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{{Short description|U.S. government research body}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = National Institute of Food and Agriculture | formed = 2008 | preceding1 = Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service | seal = | logo = Web usda nifa centered rgb 72.jpg | logo_width = 200px | jurisdiction = | headquarters = 1400 [[Independence Avenue (Washington D.C.)|Independence Avenue]], S.W., [[Washington, D.C.]] | employees = | budget = | chief1_name = Manjit Misra | chief1_position = Director | chief2_name = Dionne Toombs | chief2_position = Associate Director for Programs | chief3_name = | chief3_position = | chief4_name = | chief4_position = | chief5_name = | chief5_position = | chief6_name = | chief6_position = | chief7_name = | chief7_position = | chief8_name = | chief8_position = | chief9_name = | chief9_position = | parent_department = | child1_agency = | website = {{official URL}} | footnotes = }} [[File:NIFA headquarters 2019.jpg|thumb|NIFA headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2019]] The '''National Institute of Food and Agriculture''' ('''NIFA''') is a [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]] body whose creation was mandated in the [[Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008]]. Its purpose is to consolidate all federally funded [[agricultural research]], and it is subordinate to the [[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]]. It replaced the [[Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service]] in 2009. Dionne Toombs served as the Acting Director from April 11, 2022 to May 8, 2023.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Staff Appointments |date=April 18, 2022 |publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/04/18/us-department-agriculture-announces-key-staff-appointments |access-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref> Dionne Toombs is the current Associate Director for Programs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dionne F. Toombs {{!}} National Institute of Food and Agriculture |url=https://www.nifa.usda.gov/contact-us/dionne-f-toombs |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=www.nifa.usda.gov |language=en}}</ref> Manjit Misra was appointed Director on April 24, 2023 and began his new role on May 8, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USDA Announces New National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director |url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/04/24/usda-announces-new-national-institute-food-and-agriculture-director |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=www.usda.gov |language=en}}</ref> The mission of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is to stimulate and fund the research and technological innovations that will enhance American agriculture and make it more productive and environmentally sustainable while ensuring the economic viability of agriculture and production. The Institute was developed as a result of a task force chaired by [[William Henry Danforth]] and appointed by then-[[United States Secretary of Agriculture|Secretary of Agriculture]] [[Ann Veneman]]. The Danforth Task Force recommended that [[United States Congress|Congress]] authorize the creation of NIFA as a way to strengthen agriculture research and to attract additional highly competitive research scientists to this field of endeavor. A growing program in competitive research grants will be a hallmark of the new agency.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.danforthcenter.org/newsmedia/leaflet/Danforth_Leaflet_Nov_2009.pdf |title=Home |access-date=2009-12-29 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213139/http://www.danforthcenter.org/newsmedia/leaflet/Danforth_Leaflet_Nov_2009.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The creation of NIFA strengthened USDA's competitive research portfolio by replacing the National Research Initiative with the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. NIFA awards research funding through a combination of competitive grants and funds allocated to states under statutory formulas. == Relocation == In 2019, NIFA relocated 294 out of 315 staff members from [[Washington, D.C.|Washington DC]] to [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]. The move was part of a larger uprooting including the [[Economic Research Service]]. The USDA cited the move was an effort to attract talent and lower costs by establishing an operational headquarters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary Perdue Announces Kansas City Region as Location for ERS and NIFA |url=https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2019/06/13/secretary-perdue-announces-kansas-city-region-location-ers-and-nifa |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=www.usda.gov |language=en}}</ref> The [[Government Accountability Office]] reported the agency violated the [[Antideficiency Act]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=GAO: USDA violated the Anti-Deficiency Act while planning its relocation of science agencies |url=https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2023/08/gao-usda-violated-anti-deficiency-act-while-planning-relocation-science-agencies/389546/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Government Executive |language=en}}</ref> Between 40-60% of employees left the agency after receiving the ultimatum to move or leave the agency.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-28 |title=After USDA Antideficiency Act violation, lawmakers push bill for more relocation oversight |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2023/08/after-usda-antideficiency-act-violation-lawmakers-push-bill-for-more-relocation-oversight/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Federal News Network |language=en-US}}</ref> Black employees previously holding 47% of roles dropped to 19% post relocation.<ref name=":0" /> After the move NIFA employees voted to unionize under the [[American Federation of Government Employees]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-11 |title=NIFA employees vote to unionize on heels of USDA relocation |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2019/06/nifa-employees-vote-to-unionize-on-heels-of-usda-relocation/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Federal News Network |language=en-US}}</ref> Due to Congressional concern, the Conducting Oversight to Secure Transparency (COST) of Relocations Act was introduced.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-21 |title=Bill Would Require Due Diligence, Public Report Before Agency Relocation |url=https://fedmanager.com/news/bill-would-require-due-diligence-public-report-before-agency-relocation |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=FEDmanager |language=en-US}}</ref> ==See also== * [[Agriculture Innovation Center]] * [[Electrical energy efficiency on United States farms]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{Official website|https://nifa.usda.gov/}} * [https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-institute-of-food-and-agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture] in the [[Federal Register]] * [https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/012-1500 Research and Education Activities] account on [[USAspending.gov]] * [https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/012-0502 Extension Activities] account on USAspending.gov * [https://www.usaspending.gov/federal_account/012-1502 Integrated Activities] account on USAspending.gov {{US research agencies}} {{United States Department of Agriculture}} {{Portal bar|United States|Agriculture|Biology|Food|Earth sciences}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:National Institute Of Food And Agriculture}} [[Category:2008 establishments in the United States]] [[Category:United States Department of Agriculture]] [[Category:Agricultural organizations based in the United States]]