Science Policy Report

Address all comments to the Science Policy Office at:
sciencepolicy@sciencesocieties.org

09 December 2020

In This Issue:

Policy News

~ Multiple awards to participate in ASA, CSSA, SSSA Virtual Congressional Visits Day
~ Vilsack chosen as Biden's Agriculture secretary
~ Goodbye, U.S.D.A., hello, Department of Food and Well-Being
~ Must-pass U.S. defense bill would harmonize funding disclosures for all federal grant applicants
~ Carbon markets lure farmers, but will benefits be enough to hook them?
~ NIFA releases employment outlook report for new college graduates in agriculture

Science and Society News

~ Coalition names Illinois CCA winner of CCA Conservationist of the Year award
~ ASA, SSSA member testifies in Senate Agriculture Committee hearing
~ 2020 ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting is now available online through February 13 with over 2500+ Presentations
~ Societies respond to EPA biotech proposed rule
~ New Podcast Episode: Dr. Ethann Barnes and Dr. Amit Jhala discuss their work with gene flow in popcorn on the newest episode of Field, Lab, Earth from ASA, CSSA, SSSA
~ SSSA Publishes New Book | Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections, Second Edition
~ E.P.A.’s final deregulatory rush runs into open staff resistance
~ Farmers look to innovate their way to a smaller environmental footprint
~ Capitalizing on cranberries

International Corner

~ Where the pomegranate harvest is life, the Taliban brought ruin
~ England flaunts green reforms while EU stays in hock to farmers
~ Lessons from smallholder coffee farms in Guatemala

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

~ NC AgVentures Grant Program
~ University of Mount Olive AgPrime
~ Americana Foundation Michigan Agriculture Natural Resources, and Heritage Grants
~ Maryland Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Grant Program
~ North Dakota Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
~ NFF Matching Awards Program (MAP)
~ Washington Specialty Crop Block Grant
~ Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund
~ Young Farmer Grants
~ ecoSolution Grants
~ Bay-Delta Restoration Program: CALFED Water Use Efficiency Grants for Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022
~ WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I Grants
~ Indiana Partners for Conservation
~ Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications
~ New Earth Foundation Proposals for Environmental Projects
~ Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund
~ 2021 Keeling Curve Prize
~ Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ECO-CBET)
~ Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
~ Scholarship for Advancing Diversity in the Geoscience Profession
~ Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Interactions and Mechanisms
~ Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements (REAP)

Policy News

(TOP) ~ Multiple awards to participate in ASA, CSSA, SSSA Virtual Congressional Visits Day

For 2021, the ASA, CSSA, SSSA Congressional Visits Day will be a VIRTUAL event! VCVD participants will be put into small groups to meet with Members of Congress and their staff and advocate for USDA research funding. Participants will attend 3-6 webinar meetings with Members of Congress and their staff. Scheduling and logistics for the virtual meetings will be provided and all participants will receive policy, communication, and advocacy training to prepare you to effectively work with members of Congress and their staff.  VCVD is an exciting opportunity to use your voice and your skills to help shape federal science policy. Applications for two awards to participate in VCVD are now open, deadline January 8. Learn more and apply here.

(TOP) ~ Vilsack chosen as Biden's Agriculture secretary

Vilsack, who served as Agriculture secretary for eight years in the Obama administration, was a top rural and agriculture policy adviser during Biden's presidential campaign. He’s also a former governor of Iowa and was a top contender to be Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016. One person familiar with Biden’s thinking said Vilsack’s previous experience running the department was instrumental in the decision because the president-elect wanted someone who could immediately tackle the hunger and farm crises that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. This person added Biden was impressed by Vilsack’s tenure as head of the department. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Goodbye, U.S.D.A., hello, Department of Food and Well-Being

An editorial by Ricardo Salvado, the Director of the Food and Environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Mark Bittman, a former New York Times columnist, write that it’s time the secretary of agriculture leverages the department’s impact for more than the benefit of agribusiness. With just one cabinet appointment, President-elect Joe Biden could tackle economic inequality, the rural/urban divide, climate change, the growing mistrust of science, systemic racism and even the coronavirus. That appointment is Secretary of Agriculture. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Must-pass U.S. defense bill would harmonize funding disclosures for all federal grant applicants

The U.S. Congress appears poised to pass legislation making uniform what are now a hodgepodge of agency policies on when and how a scientist applying for a federal grant must disclose other sources of funding. The provisions don’t mention China, but they are designed to counter its aggressive moves to obtain cutting-edge technologies by tapping into work funded by the U.S. government. Legislators from both parties have accused university officials of turning a blind eye to—or worse, being unwittingly complicit in—such attempts to steal government-funded discoveries by failing to keep tabs on the research activities of their faculty members. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Carbon markets lure farmers, but will benefits be enough to hook them?

Never mind that Trump-Pence sticker on the back of his Dodge Dakota pickup, Wes Kent and the way he manages his small, diversified farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley figure big in Joe Biden’s vision for addressing climate change by paying farmers to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Biden’s plan to create a way for farmers to earn credits for climate-friendly practices is shared by multinational corporations that are eager to offset their emissions, leading farm groups that want to find new income streams for producers. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ NIFA releases employment outlook report for new college graduates in agriculture

A new report, released today by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, shows a strong job demand for new college graduates with degrees in agricultural programs. U.S. college graduates can expect approximately 59,400 job opportunities annually between 2020 and 2025. This reflects a 2.6 percent growth from the previous five years. Employer demand will exceed the supply of available graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture-related fields. Read the full report.

Science and Society News

(TOP) ~ Coalition names Illinois CCA winner of CCA Conservationist of the Year award

Michael Wilson of Allandale, Ill., was named this year’s recipient of the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Conservationist of the Year Award. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ ASA, SSSA member testifies in Senate Agriculture Committee hearing

On Wednesday, December 2, ASA and SSSA member Dr. Steven Rosenzweig testified at the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry’s final hearing of 2020. The hearing, “Agriculture Research and Securing the United States Food Supply,” was also the final hearing chaired by retiring Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS). Watch the hearing here.

(TOP) ~ 2020 ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting is now available online through February 13 with over 2500+ Presentations

The 2020 ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting was held virtually November 9-13. Already registered? Access here through February 13. Register now to gain immediate access to the 2,500 oral and poster presentations, and hundreds of recorded sessions! Access the meeting here.

(TOP) ~ Societies respond to EPA biotech proposed rule

The Societies responded to a request for comments from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding regulatory exemptions proposed for certain plants created using gene-editing technologies. EPA’s proposed rule was decades in the making and was written to complement USDA’s recent rule on the matter. The Societies’ comments touched on EPA’s metabolite reporting and record-keeping requirements, which will disproportionately fall on smaller developers and developers of specialty crops, its treatment of gene-edited varieties in which no pesticide is produced, and its definitions of conventional breeding and native genes.  The Crop Science Society of America also signed on to a coalition letter with similar comments. Read the full comments.

(TOP) ~ New Podcast Episode: Dr. Ethann Barnes and Dr. Amit Jhala discuss their work with gene flow in popcorn on the newest episode of Field, Lab, Earth from ASA, CSSA, SSSA

Popcorn accounts for a small portion of the corn grown in the United States. It is therefore important to protect popcorn varieties from cross-pollination with other field corn varieties. Tune in to learn: How cross-pollination in corn is similar to keys and doors, the process by which corn plants are pollinated, what some of the key factors are in corn cross-pollination, and why even as little as 5% gene flow can pose a severe threat? Tune in here.

(TOP) ~ SSSA Publishes New Book | Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections, Second Edition

The new book from SSSA is a revised guide to the study and of soil and regolith thin sections. A specialized system of terms and concepts must be used to accurately and effectively distinguish and name the microscopic features of soils and regoliths. With a comprehensive, consistent terminology at their disposal, researchers may compare, store and discuss new data easily and with less risk of error. The second edition of "Guidelines for Analysis and Description of Soil and Regolith Thin Sections" has been assembled to address this need, offering a practical system of analysis and description to those working with soil and regolith materials. Find out more and download the book today!

(TOP) ~ E.P.A.’s final deregulatory rush runs into open staff resistance

President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency was rushing to complete one of its last regulatory priorities, aiming to obstruct the creation of air- and water-pollution controls far into the future, when a senior career scientist moved to hobble it. Thomas Sinks directed the E.P.A.’s science advisory office and later managed the agency’s rules and data around research that involved people. Before his retirement in September, he decided to issue a blistering official opinion that the pending rule — which would require the agency to ignore or downgrade any medical research that does not expose its raw data — will compromise American public health. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Farmers look to innovate their way to a smaller environmental footprint

With farmers under pressure to cut their environmental footprint, global agribusiness giants as well as small tech startups are rushing to come up with ways to slash farm pollutants and make it possible for producers to cash in on carbon credits and other new forms of income. These potential technological solutions include seed and soil treatments that can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizer or capture carbon from the air and store it in the soil. Feed additives can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from belching cattle. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Capitalizing on cranberries

Both cranberries and blueberries are botanically part of the Vaccinium species.  Although production and consumption is growing worldwide, the growth of U.S. production has slowed in the past five years. Producers have not yet benefited from advanced breeding technologies used in other crops, which limits their ability to grow new varieties with improved fruit quality and market value. To improve cranberries and blueberries based on producer and consumer interests, North Carolina State University leads a nationwide, transdisciplinary team that includes researchers from Washington State University, University of Florida, University of Georgia, and others. Funded by USDA and others, the team’s goal is to leverage genomic resources to develop new cultivars with enhanced quality and attributes (e.g. taste, appearance, disease resistance, nutritional benefits). Read the full story.

International Corner

(TOP) ~ Where the pomegranate harvest is life, the Taliban brought ruin

Crack a pomegranate in half and its blood-red seed-filled chambers make it look almost like a broken heart. In Arghandab district, which in Afghanistan is almost synonymous with the fruit, a Taliban offensive has cut the heart out of the harvest season, leaving farming families desperate. The offensive here in southern Afghanistan came at the end of October, the prime month for a pomegranate harvest that goes from September to November. On a recent day this month, Gulalay Amiri and 10 of his workers gathered whatever was left in fear. Several farmers in an orchard nearby had recently been killed by buried Taliban explosives. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ England flaunts green reforms while EU stays in hock to farmers

England on Monday issued a tough timeline for its farmers to wean themselves off subsidies and take a more climate-friendly tack, just as the EU is facing political heat for prioritizing agricultural protectionism over green goals. In England's post-Brexit "agricultural transition plan," U.K. farm minister George Eustice mapped out how direct farm subsidies will be cut dramatically — in many cases by more than half — by 2024 and phased out three years later. The restructuring of farm subsidies in line with concerns about climate change is one area where Britain has been able to be more nimble than it could have been while still a member of the EU, operating within the bloc's €48 billion-per-year Common Agricultural Policy. Read the full story.

(TOP) ~ Lessons from smallholder coffee farms in Guatemala

“Coffee is an orphan crop,” Taya Brown says. “We are so far behind in understanding it because coffee is not consumed where it’s produced.” Brown just completed a five‐year stint in the Yepocapa region of Guatemala as part of her doctoral research at Texas A&M University’s Center for Coffee Research and Education Grown. Yepocapa is part of the “Bean Belt” where coffee is grown, spanning about 25 degrees latitude on either side of the equator. The two most common species—Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora—thrive in the tropics, at elevations of 600 to 2,000 m. Like wine, the unique growing environment that produces a coffee bean influences it health and final flavor. Read the full story.

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

(TOP) ~ NC AgVentures Grant Program

Since forming in 2004, the Mosaic Company has grown to be a global leader in phosphates and potash crop nutrition. The company currently is inviting applications from communities where it has facilities, offices, and key stakeholder agreements in three core areas — food, water, and local community investment. To be eligible, applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, be a charitable organization recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency, or have an equivalent institutional registration. Unless seeking a global or national partnership, applicants must be located in geographic areas that are home to a Mosaic location or office. Deadline: December 18. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ University of Mount Olive AgPrime

University of Mount Olive AgPrime provides grants to North Carolina farmers for new and innovative agricultural project ideas that will increase farm profits. This grant program, which is supported by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, was designed to strengthen farms and communities that were negatively impacted by the downturn of the tobacco economy. North Carolina residents in 33 designated counties, who are agriculturally dependent and who have viable ideas for new and innovative agricultural projects, are eligible for grants up to $10,000. A 10% cash match is required. Deadline: December 18. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Americana Foundation Michigan Agriculture Natural Resources, and Heritage Grants

The Americana Foundation is dedicated to supporting programs that address the sustainable growth and development of American agriculture and community food systems, the conservation of natural resources, and the protection and presentation of expressions of America's heritage. The Foundation provides grants ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 in two program areas: The Agriculture and Natural Resources category supports programs that address the growth and development of American agriculture, community food programs, and natural resource conservation in rural and urban landscapes in Michigan. The American Heritage category aims to increase educational opportunities for future conservators and curators in the field and to support preservation and presentation of unique collections. Requests in this category are accepted from organizations throughout the United States; however, priority is given to organizations in Michigan. Deadline: January 8, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Maryland Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Grant Program

Maryland Energy Administration is accepting applications for the Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Grant Program to support improving the energy efficiency and reducing the energy costs of enterprises in the state. A total of $550,000 is available in this funding period. The program offers funding for up to 50% of eligible energy-efficiency measures, with a maximum of $200,000. Deadline: January 12, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ North Dakota Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

North Dakota Department of Agriculture is accepting proposals for federal funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Enhancing competitiveness may include developing local and rural food systems and improving food access in underserved communities. Proposals will be accepted from non-profit organizations, producer organizations, government agencies, universities, and other organizations related to North Dakota's specialty crop industry. Individuals, individual producers, for-profit businesses, or commercial entities may submit proposals. However, the project must focus on research, education, or demonstration and must benefit the specialty crop industry in a manner that can be replicated by other organizations. Deadline: January 13, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ NFF Matching Awards Program (MAP)

Chartered by Congress, the National Forest Foundation engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. To help advance that mission, the NFF Matching Awards Program (MAP) provides funding for on-the-ground results-oriented projects that enhance forest health and outdoor experiences in national forests and grasslands. The program has identified two focus areas for 2021: Outdoor Experiences and Forest Health. Applicants may self-select into one of the program areas and/or are encouraged to submit a proposal that cohesively integrates the two. (Examples of integrated projects include engaging community volunteers to complete riparian plantings as part of a watershed-scale restoration project or utilizing youth crews from underserved communities to complete habitat stewardship work and forest stand treatments.) In addition, the MAP opportunity requires that projects show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through direct public participation (although it is not necessary for the community engagement piece to occur in the portion of the project receiving MAP funding). Deadline: January 13, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Washington Specialty Crop Block Grant

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is accepting concept proposals for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, for projects that enhance the competitiveness and increase demand for Washington's specialty crops. Nonprofit organizations; local, state, and federal government entities, including tribal governments; public or private colleges and universities; and for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Deadline: January 14, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley Restoration Fund invests in on-the-ground projects to restore, enhance and conserve bottomland hardwood forest and wetland habitatsto benefit wildlife and improve water quality within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley region of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The fund focuses on the following priorities: Enhance existing bottomland hardwood forests to improve habitat for Louisiana black bear, Kentucky warbler, Swainson’s warbler, American green-winged teal, wood duck, mallard and other waterfowl, songbirds and forest-dependent species; Restore and enhance wetland forest and floodplain hydrology to improve wildlife habitat and water quality; Establish new bottomland hardwood forests that contribute to landscape-scale habitat connectivity to benefit wildlife. Deadline: January 14, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Young Farmer Grants

The National Young Farmers Coalition is offering 50 Young Farmer Grants of $5,000 each to a new cohort of young farmers and ranchers: 45 awards will go to businesses already in operation, and five to projects starting in 2021. Young Farmer Grants are designed to provide a flexible financial boost to young farmers building long-term careers in agriculture. This fund can be used for anything that will further your goals as a farmer, even if that means just getting started. Applicants must be young farmers and ranchers between 18 and 40 years of age as of April 1, 2021. A minimum of 50% of grants are committed to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, and 50% of grants to female-identifying, non-binary, and trans farmers, not mutually exclusively. Deadline: January 15, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ ecoSolution Grants

The Captain Planet Foundation supports educators working to facilitate youth-led projects that result in positive environmental impact in schools and communities. To that end, it invites applications for its ecoSolution™ Grants. Previously called “Small Grants,” ecoSolution™ Grants have been the defining basis of Captain Planet Foundation’s work over the last twenty-five years. Through the program, grants ranging from between $500 and $2,500 will be awarded in support of youth-led solution-oriented projects that result in real environmental outcomes, broadly defined. Grants will only support direct project costs. Deadline: January 15, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Bay-Delta Restoration Program: CALFED Water Use Efficiency Grants for Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is a participating agency in the Bay-Delta Restoration Program. The CALFED Bay-Delta Program Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Review was released July 21, 2000, and the Record of Decision (ROD) was published August 28, 2000. As described in these documents, the Bay-Delta Restoration Program includes strategies to address ecosystem health, water supply reliability, and water quality. Water use efficiency is a critical element in the successful implementation of the Bay-Delta Restoration Program. The goals (objectives) of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program include, but are not limited to: Goal 1: Reduce existing irrecoverable losses, increasing the overall volume of available water; Goal 2: Achieve multiple state-wide benefits; Goal 3: Preserve local flexibility; and Goal 4: Build on existing water use efficiency programs. Deadline: January 18, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I Grants

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) Reclamation provides funding to watershed groups to encourage diverse stakeholders to form local solutions to address their water management needs. By providing this funding Reclamation promotes water reliability and cooperation between stakeholders to reduce conflict, facilitate solutions to complex water issues, and stretch limited water supplies. Deadline: January 19, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Indiana Partners for Conservation

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invites potential conservation partners in Indiana to submit project applications for funding through Indiana Partners for Conservation. Indiana NRCS will award up to a total of $1 million to locally driven partnerships that address natural resource issues, encourage collaboration, and develop state-and-community-level conservation leadership. Partners may request between $30,000 and $500,000 in funding and are expected to offer value-added contributions. Funding is open to local and state governments, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Deadline: January 25, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Pre-Applications

The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics; Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing); New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops. Deadline: January 26, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ New Earth Foundation Proposals for Environmental Projects

The New Earth Foundation welcomes proposals for innovative projects with the potential to enhance life on the planet, further peace, and brighten prospects for the future. The foundation will award grants in support of pioneering yet practical projects in many fields of endeavor, including but not limited to environmental initiatives aimed at eliminating pollution and saving the planet’s ecosystems, community efforts that create models of social sustainability, educational innovations that prepare youth to become the socially responsible leaders of the future, and strategies that offer economic improvement and opportunities. The foundation is particularly interested in projects that have potential to be replicated by others. Deadline: February 1, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund

The Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund is a landmark public-private partnership supported with federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Funding priorities for this program include: Restoring the longleaf pine ecosystem through collaborative and result-oriented actions that help advance the goals of the Range-Wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine; Maintaining, enhancing and expanding productive understory habitat of the longleaf pine ecosystem; Aiding federal agencies in achieving their mission-oriented objectives; Supporting the recovery of iconic species through habitat enhancements; Strengthening the capacity of local organizations to establish, advance or lead local longleaf pine ecosystem restoration efforts; and Expanding the number of landowners engaged in longleaf pine restoration and maintenance on private lands, and supporting working forests by demonstrating their environmental and socioeconomic benefits. Deadline: February 4, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ 2021 Keeling Curve Prize

The Keeling Curve Prize invites proposals from organizations around the world for innovative climate change solutions. Prizes are awarded for ongoing work only (not as a reward for unimplemented ideas or past work). In 2021, ten prizes of $25,000 each will be awarded in the following areas: Capture and utilization — Solutions advance technological and nature-based strategies for capturing and/or utilizing heat-trapping gases from the air or oceans. Energy — Solutions aimed at decarbonizing energy, supporting zero-carbon energy innovations, and leading the way in improving the supply, distribution, and access of low or zero-emissions energy systems worldwide. Finance — Solutions that are making financial mechanisms and economics work for greenhouse gas reduction and/or reversal ventures. Social and cultural pathways — Solutions that change the way people consider, understand, and act concerning human impacts on planet Earth. Transport and mobility — Solutions that are reimagining and reinventing all types of vehicles, fuels, and mobility options for both people and products. Such projects must confront the carbon footprint of the vehicles themselves and the routes traveled. Deadline: February 10, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (ECO-CBET)

ECO-CBET will support fundamental research activities that confront environmental engineering and sustainability problems by developing foundational knowledge underlying processes and mechanisms such that the design of innovative new materials, processes, and systems is possible. Proposals may only be submitted by Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Projects should be compelling and reflect sustained, coordinated efforts from highly interdisciplinary research teams. A key objective of the solicitation is to encourage dialogue and tightly integrated collaborations wherein the chemical process systems, transport phenomena, and bioengineering communities engage with environmental engineering and sustainability experts to spark innovation and arrive at unanticipated solutions. Deadline: February 11, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at the University of California, Davis has issued a call for proposals for its Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Small Grants Program. Through the program, one-year grants of up to $7,000 are available to fund pilot projects and research projects aimed at supporting California’s farmers and ranchers and/or assisting rural and urban communities in the planning, implementation, and/or evaluation of sustainable agriculture or food systems strategies. Priority will be given to projects that benefit socially disadvantaged communities and/or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Eligible applicants include California-based farm or food system businesses and those affiliated with California nonprofit tax-exempt organizations, state and local government agencies, or public and private institutions of higher education. Deadline: February 15, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Scholarship for Advancing Diversity in the Geoscience Profession

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce its new Scholarship for Advancing Diversity in the Geoscience Profession. The scholarship is a one-time $5,000 award supporting geoscience graduate studies by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who self-identifies as a member of an underrepresented minority (Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color) and is within two semesters of completing a recognized geoscience program. "The geosciences can thrive only with full participation from all communities, yet research shows that many underrepresented minority students face obstacles in the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies," says AGI Interim Executive Director Sharon Tahirkheli. "Supporting the next generation of aspiring minority geoscientists has perhaps never been more important. "Deadline: February 21, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Interactions and Mechanisms

The URoL:MIM program invites integrated, interdisciplinary proposals that create new knowledge in multiple disciplines to develop causal frameworks with well-designed scientific and/or computational approaches to test hypotheses about the relationships within the microbiome, and among the microbiome, the host, and the environment. Projects may develop new computational, mathematical, or experimental tools, and models, to: i) explain function and interactions in natural, experimental, and model microbiomes; ii) elucidate the chemical and molecular mechanisms that underlie communication between the host and the microbiome and among the members of the microbiome; and/or iii) comparatively analyze characteristics of microbiomes to discover emergent properties that provide insight into the behavior of living systems. Deadline: February 23, 2021. Read the full announcement.

(TOP) ~ Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements (REAP)

The Rural Energy for America Program will provide funds to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Energy for America Program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the nations critical energy needs. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis. Eligible applicants are agricultural producers and rural small businesses. All agricultural producers, including farmers and ranchers, who gain 50% or more of their gross income from the agricultural operations are eligible. Small businesses that are located in a rural area can also apply. Rural electric cooperatives may also be eligible to apply. The project must be to conduct a feasibility study for a renewable energy system. Eligible technologies include: projects that produce energy from wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro power and hydrogen-based sources. All projects must be located in a rural area and must be owned by the applicant. Deadline: March 31, 2021. Read the full announcement.

Sources: Politico, New York Times, Science, Agri-Pulse, National Association of Conservation Districts, Fed by Science

Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.

This page of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA web site will highlight current news items relevant to Science Policy. It is not an endorsement of any position.