Research applications submitted for U.S.-Ireland
Tripartite Collaborative grants are ineligible for U.S. funding above the research
program maximum of $650,000.
f. Applications to study effects of nutritional plane during gestation on immune function or
susceptibility to disease of the dam or offspring are appropriate for this program area
priority (A1221).
g. Applications focused on the effects of metabolic disorders (e.g., hepatic lipidosis, ketosis,
post-parturient hypocalcemia, displaced abomasum, insulin resistance) and nutrient
deficiencies on immune function or susceptibility to disease are appropriate for this
program area priority (A1221).
h. Applications focused on the effects of metabolic disorders and nutrient deficiencies on
meat, milk and egg production should be submitted to the Animal Nutrition, Growth and
Lactation program area priority (A1231).
2e. Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
Table 14: Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1201
Program Code Animal Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator Standard, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment,
and Sabbatical) Grants
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to Workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the Workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
34

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Title Description
Application a. 2025: Thursday, November 6December 18, 2025 (5:00 p.m.
Deadline(s) Eastern Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and Standard New
Investigator Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part
II § E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1201@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
a. Animal genomics research priorities were identified from stakeholder input and were
compiled in the report: “Genome to Phenome: Improving Animal Health, Production, and
Well-Being: A new USDA Blueprint for Animal Genome Research 2018 – 2027”.
Proposals that align with the animal genome blueprint goals are welcome to submit to
this program area or other program areas within the RFA based on the best alignment
with program area priority goals.
b. Novel quantitative genetic methods including selection theory and modeling,
implementing selection methods that use a systems approach using a combination of
genomics, epigenomics, functional genomics, and microbiome data for simultaneous
improvement of multiple traits.
c. Development of national and regional breeding strategies to address biotic and abiotic
stresses, genetic diversity, germplasm storage and characterization, or genome
modifications.
d. Development of new phenotypes for improving selection criteria and/or development of
high-throughput methods for on-farm recording of traits for improving selection criteria.
e. Exploring alternatives to control inbreeding, exploit crossbreeding, conduct selection
experiments, or develop novel breeding programs.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
d. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the Animal
Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics program area priority. For more information including
35

---

FAQs about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and Northern Ireland partnership
page. Applicants submitting to this partnership must select “other” in the AFRI Project
Type form and type in “Collaborative” and their application title should begin as
“TRIPARTITE: [full title]”. Note: Research applications submitted for U.S.-Ireland
Tripartite Collaborative grants are ineligible for U.S. funding above the research
program maximum of $650,000.
e. Applications proposing data science projects that leverage data sets across multiple
disciplines and convert large amounts of data into knowledge and applications through
computer analytics, modeling and simulations should submit applications to the DSFAS
program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
f. Applications that propose to use functional genomics and genome editing approaches for
understanding animal health or production traits should be submitted to respective
program area priorities (A1211 for Animal Reproduction; A1221 for Diseases of
Agricultural Animals; A1231 for Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation; or A1251 for
Welfare of Agricultural Animals).
g. Applications focused on conventional/classical animal breeding, breed development, or
applied quantitative genetics for one or multiple traits are appropriate to this program
A1201 (e.g., selecting within a breed for a specific trait of interest).
h. Projects should demonstrate strong community support and/or private-public
partnerships, coordination with partners, and commodity groups and/or consortia.
3.Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health
Background
Safe, high quality, and nutritious foods are essential for human health and well-being, and their
production is critical to the domestic and global competitiveness of American agricultural
products, fostering consumer trust and the long-term sustainability of the U.S. agricultural
industries. Consumers continue to demand foods that are nutritious and safe, including those that
are locally and regionally produced, and those that have not been common in the typical
American diet. Consumer interest in foods has risen, and to address this need, industry is
responding with new technologies for engineering, manufacturing, packaging, and delivery of
foods and food ingredients. Implementation strategies to address diet-related chronic diseases
such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancers include increasing
physical activity, improving fruit and vegetable consumption, and strengthening policies,
systems, and environmental supports that encourage healthy eating and activity behaviors. As the
nation’s food systems become more global, vertically integrated and specialized, the use of data
science approaches and advanced analytics will be critical to safeguard foods from intentional or
accidental contamination. The Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program area seeks to
provide the scientific foundation for addressing public demands for safe, high quality, accessible
and nutritious foods throughout the lifecycle, using a transdisciplinary approach, and to explore
previously unrealized opportunities for improving food safety, quality and nutrition along the
value chain.
Total Program Funds – Approximately $38 million
Program Area Key Information applicable to ALL Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health
36

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Program Area Priories:
a. All applications must adhere to the requirements in Part IV.
b. Applications that include partnerships with international partners may also be submitted.
The AFRI International Partnerships webpage contains additional information on
international partnerships.
c. Use of transdisciplinary teams, including social and behavioral scientists and economists,
is welcome, where appropriate.
d. Applications with highly complex, large scale, transdisciplinary, and integrated research,
education, and extension projects that incorporate foundational knowledge from this
program area should be submitted to the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems program
(A9201) described in the AFRI SAS RFA.
e. An applicant may submit a Workshop Grant application anytime during the year. A
Letter of Intent (LOI) is required for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must be
submitted at least 195 days before the start of the workshop. The full workshop Grant
application must be submitted, at minimum, 150 days before the start of the workshop.
Program Area Priorities – Each application must address at least one of the five program area
priorities listed below. Details about each of the Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health program area
priorities are provided later in this section.
3a. Food Safety and Defense
3b. Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
3c. Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases
3d. Food and Human Health
3e. Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance across the Food Chain
3a. Food Safety and Defense
Table 15: Food Safety and Defense Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1332
Program Name: Food Safety and Defense
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only.
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only.
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 16December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins.
37

---

Title Description
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants.
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants.
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants.
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants.
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E).
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants.
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants.
Program Area a. A1332@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
NIFA invites proposals for basic and applied research that will reduce the risk of intentional or
unintentional contamination of foods.
Applications must address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Develop microbiological procedures designed to alleviate the need for enrichment in the
detection of very small numbers of pathogens in large food samples collected to represent
a food production lot;
b. Develop methods for identifying, detecting, and/or enumerating pathogens of relatively
high public health risk including persistence or virulence;
c. Develop and validate advanced and innovative technologies or processes for food
processing, manufacturing, packaging, cleaning, and sanitation to effectively reduce the
presence of surviving enteric pathogens in food and processing facilities;
d. Develop preharvest or postharvest methods to detect, reduce, and/or mitigate the
intentional or unintentional contamination of foods with pathogens, allergens, physical or
chemical (arsenic, lead, cadmium, or mercury) hazards, including specific reference to
contextually appropriate approaches;
e. Develop methods to identify, prevent, or reduce intentional contamination or adulteration
of foods;
f. Develop and validate novel strategies for the effective control of persistent reservoirs of
foodborne pathogens; or
g. Food safety projects that demonstrate an integrated approach to solving problems in
applied food safety research, education, or extension.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. The project narrative must include discussion and justification of the foodborne
contaminants to be studied as a food safety threat.
d. The project narratives should include a discussion of how key economic, consumer, or
regulatory issues will affect the ultimate utility and impact of the proposed research or
38

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integrated project.
e. Control strategies may include plant or animal breeding to improve food safety.
f. Applications addressing antimicrobial resistance should be submitted to the Mitigating
Antimicrobial Resistance across the Food Chain program area priority (A1366).
g. Applications addressing Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) related education and
outreach should be directed towards the Food Safety Outreach Program.
h. Projects focused on nanotechnology-enabled sensors for accurate, reliable and cost-
effective early and rapid detection of pathogens, allergens, chemicals and contaminants in
foods, plant and animal production systems, water and soil and the agricultural
production environment should be submitted to the Nanotechnology for Agricultural and
Food Systems program area priority (A1511).
i. Applications to develop or improve advanced data analytical methods or tools for
utilizing the emerging science of big data to aid food traceability, safety, quality and
nutrition decision making should be submitted to the Data Science for Food and
Agricultural Systems (DSFAS) program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
3b. Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
Table 16: Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1364
Program Name: Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications: The LOI must be
Deadline submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 23December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator Standard
Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II § E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
39

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Title Description
Program Area a. A1364@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
NIFA requests research proposals that develop risk-based approaches to ensure the quality,
safety and nutrition of foods and food ingredients for sustainable food and nutrition security.
Applications must address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Develop innovative manufacturing technologies that accelerate the use of automation or
mechanization for labor-intensive tasks, increase productivity, improve food quality
and/or nutritional value of foods and food ingredients that are more energy, water and
resource efficient; or
b. Advance sciences and develop technologies to improve shelf life throughout the food
supply chain.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Advanced food manufacturing encompasses engineering, processing and preservation
technologies including precision fermentation, packaging, cleaning and sanitation, data
science, robotics, high-speed automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning,
biotechnology, nanotechnology, sensors, and quality/safety inspections of food and food
products.
d. Projects focusing on species and commodities that are important to small- or medium-
sized farms or ranches are welcome.
e. Projects that design contextually appropriate approaches and food products for
indigenous communities are welcome.
f. Applications with a primary research focus on data science, artificial intelligence,
machine learning, or integrated or research Coordinated Innovation Networks (CIN) for
advanced food manufacturing should be submitted to the Data Science for Food and
Agricultural Systems (DSFAS) program area priority (A1541 in Crosscutting Programs).
g. Proposed research with a primary focus on improving food safety should be submitted to
Food Safety and Defense program area priority (A1332).
h. Research on plant and animal production and breeding to improve food quality and
nutritional traits should consult appropriate program area priorities in the Plant or Animal
Health and Production and Plant or Animal Products area.
3c. Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases
Table 17: Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1344
Program Name: Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases
Assistance Listing # 10.310
40

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Title Description
Project Type(s): a. Integrated Projects only
b. Research, Education, Extension, or Integrated Projects only
allowed for Seed Grants and Workshop Grants
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 23December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $1,000,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $1,150,000 with specific partnerships (see Part
II § E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1344@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
NIFA requests proposals for integrated projects that help prevent, and if needed control chronic
disease across the lifecycle by supporting and encouraging, healthy dietary choices through data-
driven, flexible, and person-focused approaches. Proposals must reflect understanding of the
multifaceted and interactive nature of research, education, and extension-outreach. Project teams
must reflect knowledge of having consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods and
beverages that promote well-being and prevent diet-related chronic diseases.
Applications to improve and sustain health, prevent diseases before they start, or control diet-
related chronic diseases, including cancer, must use whole food or biobased agricultural product
methodology. Methods may include and are not limited to evaluating the effects of foods or
biobased agricultural products on the patient experience or efficacy of treatment for the control,
mitigation, secondary or tertiary prevention, or survival of diet-related chronic diseases.
This program area priority will fund at least one project that focuses specifically on the
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Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Project findings must include (1)
research-tested and contextually appropriate results to inform future directions of EFNEP as well
as (2) streamlined and statistically sound EFNEP national evaluation metrics. EFNEP project
proposals must demonstrate respect for the context and continuity of the national nutrition
education program. EFNEP Program Coordinator(s) must be integral members of the project
team. Allocable time and effort of the EFNEP Coordinator(s) must be included in the proposal
budget request. EFNEP peer educator(s) input regarding project planning, activities, and
operations must be included. Applicants must demonstrate strong collaboration to catalyze
integrated project efforts that advance EFNEP, including research and extension components,
education component is optional. EFNEP proposals must use nutrition education as their
Program Area Approach. Appropriate context may include multiple institutions, program sites,
regions, and tiers. EFNEP proposals that focus on peer educator success, include workforce
succession planning, capture economic return of training and professional development, and
evaluate quality of life indicators, along with participant engagement and cultural relevance are
encouraged.
Applicants must address at least one of the following Program Area Priorities:
a. Develop, implement, and evaluate innovative research, educational, and outreach
strategies to improve eating patterns that prevent and control diet-related chronic
diseases;
b. Investigate, assess, and recommend integrated food and human nutrition research and
program implementation interventions, and/or program evaluation metrics with the goal
to achieve food and nutrition security, improve and sustain health; or
c. Improve nutritional health outcomes through an evidence-based approach to healthy
eating and active living.
Program Area Priority Approaches:
Applicants must address at least one of the following Program Area Priority Approaches.
a. Precision nutrition, also referred to as personalized nutrition, which focuses on
individuals rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach to dietary guidance, or tailored
dietary needs rather than the general population;
b. Nutrition education that disseminates and implements food and human nutrition
interventions that motivate or facilitate voluntary adoption of food choices and other food
and nutrition-related behaviors conducive to lifelong health and well-being particularly at
the individual and/or family level(s);
c. Policy, systems, and/or built environment change efforts supportive of healthy food and
physical activity behaviors particularly at the community and/or population level(s); or
d. Culturally and contextually appropriate approaches to tackle nutrition insecurity, prevent
and control diet-related chronic diseases and corresponding disparities.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit Integrated Projects for Seed Grants and
Workshop Grants to be well positioned for future Standard Grant applications.
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d. Leveraging artificial intelligence and data science methods not limited to data
visualization, machine learning, natural language processing, or predictive decision
making is welcome.
e. NIFA welcomes projects to address the intersections between food systems and nutrition
security including the role of precision nutrition, direct nutrition education and/or policy,
systems, and community supports.
f. Community outreach/extension project proposals for the delivery of fruit and vegetable
incentives or produce prescriptions should be submitted to the corresponding Gus
Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program competitive grant program. For more
information, see NIFA’s RFA List.
g. NIFA welcomes applicants to consider educational components of integrated projects that
(1) address training or retraining workforce for careers as nutrition educators, to support
Food and Nutrition programs or (2) develop evidence-based program interventions and
materials responsive to local and regional workforce needs while addressing barriers to
career pathways including access to equipment, technology, broadband, instructors,
mentors, childcare, eldercare, and transportation.
h. NIFA encourages proposals that connect with or inform Federal programs that support
nutrition security, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition education, the Expanded Food and Nutrition
Education Program (EFNEP).
3d. Food and Human Health
Table 18: Food and Human Health Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1343
Program Name: Food and Human Health
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 30December 11, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
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Title Description
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $800,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1343@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Human health is a complex subject and requires transdisciplinary efforts including food scientists
and nutrition scientists to collaboratively close knowledge gaps. Processed foods may
mechanistically influence metabolic health beyond nutrient composition and diet quality.
Additional research is needed in understanding digestive response (from absorption to excretion,
bioavailability, gut hormones, and microbiota composition and function, etc.) and metabolic
response (glycemic response; insulin sensitivity, endocrine response, vascular function, etc.) of
processed foods compared to whole foods. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, a
processed food is any food that has been physically, biologically, or chemically modified from
its natural, raw state.
Project results should provide solid scientific evidence to inform the development of future
iterations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to prevent, or address diet-related chronic
diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancers or control
chronic diseases. They should also help to promote precision nutrition; and where appropriate,
personalized dietary needs.
This program has two priorities. Applicants should choose one of the two priorities (A or B) in
which to focus.
A. Food and Gut Health - Applicants responding to this priority must address at least one of
the following:
a. Investigate effects of whole food, food ingredients, and bioactive compounds on the gut
microbiota and their impacts on human health;
b. Determine the structure and functional outcomes of food matrices and/or metabolites of
gut microbiome in human gastrointestinal tracts (GI);
c. Investigate the fate and transport of food contaminants or food process-induced
compounds (e.g., acrylamide, advanced glycation end products) in the human GI tract
and/or its impacts on gut microbiota.
B. Processed Food and Human Health - Applicants responding to this priority must address
at least one of the following:
a. Investigate metabolic mechanisms through which characteristics of processed foods
may impact human health by influencing risk factors for cardiometabolic, obesity, or
cancer, in children and adults. Characteristics may include but are not limited to food
formulation, processes, matrix, etc.;
b. Investigate the biological mechanisms to explain how properties of processed foods
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(e.g.hedonic, sensory, hyper-palatability etc.) influence ingestive behavior; and their
contribution to excess energy and nutrient intake in adults and children; and explore
potential solutions to improve health outcomes; or
c. Investigate impacts of processing on nutrient bioavailability, and how food structures
(e.g.food matrix) impacts the digestive responses as whole food progresses along the
continuum from minimally processed to highly processed. Research should use foods
commonly consumed in the U.S. diet and explore possible innovative solutions that
protect nutrients during processing to improve human health.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Projects that prioritize collaboration between food science and nutritional science
disciplines are strongly encouraged.
d. Justification must be provided for the hypothesized relationship of the bioactive
component(s) to human health outcomes.
e. Applications must use whole food or processed food. The enrichment and fortification of
limiting nutrients through micro- and nano-encapsulation or other innovative
technologies to improve efficacy of nutrient delivery in food is welcome.
f. This program area priority does not support research on the development of dietary
supplements, or for the establishment, expansion, or maintenance of dietary databases.
3e. Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain
Table 19: Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1366
Program Name: Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): a. Integrated Projects only
b. Research, Education, Extension, or Integrated Projects allowed for
Seed Grants only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 23December 11, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
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Title Description
Grant Duration: a. Up to 60 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $1,000,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator
Standard Grants
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1366@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Innovative solutions to the complex problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food and
agriculture are most effectively addressed by inter-disciplinary teams of experts using a systems
approach. This systems-based integrated program will empower inter-disciplinary teams to
develop, refine, and disseminate science-based knowledge about food and agricultural
management and production practices that can mitigate or reduce the risk of antimicrobial
resistance along the food chain. The goal is to ensure safe, nutritious and abundant food supply
while conserving and protecting responsible use of antimicrobials across the food and agriculture
domain.
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Applications must address at least one of the following:
a. Describe, quantify, assess, and educate on approaches to mitigate the risk to human
health from the presence of AMR pathogens or genes persisting at various critical control
points along the food chain from production through processing to retail, and human
consumption;
b. Investigate and assess important factors, such as fitness and virulence associated with
foodborne AMR pathogens that contribute to AMR development and persistence leading
to foodborne illness;
c. Identify factors that impact increase of AMR development to mitigate risk from
agriculture practices to the food chain;
d. Identify risk associated with antimicrobial use and pathways to address increasing AMR
impact on wastewater, livestock and crop systems, AMR development, and public health;
e. Assess AMR in food and agriculture: challenges for small-scale producers to help
mitigate the AMR in food, agricultural practices to increase food safety; or
f. Determine improved best management practices and approaches in antibiotic stewardship
and trusted resources for communicating and dispensing antibiotic stewardship
information and guidance to stakeholders to mitigate AMR, increase food safety, and
reduce AMR public health impact.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
b. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable.
c. Proposals should include all three components of the integrated project, Research,
Education and Extension, with the emphasis on the impact on mitigating AMR across the
food chain.
d. Applicants interested in identifying international partnerships for the AMR program may
refer to the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance under additional
opportunities for collaboration on NIFA’s Developing Global Partnerships page.
e. While development of vaccines that prevent certain diseases can be one way to decrease
antimicrobial resistance, the AMR program does not support research on the development
of vaccines for controlling animal diseases. Applications that address vaccine
development for animal diseases should be submitted to the Diseases of Agricultural
Animals program area priority (A1221).
f. NIFA is partnering with Ireland and Northern Ireland under the U.S.-Ireland Research
and Development Partnership to solicit collaborative research applications in the
Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain program area priority. For
more information including FAQs about this opportunity, visit the NIFA, Ireland, and
Northern Ireland partnership page. Applicants submitting to this partnership must select
“other” in the AFRI Project Type form and type in “Collaborative” and their application
title should begin as “TRIPARTITE: [full title]”.
4.Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment
Background
The Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment (BNRE) program area supports
foundational and applied research and integrated projects to promote, improve, and maintain
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healthy agroecosystems and the natural resources that are essential to the sustained long-term
production of agricultural and forestry goods and services.
Management of forests and agroecosystems requires the maintenance of the supporting natural
resources and ecosystem services. Ecosystem services, defined as the direct and indirect benefits
people obtain from ecosystems, fall into four categories of supporting services, provisioning
services, regulating services and cultural services, with examples that include genetic resources;
water quality; air quality; pollinator, wildlife and fisheries habitats; and recreation.
USDA-supported agricultural and forest biomass production systems provide feedstocks to
produce biopower, biofuels, chemicals, and other biobased products. These systems must be
integrated into existing agricultural landscapes in ways that enhance or do not degrade the
natural resource base or other production systems. Research, development, and outreach to
producers, processors, consumers, and the public are needed to build a portfolio of agricultural
and natural resource research and technologies integrated with biomass systems.
In addition to the program area priorities described in this section, the BNRE program area also
supports the following program area priorities described in Crosscutting Programs:
a. Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources (A1402)
b. Critical Agriculture Research and Extension (A1701)
c. Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712)
Total Program Funds – Approximately $33 million
Program Area Key Information applicable to ALL Bioenergy, Natural Resources and
Environment priority areas:
a. All applications must adhere to the requirements in Part IV.
b. Applications that include collaborations with international partners may also be
submitted. The AFRI International Partnerships webpage contains additional information
on international partnerships.
c. Applicants should consider the socioeconomic implications of their proposed projects,
applications of foundational research, barriers and solutions to adoption of proposed
management and technologies.
d. Projects are encouraged to partner with research programs and institutions with existing
networks and long-term research data such as the USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem
Research Network (LTAR), NSF Long Term Ecological Research (LTER), USDA Forest
Service Experimental Forests and Ranges, or others.
e. Projects focused on data integration for policy and farm management decision making
that include organizing and managing large data sets are encouraged to include source
data from the Standard Application Process, USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Forest Inventory and Analysis USDA National Agricultural Library Ag Data Commons,
and the Federal Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Commons.
f. The BNRE program area priorities invite applications for workshops that consider the
three pillars of sustainability and interactions among the components. An applicant may
submit a Workshop Grant application anytime during the year. A Letter of Intent (LOI) is
required for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must be submitted at least 195 days
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before the start of the workshop. The full Workshop Grant application must be submitted,
at minimum, 150 days before the start of the workshop.
g. Applications with highly complex, large scale, transdisciplinary, and integrated research,
education, and extension projects that incorporate foundational knowledge from this
program area should be submitted to the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems program
(A9201) described in the AFRI SAS RFA.
Program Area Priorities – Each application must address at least one of the four program area
priorities listed below. Details about each of the BNRE program area priorities are provided later
in this section.
4a. Soil Health
4b. Water Quantity and Quality
4c. Bioeconomy and Biobased Products
4d. Landscape-Scale Production Systems
4a. Soil Health
Table 20: Soil Health Key Information
Title Description
Program Code: A1401
Program Code Soil Health
Name:
Assistance Listing # 10.310
Project Type(s): Research Projects only
Grant Type(s): a. Standard, Workshop, and FASE (Strengthening Standard, New
Investigator, Strengthening Workshop, Seed, Equipment, and
Sabbatical) Grants only
b. See Part II § C.2 for requirements specific to workshop and FASE
Grant applications.
Letter of Intent a. Required only for Workshop Grant applications. The LOI must
Deadline be submitted a minimum of 195 days before the workshop begins.
b. LOIs must follow the instructions in Part IV, A and be emailed to
the contact below.
Application a. 2026: Thursday, October 16December 4, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern
Deadline(s) Time)
b. Workshop Grants: submitted after LOI decision response and a
minimum of 150 days before the workshop begins
Grant Duration: a. 36-48 months for Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard
Grants, Equipment and New Investigator Standard Grants
b. Up to 24 months for all Seed Grants
c. Up to 12 months for Sabbatical Grants
d. Up to 60 months for Workshop Grants
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Title Description
Maximum Award a. Including indirect costs: $750,000 for Standard Grants,
Amount(s): Strengthening Standard Grants and New Investigator
Standard Grants; $900,000 with specific partnerships (see Part II
§ E)
b. Including indirect costs: $300,000 for all Seed Grants
c. $50,000 for Workshop and Equipment Grants
Program Area a. A1401@usda.gov
Priority Contact:
Program Area Priority:
Healthy soils function as living systems that support plant and animal productivity while
delivering critical ecosystem services such as improving water and air quality, and enhancing the
health of plants, animals, and humans. Soils are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem; therefore,
it is imperative to enhance our understanding of the physical and biogeochemical interactions
that determine how soils respond to management practices and amendments. This foundational
knowledge will lead to development of tools, practices, techniques and innovations aimed at
improving soil health, and strengthening the sustainability of agricultural production systems.
Practices include soil-based enhancements for management of nutrient and water availability,
and the application of amendments (such as fertilizers, manure, compost, lime, silicates, gypsum,
and biochar). Additionally, practices such as integrated crop-livestock systems, rotational
grazing, agroforestry, and traditional soil management techniques.
The goal of the Soil Health program area priority is to support research projects that will
contribute to:
a. Foundational and applied research to advance scientific understanding of soil physical
and biogeochemical processes and interactions;
b. Assessment, development and adoption of models, decision support tools and new
management/conservation practices that will improve or maintain soil health and
productivity; and
c. Soil health solutions grounded in interactions between natural and human dimensions
of agricultural systems focusing on effective economic management. Proposed projects
that are primarily fundamental science must explain how a better understanding of the
fundamental processes will lead to adoptable management strategies to enhance soil
health, resilience, and sustainability of agricultural production systems.
Applications may address one or more of the following (order does not indicate importance):
a. Evaluation of the effects of management practices on soil microbial community function
and their contribution to healthy soils; or
b. Assessment and/or development of innovative and/or appropriate approaches, practices,
techniques, tools and technologies that improve the understanding and/or management of
the physical and biogeochemical processes contributing to soil health.
Additional Information:
a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.
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