RESEARCH
T The Initiative for Future
Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS): This
initiative established in the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education
Reauthorization Act of 1997 was funded at $120 million per year through 2003 as
a mandatory program. The new Farm Bill extends the Initiative beyond its current
sunset date of 2003 and incrementally increases mandatory funding for the
Initiative to $200 million annually by FY2007. Permanent budgetary baseline is
established for this program at the $200 million per year for each fiscal year
2007, and beyond. The initiative is
designed to promote on-the- ground solutions for American producers and
consumers. Further, it addresses critical issues, such as, plant and animal
genomics, food safety, biobased products, and natural resources
management.
NEW! Childhood
Obesity Prevention Research
(see NUTRITION)
NEW! Integrated
Pest Management (IPM): Authored by
Senator Leahy after he received a General Accounting Office report in 2001 showing lack of a coordinated
IPM effort at USDA, this provision authorizes research and extension grants to
be made to institutions that will help coordinate and improve research,
education, and outreach on, and implementation of, integrated pest management
practices on agricultural lands.
NEW! Soil
Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Research: In
the Energy Title of the bill, this provision makes eligible Cooperative Research
and Extension Service providers for grants to study soil carbon sequestration
and greenhouse gas mitigation efforts on farmland.