Biotech Updates

USDA Awards $11 M for Applied Plant Genomics Research and Extension

October 9, 2009

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture ( USDA NIFA) through the USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Rajiv Shah has announced the $11 million Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) awards to significantly advance research, education and extension in applied plant genomics. The CAP awards are endowments from the USDA for investment in improving human conditions. Shah further said that "these research dollars yield the best returns because we are focusing on the areas we know have a high likelihood for real impact."

Among the recipients of the award include the North Dakota State University for their research on legume genetics and genomics; and Michigan State University, East Lansing; the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and the University of California-Davis on advance research, education and extension in tomato, potato, barley and tree breeding programs.

Read the press release at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/10/0496.xml