The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced a Supplemental and Alternative Crops (SAC) competitive grants program for hemp and canola.
NIFA is looking to fund one project to collect hemp germplasm for the USDA Hemp Germplasm Repository located at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York. The maximum grant amount for the hemp project is $125,000 per year for four years.
NIFA describes the program as an “integrated research and extension program” that is designed to “produce results to help increase the cost-effectiveness and competitiveness of these two crops grown as components of production systems across the country.”
Additionally, the program will help “support the breeding, testing and development of superior performing canola and industrial hemp varieties and production practices that result in improved cost efficiencies, reduced grower risks, and wider use in production systems,” NIFA states in a program summary.
The agency adds that it will quickly communicate research results and technology developed to producers and other users, the summary states.
For the 2021 fiscal year, the agency will be awarding up to $930,000, which includes the canola research project.
“Only colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of NARETPA, 7 USC 3103), other Federal agencies and private sector entities are eligible to submit applications," the summary says.
There are two types of applications that can be submitted. A “new application,” which is an application regarding a project that has never been submitted to the SAC program, and a “resubmitted application,” which is an application that was previously submitted but not funded.
All applications for the SAC competitive grants program are open and must be submitted by 5 p.m. eastern time on March 30 to be considered for funding. More information about applying is available on the NIFA website.
