[USCC] Fwd: “USDA Awards more than $4.5 Million for Integrated Organic Research "

[Jim McNelly]

>
>*   "USDA Awards more than $4.5 Million for Integrated Organic 
>Research" is the title of a USDA September 13 News Release which 
>states in part that the Agency is " ... awarding more than $4.5 
>million in research grants to address organic agricultural issues 
>and priorities, including global competitiveness ... Through the 
>Integrated Organic Program, USDA's Cooperative State Research, 
>Education and Extension Service (CSREES) will administer eight 
>grants to 13 states. The grants will focus on two areas; improving 
>the competitiveness of organic producers, and assisting producers 
>and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow 
>and market high quality organic agricultural products ..." - The 
>complete text of the news release is posted at 
><http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/09/0353.xml>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/09/0353.xml 
>- The fiscal year 2006 grants are being awarded to the following:
>      *   Cornell University, $374,627, "Optimizing Biological 
> Nitrogen Fixation in Organic Cropping Systems for Sustainable 
> Nutrient Management"
>      *   Washington State University and Idaho State University, 
> $690,557, "Developing Wheat Varieties for Organic Agricultural Systems"
>      *   University of Georgia and University of Arkansas, 
> $313,515, "Out-of-Season Small Fruit Production for Improved 
> Profitability of Organic Farming"
>      *   University of Wisconsin, $374,478, "Crop Plant Nutrition 
> and Insect Response in Organic Field Crop Production: Linking 
> Farmer Observation to University Research and Extension"
>      *   University of Vermont, University of Arkansas, and 
> University of Maine, $666,839, "Using New Alternatives to Enhance 
> Adoption of Organic Apple Production through Integrated Research 
> Education and Extension"
>      *   University of Minnesota, $615,840, "Beyond Corn and 
> Soybean: Alternative Organic Crops for the Upper Midwest"
>      *   University of Florida and University of Georgia, $364,156, 
> "Organic Production of Blueberries in Southeastern United States: 
> Development of Best Management Practices"
>      *   Clemson University, $431,203, "Organic Farming of Marine 
> Shrimp: A Holistic Approach to Management of Feeds & Microbial Dynamics"
>      *   Ohio State University, $545,102, "Transition Strategies 
> that Control Perennial Weeds and Build Soil"
>      *   University of Florida, $226,139, "Crop Diversification 
> Complexity and Pest and Beneficial Organism Communities in Humid 
> Tropical and Sub-Tropical Climatic Regimes
>
>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/09/0353.xml
>
>Release No. 0353.06
>
>Contact:
>Jennifer Martin (202) 720-8188
>Kristin Scuderi (202) 720-4623
>
>USDA AWARDS MORE THAN $4.5 MILLION FOR INTEGRATED ORGANIC RESEARCH
>
>WASHINGTON, Sept.13, 2006 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns 
>announced today USDA is awarding more than $4.5 million in research 
>grants to address organic agricultural issues and priorities, 
>including global competitiveness.
>
>"To succeed in organic agriculture, producers must be creative and 
>willing to take certain risks - attributes that American farmers 
>have exhibited since the early days of farming," Johanns said. "This 
>research will help organic producers to manage their risks by 
>providing information that will help to increase production while 
>decreasing costs."
>
>Through the Integrated Organic Program, USDA's Cooperative State 
>Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) will administer 
>eight grants to 13 states.
>
>The grants will focus on two areas; improving the competitiveness of 
>organic producers, and assisting producers and processors who have 
>already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality 
>organic agricultural products.
>
>Organic agriculture is heavily influenced by local conditions, and 
>making the transition from conventional production to organic 
>production is generally an information-intensive process. To help 
>farmers in this transition, CSREES generates new information through 
>grants for research and outreach.
>
>The fiscal year 2006 grants are being awarded to the following:
>
>Cornell University, $374,627, "Optimizing Biological Nitrogen 
>Fixation in Organic Cropping Systems for Sustainable Nutrient Management"
>Washington State University and Idaho State University, $690,557, 
>"Developing Wheat Varieties for Organic Agricultural Systems"
>University of Georgia and University of Arkansas, $313,515, 
>"Out-of-Season Small Fruit Production for Improved Profitability of 
>Organic Farming"
>University of Wisconsin, $374,478, "Crop Plant Nutrition and Insect 
>Response in Organic Field Crop Production: Linking Farmer 
>Observation to University Research and Extension"
>University of Vermont, University of Arkansas, and University of 
>Maine, $666,839, "Using New Alternatives to Enhance Adoption of 
>Organic Apple Production through Integrated Research Education and Extension"
>University of Minnesota, $615,840, "Beyond Corn and Soybean: 
>Alternative Organic Crops for the Upper Midwest"
>University of Florida and University of Georgia, $364,156, "Organic 
>Production of Blueberries in Southeastern United States: Development 
>of Best Management Practices"
>Clemson University, $431,203, "Organic Farming of Marine Shrimp: A 
>Holistic Approach to Management of Feeds & Microbial Dynamics"
>Ohio State University, $545,102, "Transition Strategies that Control 
>Perennial Weeds and Build Soil"
>University of Florida, $226,139, "Crop Diversification Complexity 
>and Pest and Beneficial Organism Communities in Humid Tropical and 
>Sub-Tropical Climatic Regimes"
>
>CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human 
>health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, 
>education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University 
>System and other partner organizations. For more information, visit 
>http://www.csrees.usda.gov.
>
>
>
>
>The above information was sent to you by:
>
>Jack Cooper
>
>Food Industry Environmental Network, LLC (FIEN, LLC) - see 
>http://www.fien.com - FIEN, LLC is a regulatory and policy e-mail 
>update service for the agriculture and food industry which is 
>operated as a partnership by:
>
>Jack L. Cooper
>Food Industry Environmental Network, LLC
>33 Falling Creek Court, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
>Phone: 301 384 8287 --- E- Mail: JLC at fien.com
>and
>Cindy Roberts
>Food Industry Environmental Network, LLC
>1464 Harvard St. NW, Suite 14
>Washington, DC 20009-4610
>Phone: 202 669 6951 --- E-Mail: CAR at fien.com