The National Peanut Board has announced three opportunities totaling $1.3 million for production and peanut nutrition research that is funded jointly with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Collaborating with three peanut industry funding partners, Southeastern Peanut Research Initiative (SPRI), The Peanut Foundation and The Peanut Institute (TPI), the National Peanut Board is allocating $650,000 for research topics, while NIFA is matching these funds dollar-for-dollar for a total of $1.3 million.
The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, and is in addition to NPB’s ongoing and annually-budgeted production research projects, which to date amounts to $25 million in production research allocations.
“Working as a funding partner with other peanut organizations allows us to maximize the value of our production and nutrition research dollars as never before,” said Bob Parker, president and CEO of the National Peanut Board. “The matching funds from NIFA are a boon to America’s peanut farmers and the industry. The benefits will be felt for generations to come.”
NIFA has issued a Request for Proposals (RFPs) to organizations that might qualify for grants in the NIFA Agriculture and Research Initiative’s program areas. RFP due dates are shown below. For more information about RFPs, click here. Research topics include:
- Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
Funding Partner: SPRI $250,000
Develop innovations in management of diseases and pests that are costly to and are major deterrents to achieving sustainable yields and high quality in peanut productions. Closing date: July 12, 2017. - Plant Breeding for Agricultural Productions
Funding Partner: The Peanut Foundation $250,000
Develop and implement genetic and genomic tools to breed for improvements in aflatoxin resistance, disease resistance, size and shape, flavor, nutrient content, or drought tolerance. Closing date: July 19, 2017. - Critical Agricultural Research and Extension
Funding Partners: The Peanut Institute and NPB $150,000
Identify bioactive compounds within peanuts that may improve cognition in humans. Letter of Intent deadline passed. Closing date: August 9, 2017.
For more information about the NIFA commodity boards program, click here. Or contact DeMarquiné Wilson, Manager, IT & Compliance, National Peanut Board (678-424-5757 or dhwilson@nationalpeanutboard.org).