As part of the funding investment, four universities across different US growing regions will lead regional IR-4 programmes
Image: USDA’s NIFA has invested in research to support specialty crop farmers. Photo: courtesy of RitaE from Pixabay.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), a federal agency within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), has invested $11m in research to support specialty crop farmers.
The funds have been provided through the Minor Crop Pest Management Programme or IR-4 interregional research project.
The USDA’s NIFA provides funds to support specialty crop farmers
The IR-4 programme enables to assess and register crop protection technology, designed for field crops, for use. It helps to offer safe, effective and economical technology for for growers of minor/specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops.
Under the funding investment, the four universities across different US growing regions will lead regional IR-4 programmes to generate additional data for registration of conventional and bio-based crop protection technology for specialty and minor crops in the country.
The grower organisations, federal agencies, the private sector, and land-grant colleges and universities have to work effectively to generate better results.
NIFA’s Pest Management Programmes invest in research to support integrated pest management strategies, including coordinating the use of pest biology, environmental information, and available technology to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage.
The USDA’s Research, Education and Economics (REE) mission area head and deputy under secretary Scott Hutchins said: “This collaborative public-private research effort will focus on applying innovative solutions to pest management problems that often are otherwise not available to specialty crop farmers.
“Practical and economic crop management solutions may make all the difference between thriving and just surviving financially during the growing season.”
In August this year, the USDA has provided $51,000 (£41,915) Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) to the Department of Agriculture and the Economic and Business Engagement Center at Southeast Missouri State University to infuse digital technology in agriculture operations.
The initiative is part of Southeast strategy to integrate technological advancements into agriculture operations in the region.