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.