[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22124-22125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08402]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Solicitation of Stakeholder Input for Urban, Indoor, and Other
Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education, and Extension
Initiative
AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
ACTION: Request for written stakeholder input.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is
requesting written stakeholder input on the Urban, Indoor and other
Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education and Extension
Initiative. The purpose of this Notice is to assist NIFA in developing
the fiscal year 2020 Request for Applications for the Urban, Indoor and
other Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education and
Extension Initiative.
DATES: Written comments on this Notice must be received by June 22,
2020, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NIFA-2020-0001,
through
[[Page 22125]]
the Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All comments received will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bradley Rein, Agricultural Division
Director; Phone: 202-445-5442; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIFA is moving forward to implement Section
7212 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This section
``authorizes the Agency, in consultation with the Urban Agriculture and
Innovative Production Advisory Committee established under section
222(b) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, to
make competitive grants to support research, education, and extension
activities for the purposes of facilitating the development of urban,
indoor, and other emerging agricultural production, harvesting,
transportation, aggregation, packaging, distribution and markets,
including:
(1) Assessing and developing strategies to remediate contaminated
sites;
(2) determining and developing the best production management and
integrated pest management practices;
(3) identifying and promoting the horticultural, social, and
economic factors that contribute to successful urban, indoor, and other
emerging agricultural production;
(4) analyzing the means by which new agricultural sites are
determined, including an evaluation of soil quality, condition of a
building, or local community needs;
(5) exploring new technologies that minimize energy, lighting
systems, water, and other inputs for increased food production;
(6) examining building material efficiencies and structural
upgrades for the purpose of optimizing growth of agricultural products;
(7) developing new crop varieties and agricultural products to
connect to new markets; or
(8) examining the impacts of crop exposure to urban elements on
environmental quality and food safety.
It also authorizes the Agency to give priority consideration to
grant proposals that involve--
(1) the cooperation of multiple entities; or
(2) States or regions with a high concentration of or significant
interest in urban farms, rooftop farms, and indoor production
facilities.
The intent of this Notice is to gather stakeholder input on the
most urgent and highest priorities for research, education and
extension (REE) funding authorized under the Urban, Indoor and other
Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education and Extension
Initiative. NIFA seeks written feedback in response to the following
two questions:
(1) Considering agricultural production through marketing; which
phase has the greatest and most urgent REE needs in developing urban
and indoor agriculture?
(a) Agricultural Production
(b) Harvesting
(c) Transportation
(d) Aggregation
(e) Packaging
(f) Distribution
(g) Markets
(2) Of the eight priorities listed below, which priority has the
greatest and most urgent REE need in developing urban and indoor
agriculture that is not being adequately addressed in other Federal REE
programs:
(a) Assessing and developing strategies to remediate contaminated
sites;
(b) determining and developing the best production management and
integrated pest management practices;
(c) identifying and promoting the horticultural, social, and
economic factors that contribute to successful urban, indoor, and other
emerging agricultural production;
(d) analyzing the means by which new agricultural sites are
determined, including an evaluation of soil quality, condition of a
building, or local community needs;
(e) exploring new technologies that minimize energy, lighting
systems, water, and other inputs for increased food production;
(f) examining building material efficiencies and structural
upgrades for the purpose of optimizing growth of agricultural products;
(g) developing new crop varieties and agricultural products to
connect to new markets; or
(h) examining the impacts of crop exposure to urban elements on
environmental quality and food safety.
NIFA invests in Urban Agriculture research and education through
its Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program, AFRI
Foundational Knowledge of Agriculture Production Systems, Specialty
Crop Research Initiative, AFRI Small and Medium Sized Farms, Community
Food Projects, and the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension
Initiative. Information on these programs and how they help address
urban, indoor and emerging agricultural production priorities can be
found in NIFA's website through the following address: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/uie-ag.
Stephen L. Censky,
Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2020-08402 Filed 4-20-20; 8:45 am]
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