The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a $262.5 million investment in institutions of higher education to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals across the nation. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) “From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program” (NextGen) will enable eligible institutions to build and sustain the next generation of food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences workforce. This includes efforts to strengthen USDA’s workforce through enhanced educational support, experiential learning, and exposure to early career opportunities.
“The vision we have at NIFA is to feed and nourish all Americans and create economic opportunity for more American families. Equity and diversity are the two central elements in this vision. One goal of the NextGen program is to identify, inspire and prepare our youth, particularly in underrepresented communities, to be the next generation of hunger fighters and agricultural problem solvers. This is the right thing to do and the right time,” said Manjit Misra director of NIFA.
Among the HBCUs receiving grants under the program are:
Florida A&M University, $10 million over five years for a project entitled “Developing the Next Generation of Minority Leaders in Pest Management for Food and Agriculture in a Changing Climate.”
University of Maryland Eastern Shore, $10 million over five years for research on “Generating and Sustaining the Next Generation of Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences Workforce Through International Experimental Learning, Outreach, and Engagement.”
Lincoln University of Missouri, $10 million over five years for the project “A Synergistic Paradigm for Training the Next Generation Agricultural Workforce for a Sustainable Future.”
North Carolina A&T State University, $18,110,000 over five years for conducting research entitled “System Approach to Promote Learning and Innovation for the Next Generations (SAPLINGS) of Professionals and Leaders in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences.”
South Carolina State University, $8.7 million over five years to support the university’s “Agriculture and Family and Consumer Sciences Academy.”
Tennessee State University, $18,110,000 over five years for the project entitled “Next Generation Inclusion Consortium for Building the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Pipeline.”
West Virginia State University, $4,580,000 over five years for the program “Next Generation of West Virginia Agriculture Professionals.”
