[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 215 (Monday, November 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66522-66523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28510]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 215 / Monday, November 6, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 66522]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Amendment of the Notice of the Availability of the Fiscal Year 
2001 Solicitation for Applications for the National Research Initiative 
Competitive Grants Program

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice of amendment of the notice of the availability of the 
solicitation for applications for the fiscal year 2001 National 
Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice amends the announcement of the availability of the 
fiscal year (FY) 2001 solicitation for applications, which is titled 
the ``NRI Program Description,'' for the National Research Initiative 
(NRI) Competitive Grants Program published at 65 FR 54989, September 
12, 2000.
    In accordance with the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 
2001, which provides less funding for the NRI in FY 2001 than was 
anticipated at the time the availability of the FY 2001 solicitation 
for applications was announced, this amendment revises the estimated 
amounts of funds available in the following research categories 
(PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED FY 2001 funding (PREV) and CURRENTLY 
ANTICIPATED FY 2001 (CUR) funding, rounded to the $0.1M, follows in 
parentheses):
     Natural Resources and the Environment (PREV:$19.1M, 
CUR:$16.4M)
     Nutrition, Food Quality, and Health (PREV:$14.9M, 
CUR:$16.8M)
     Plant Systems (PREV:$38.2M, CUR:$32.4M)
     Animal Systems (PREV:$27.0M, CUR:$23.0M)
     Markets, Trade, and Policy (PREV:$4.3M, CUR:$3.7M)
     New Products and Processes (PREV:$7.6M, CUR:$6.5M)
    As a result the following Program Areas will not be funded, and 
proposals for these Program Areas should not be submitted:
     Ecosystem Science (Program Code 23.0)
     Plant Genome (Program Code 52.1)
     Animal Genome: Basic Reagents and Tools (Program Code 
43.1)
    Although the Plant Genome program (52.1) will not be offered this 
fiscal year, the Plant Genetic Mechanisms program (52.2) will expand 
its research areas of support to now include functional genomics, 
quantitative trait loci analysis, comparative mapping, and all renewal 
applications that could have been submitted to the Plant Genome 
program.
    Additionally, proposals that address the President's Food Safety 
Initiative (www.foodsafety.gov/fsg/fsiback.html) are 
encouraged for all the relevant NRI Program Areas.
    A fair distribution of resources between research on animal systems 
and plants is being sought through increased opportunity for animal-
related research in the food safety area, and opportunity in other 
programs relevant to animal systems such as agricultural systems, 
markets and trade, food characterization/process/product research, 
water resources, and pest biology.

DATES: This amendment does not alter the original deadlines for receipt 
of proposals set forth previously in the Notice of the Availability of 
the Solicitation for Applications published on September 12, 2000 (65 
FR 54989).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USDA/CSREES/NRI, Stop 2241, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-2241. Phone: (202) 401-
5022. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NRI Deadline Dates

    The following fixed dates have been established for proposal 
submission deadlines within the NRI. To be considered for funding in 
any fiscal year, proposals must be transmitted by the date listed below 
(as indicated by postmark or date on courier bill of lading). When the 
deadline date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, transmission must 
be made by the following business day.
    Programs offered in any fiscal year depend on availability of funds 
and deadlines may be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Consult 
the pertinent NRI notice in the Federal Register, the NRI Program 
Description, or the NRI home page (www.reeusda.gov/nri) for up-to-date 
information.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Postmarked dates          Program codes       Program areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 15....................            22.1  Plant Responses to the
                                                  Environment
                                           25.0  Soils and Soil Biology
                                           26.0  Watershed Processes and
                                                  Water Resources
                                           31.0  Improving Human
                                                  Nutrition for Optimal
                                                  Health
                                           51.9  Biology of Weedy and
                                                  Invasive Plants
                                           80.1  Research Career
                                                  Enhancement Awards
                                           80.2  Equipment Grants
                                           80.3  Seed Grants
                                          100.0  Agricultural Systems
December 15....................            52.2  Plant Genome Mechanisms
                                           53.0  Plant Growth and
                                                  Development
                                           61.0  Markets and Trade
                                           62.0  Rural Development
                                           71.1  Food Characterization/
                                                  Process/Product
                                                  Research

[[Page 66523]]

 
                                           71.2  Non-Food
                                                  Characterization/
                                                  Process/Product
                                                  Research
January 15.....................            32.0  Food Safety
                                           32.1  Epidemiological
                                                  Approaches for Food
                                                  Safety
                                           41.0  Animal Reproduction
                                           44.0  Animal Health and Well-
                                                  Being
                                           51.2  Entomology and
                                                  Nematology
                                           51.7  Biologically Based Pest
                                                  Management
                                           51.8  Biology of Plant-
                                                  Microbe Associations
                                           73.0  Improved Utilization of
                                                  Wood and Wood Fiber
February 15....................            42.0  Animal Growth and
                                                  Nutrient Utilization
                                           43.0  Animal Genome and
                                                  Genetic Mechanisms
                                           54.3  Plant Biochemistry
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Done at Washington, D.C., this 31st day of October 2000.
Colien Hefferan,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-28510 Filed 11-3-00; 8:45 am]
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