NIFA Invests Over $8.65M for Plant Breeding

Apr 30, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) invested over $8.65 million in 22 plant breeding research projects through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program.

The Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production grants(link is external) include a co-funded project by the Kansas Wheat Commission through the Farm Bill commodity boards topic provision, as well as five cultivar development projects aimed at accelerating testing, evaluating and releasing publicly-finished wheat, triticale, sorghum, and canola cultivars for farmers.

“Plant breeding is a critical link in helping agriculture mitigate climate change,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille. “These innovative projects will advance crop production efficiency, healthfulness, product quality, and the value of U.S. agricultural plants while increasing farmer profitability and sustainability.”

Some research funded from the Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production(link is external) AFRI priority area include: Texas A&M University’s project, “Unoccupied Aerial System Enabled Phenomic Selection to Develop Improved Southern Maize Hybrids,” to evaluate using drones to improve speed and accuracy of decision-making. Michigan State University’s project, “Mining the Wild Species Solanum Microdontum for Improvement of Cultivated Potato,” to enable efficient late blight and heat resistant potato varieties. University of California-Davis’ project, “Plant Breeding Partnerships: Breeding Pepper for Mechanical Harvesting II,” to develop competitive green chile pepper varieties amenable to mechanical harvesting.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Winter Service Inspections for John Deere Equipment - The FarmCast Ep64

The FarmCast, host Troy Randall speaks with Doug Luedke, Vice President of Service, and Davin Peterson, Executive Vice President of Aftermarket at 21st Century Equipment, to discuss the importance of proactive service and how it helps farmers reduce downtime during their busiest seasons. The conversation focuses on the Winter Service Inspection Program, a comprehensive approach designed to keep equipment running at peak performance and limit costly in-season breakdowns through preventative maintenance and expert technician support.

Doug and Devin explain how 21st Century Equipment’s service teams have evolved to meet the needs of today’s connected machines. With more technology and data integrated into modern equipment, technicians now play a vital role in both mechanical repairs and precision ag support. Through advanced diagnostics, machine monitoring, and John Deere’s Expert Alerts, they can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems—saving customers valuable time, money, and frustration.

Throughout the discussion, the team shares real-world success stories demonstrating how proactive inspections and customer-focused service help maximize uptime and efficiency for every operation. Whether it’s a large tractor, combine, or small mower, the goal remains the same: to provide trusted, reliable support that helps farmers and landowners stay productive and confident in their equipment year-round.