The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is seeking applications for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) Research Projects with Extension and/or Education Components.
Donor Name: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/14/2026
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 4 Years
Details:
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to the extent permitted by law, will no longer make grants or otherwise fund programs or activities that improperly discriminate on the basis of race or sex, including discrimination in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies. Instead, USDA will prioritize merit and efficiency. USDA recognizes programs and initiatives will have the greatest impact when these programs and initiatives put American farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by:
- solving the most pressing challenges they face;
- protecting America’s food, fuel, and fiber supply to enhance national security;
- supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers;
- expanding and developing domestic markets;
- training the next generation of agriculturalists; and
- fueling innovation to keep American farmers at the forefront of productivity.
The OREI seeks to solve U.S. organic agricultural issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research, education, and extension activities. The purpose of this program is to fund high priority integrated projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products and to increase resilience in American farming systems. Priority concerns include biological and physical sciences, and economics.
Consistent with, OREI competitive grants may support research, education, and extension activities regarding organically grown and processed agricultural commodities for the purposes of:
- Facilitating the development and improvement of organic agriculture production, breeding, and processing methods;
- Evaluating the potential economic benefits of organic agricultural production and methods to producers, processors, and rural communities;
- Exploring international trade opportunities for organically grown and processed agricultural commodities;
- Determining desirable traits for organic commodities;
- Identifying marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture;
- Conducting advanced on-farm research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for working organic farms, including research relating to production, marketing, food safety, socioeconomic conditions, and farm business management;
- Examining optimal conservation, soil health, and environmental outcomes relating to organically produced agricultural products; and
- Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly suited for organic agriculture.
Priorities
Proposals are encouraged in the following areas based on legislative goals and stakeholder input (not listed in order of importance)
- Conduct advanced on-farm crop, livestock, or integrated livestock-crop research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for organic farms, including production and marketing. These issues could include both identification of factors reducing yields, efficiency, productivity, and economic returns on organic farms and the economic contributions of organic farming to producers and processors. This priority includes studies that help producers monitor and improve efficiency, productivity, and soil health; studies focusing on soil, plant and/or livestock associated microbiomes with practical applications to organic production systems; and the development of tools and testing methodologies to ensure organic integrity.
- Develop and demonstrate tools for extension personnel and other professionals who advise producers on organic practices. Applications bringing end users together with OREI-funded research, education, and extension/outreach teams are encouraged.
- For both plant and animal-based organic products: evaluate, develop, and improve allowable post-harvest handling, processing, and food safety practices to reduce toxins and microbial contamination while increasing shelf life, quality, and other economically important characteristics.
- Strengthen organic crop propagation systems, including seed and transplant production and protection, and plant breeding for organic production conditions, with an emphasis on publicly available releases. Goals of organic propagation and breeding-focused proposals can include, but are not limited to: disease, weed, and pest resistance; stress tolerance; nutrient use efficiency; performance in soil-improving systems; and quality and yield improvement. This priority includes cover crop breeding for enhanced performance in organic systems. Projects dealing solely with cultivar evaluation do not fit under this priority.
- Explore technologies that meet the requirements of the National Organic Program (NOP)[1]. This includes developing, improving, and evaluating systems-based integrated management programs to address diseases, nematodes, weeds, and insect pest-related problems for organically grown crops. Systems-based evaluations can include the safety and efficacy of allowable pest management materials and practices. Proposals addressing organic management of diseases, nematodes, weeds, and insect pests in the Southern Region are especially encouraged. Where possible, the projects should engage emerging technologies such as automation, remote sensing, precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, and digital scouting to enhance plant protection and weed control as well as improve productivity.
- Develop or improve systems-based animal production, animal health, and pest management practices to improve animal productivity, health, and husbandry while retaining or enhancing economic viability. Projects should capitalize on emerging opportunities such as automation, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and precision management in animal production, husbandry and health; and managing risk, as appropriate, to continue to advance animal research programs and sustain effective technology transfer.
- Breed, evaluate, and select animal breeds and genotypes adapted to organic systems. This may include, but is not restricted to: identification of and selection for pest, parasite, and disease resistance, fluctuating forage quality, and other stresses.
Project and Grant Types
The following describes the types of projects or grants that are eligible for funding:
Integrated Project Proposals: Integrated project proposals must include research and at least one additional element of the other two functions of the agricultural knowledge system (education and extension/outreach). Awards will be made as grants. To accommodate projects differing in scope, three types of integrated project proposals are offered. However, projects with similar content and same investigators may not be submitted to more than one project category.
- Tier 1 Proposals. Proposals addressing program priorities with a maximum award amount of $3,500,000. These are large, coordinated projects addressing critical issues that cut across multiple regions. An advisory panel is strongly recommended for Tier 1 proposals.
- Tier 2 Proposals. Proposals addressing program priorities with a maximum award amount of $2,000,000. These are multidisciplinary projects addressing issues that may be either national or regional.
- Tier 3 Proposals. Proposals addressing specific critical constraints with a maximum award amount of $1,000,000, reflecting the possibly narrower scope or locality-specific nature of these projects.
Funding Information
- Available Funding: $65,000,000
- Award Range: $50,000 – $3,500,000
Project Period
36 – 48 Months.
Eligibility Criteria
The following entity(ies) may apply to this NOFO: Individuals and Organizations.
Applications may only be submitted by the following entities:
- State Agricultural Experiment Stations
- Colleges and universities
- University research foundations
- Other research institutions and organizations
- Federal agencies
- National laboratories
- Private organizations, foundations, or corporations
- Individuals who are United States citizens or nationals
- A group consisting of two or more of the entities described in items (1) through (8).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
