NIFA requests applications for the FSOP for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, veteran farmers or ranchers, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers.
In FY 2023, FSOP will maintain focus on delivery of customized training to members of the target audiences by continuing to solicit Community Outreach Projects and Collaborative Education and Training Projects. The program will also support outreach to underserved audiences by establishing grant writing skills technical assistance resource awards. Community Outreach and Collaborative Education and Training projects will focus on, but are not limited to, providing on farm or on-site training and/or technical assistance that addresses knowledge and resource gaps for the target audiences in the areas of pre- and post-harvest water testing and sampling, soil amendments, developing supply chain programs, and/or developing food safety plans. The program will also continue to fund projects that develop bilingual, accessible, and culturally appropriate training. Technical Assistance - Grant Writing Skills projects, will focus on developing grant writing skills and providing resources for entities that support individuals or groups that are led by and directly interact with underserved populations including new applicants, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and MSIs to strengthen FSOP applications from these entities.
Supplemental Collaborative Engagement funding opportunities are available to energize collaboration and coordination among 1890s, 1994s, Insular Areas, Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving (ANNH), Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and CBOs serving underserved populations. Supplemental collaborative funding will be available for Community Outreach, Collaborative Education and Training and Technical Assistance – Grant Writing Skills Project types. Successful project awardees will continue to build a national infrastructure for food safety outreach and will be required to interact with Regional Centers in the Northeast, North Central, Southern and Western regions, as defined by NIFA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.
Estimated Total Program Funding:
