C-FARE Review of NASS Prices Program

A Review of the USDA NASS Agricultural Prices Program: Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century
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Full Document updated 11.04.09
Errata sheet for documents printed prior to 11.04.09
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C-FARE Review of the Census of Agriculture

"Improving Information About America's Farms & Ranches"
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"Improving Information About America's Farms & Ranches"
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Press Release for C-FARE Review of the Census of Agriculture
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Fact Sheet: C-FARE Review of the Census of Agriculture
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Research and Grant Information

HHS Behavioral and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities
The purpose of this grant is to encourage behavioral and social science research on the causes and solutions to health and disabilities disparities in the U. S. population. Health disparities between, on the one hand, racial/ethnic populations, lower socioeconomic classes, and rural residents and, on the other hand, the overall U.S. population are major public health concerns. Emphasis is placed on research in and among three broad areas of action: 1) Public policy, 2) health care, and 3) disease/disability prevention. Letter of Intent deadlines vary. The next deadline is April 11, 2011. For details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-137.html.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture Higher Education Challenge Grants Program
Projects supported by the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program will: (1) address a State, regional, national, or international educational need; (2) involve a creative or non-traditional approach toward addressing that need that can serve as a model to others; (3) encourage and facilitate better working relationships in the university science and education community, as well as between universities and the private sector, to enhance program quality and supplement available resources; and (4) result in benefits that will likely transcend the project duration and USDA support. For details visit: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/higher_education_challenge.html. Application deadline is February 4, 2011.

NIH Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network Short-term Mentored Career Awards
This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement, issued by the NIH Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network [OppNet] solicits applications for short-term mentored career development awards in the basic behavioral and social sciences research (b-BSSR) from three months to one year in duration. The program targets established, mid-career and senior investigators, to support their development of research capability in b-BSSR. Two categories of candidates are targeted: (a) biomedical or clinical researchers with little experience in basic behavioral and social sciences research who seek training with a well established b-BSSR investigator in order to explore the introduction of b-BSSR into their research programs; and (b) investigators in the basic or applied behavioral and social sciences who wish to build new components or domains of basic-BSSR into their research programs. The intent of this FOA is to provide candidates with protected time to achieve a shift in the focus of their research direction in the basic behavioral and social sciences, or to substantially enrich a current b-BSSR research program through the introduction of tools, theories or approaches from another discipline or area of science; it is not intended as a substitute for research project support. Application deadline is January 24, 2011. For more details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-11-003.html

Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs
USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) seeks to establish a Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs. FNS provides assistance for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Special Milk Program (SMP), Seamless Summer, and Afterschool Snacks. There currently is a paucity of research focusing on food safety related to these programs, and schools, in particular, which continue to change and expand. Performance will take place at the funded university. Center staff will work closely with the FNS Food Safety Staff (FSS) to accomplish the goals of the Center and specific projects. FSS may serve as technical advisors on specific projects, as appropriate. The Center will follow all guidelines of its university. FNS plans to award a cooperative agreement to one university by March 15, 2011. The performance period of the grant will be from March 15, 2011 to March 15, 2013. Application deadline is January 14, 2011. For details visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/safety/rfa.pdf.

USAID Emergency Food Security Program
The purpose of this APS is to disseminate information to enable prospective applicants to decide whether to seek funding in support of the subject Emergency Food Security Program (EFSP). USAID assumes no liability for reimbursing potential applicants for any costs they incur in the preparation and submission of concept papers and/or applications. Application deadline is January 31, 2011. For details visit: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do.

USDA NIFA Organic Research and Extension Initiative
The OREI seeks to solve critical organic agriculture issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research and extension activities. The purpose of this program is to fund projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. Priority concerns include biological, physical, and social sciences, including economics. The OREI is particularly interested in projects that emphasize research and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning, especially those relating to climate change. Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers. Fieldwork must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives. Refer to the USDA National Organic Program (http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop) for organic production standards. Application deadline is February 10, 2011. For more details please visit: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/OREI.html.

NRCS 2011 Conservation Innovation Grant Funding Opportunity
The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS policy, technical manuals, guides, and references or to the private sector. Pre-proposal application deadline is December 28, 2010. For more details visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/cig/pdf_files/CIG_FY_2011_Announcement_for_Program_Funding.pdf.

NIH Summer Research Experience Programs
The purpose of the NIH Summer Research Experience Program is to provide a high quality research experience for high school and college students and for science teachers during the summer academic break. The NIH expects that such programs will: help attract young students to careers in science; provide opportunities for college students to gain valuable research experience to help prepare them for graduate school; and enhance the skills of science teachers and enable them to more effectively communicate the nature of the scientific process to their students. The programs would also contribute to enhancing overall science literacy. Summer Research Programs that expand and complement existing summer educational and training programs are encouraged. Not all participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) support all aspects of this program. Therefore, prospective applicants should contact staff at the relevant IC to discuss their proposed program. Application deadlines vary. The first deadline is February 1, 2011. For more details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-050.html.

NIH Cancer Prevention, Control, Behavioral, and Population Sciences Career
The purpose of the NCI Cancer Prevention, Control, Behavioral and Population Sciences Career Development Award is to provide support for salary and research costs for up to 5 years for individuals with health professional or science doctoral degrees who are not fully established investigators and who want to pursue research careers in the cancer prevention, control, population, and/or behavioral sciences. The primary objective of this program is to increase the number of investigators who have made commitments to focus their research endeavors on cancer prevention, control, behavioral, and the population sciences. Application deadlines vary. The next deadline is January 25, 2011. For more details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-078.html.

Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award
The purpose of the Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award is intended to provide protected time for outstanding senior scientists who have demonstrated a sustained high level of productivity conducting biomedical research relevant to the scientific mission of the appropriate institute to focus on their research and to provide mentoring of new investigators. The overall goal of NIH-supported career development programs is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. Application deadlines vary. The next deadline is January 25, 2011. For more details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-076.html.

Research Into The Impact Of Economic Fluctuations On Alcohol Consumption, Drinking Patterns, And Prevention And Treatment Of Problem Drinking And Related Problems
This Funding Opportunity Announcement issued by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, encourages Research Project Grant applications from institutions/ organizations that propose to investigate the impact of national or local economic fluctuations on alcohol consumption, alcohol drinking patterns, and the prevention and treatment of problem drinking. Application deadlines vary. The next deadline is January 25, 2011. For more details visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-061.html.

Disaster Resistance in Rural Communities
Communities and their residents in the United States experience droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions as well as accidents at facilities that handle dangerous materials such as explosive chemicals. These phenomena will continue, but their consequences need not be disastrous if communities and people reduce their vulnerabilities and increase their resilience. There is much research on vulnerability and resilience in urban communities, but much less about how rural communities and their residents are responding to natural and man-made hazards. The long term goal of this program is to advance basic research in engineering and in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences on enhancing disaster resilience in rural communities. Application deadline is March 4, 2011. For more details visit: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/disasterresilienceforruralcommunities.cfm.

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