Expected Outcomes for this session

National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Opportunities in Climate Change and Water ResourcesNancy CavallaroNational Program Leader—Soils, Water & Global ChangeUSDA/NIFA

Expected Outcomes for this session • Identify emerging issues relating to water resources and climate change in the Northeast • Better understanding of the processes for mitigation and adaptation to climate change • Identify potential opportunities for regional collaboration • Better understanding of funding opportunities—Current programs and funding ops including future directions • Identify strategies to address the challenges and constraints to regional collaboration • Commitment to continue the dialogue beyond the meeting

The Green House Effect and Climate Change http:/www.bom.gov.au/info/GreenhouseEffectAndClimateChange.pdf

Changes in tropospheric aerosol optical thickness The warming trend of the past decade may be related to increasing amounts of downward solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. Recent decreases in tropospheric aerosols may also have contributed via both direct and indirect aerosol effects. The green line (above) reveals a long-term decreasing tendency in the tropospheric aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and the red line shows the overall behavior of the GACP AOT (January 1986 –June 1991).See M. Mischenko and I Geogdzhayer, May 2007 issue of GEWEX News. See related article in the NASA Earth Observer Newsletter.Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment http://www.gewex.org/

The patterns of climate impacts around the world correlated with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). http:/www.bom.gov.au/info/climate/change/gallery/20.shtml/

Trends in the atmospheric concentrations of the main well-mixed greenhouse gases over the last 1000 years. The effect that the increased concentrations should have in decreasing the long wave radiation lost to space is shown on the right of the figure in watts per square metre (W m-2).

The contribution of various agents to global, annual-mean radiative forcing (Wm-2) since the mid-1700s. The vertical lines about the bars indicate the range of uncertainty and the words across the bottom axis indicate the level of scientific understanding underpinning each of the estimates.

Global mean land and sea-surface temperature anomalies for the duration of the instrumental record.

(Note: 5-20% increases in runoff in the Northeast) Predicted relative change in runoff in the twenty-first century. Dramatic changes in runoff volume from ice-free land are projected in many parts of the world by the middle of the 21st century (relative to historical conditions from the 1900 to 1970 period). Color denotes percentage change (median value from 12 climate models). Where a country or smaller political unit is colored, 8 or more of 12 models agreed on the direction (increase versus decrease) of runoff change under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s “SRES A1B” emissions scenario. P. C. D. Milly, K. A. Dunne & A. V. Vecchia. Global pattern of trends in streamflow and water availability in a changing climate. NATURE|Vol 438|17 November 2005

Some challenges & emerging issues in climate change and water resources • Observing networks and databases—maintenance, coordination, access • Land use change – water usage, quality, accessibility, distribution, management, crops & livestock versus urban, industry, energy • Water and energy—competition between food and energy, hydrofracing, biofuels/bioenergy water needs, off-shore drilling, … • Dominant processes and feedbacks to the climate system • Linking physical or biophysical models with human systems • Improve integrated hierarchy of global and regional climate models, especially simulation of regional impacts and extreme weather events • More frequent extreme events—water management and water policy • Linking water policy to energy, carbon, land use, climate policies • Climate change, water, and invasive species (northward movement of weeds, pests and diseases)

The role of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture is to support research, extension and education, and bring focus to meet society’s grand challenges

New NIFA Structure • Four Institutes and one Center • Food Production and Sustainability: Enhancing global food security through productive and sustainable agricultural systems • Bioenergy, Climate and Environment: Ensuring energy independence through clean, biobased systems; Ensuring sustainable and adaptive agro-ecosystems in response to climate change • Food Safety and Nutrition: Ensuring a safe food supply, increasing citizens’ health through nutrition, reducing childhood obesity, improving food quality • Youth, Family, and Communities: Enabling resilient and vibrant communities, preparing the next generation of scientists, enhancing capacity in MSIs, Enhancing youth development • Center for International Programs: Leveraging US talent to enhance the lives in developing countries

Administration and Functions of Institutes in NIFA Institutes to be led by scientists + effective administrators with experience in USDA policies Will look to examples of best practices for operations of the institutes Will seek advice and input from external groups of stakeholders and expert scientists

NIFA’s Primary Budget Initiatives Focus efforts on high priority issues, including climate change, childhood obesity, biomass/bioproducts, food safety, food security Ensure agricultural productivity and sustainability, strengthen rural communities, and address global hunger Support fundamental science, applied research, and education Link scientific discovery, application of sustainable practices, producers; maintain support for SARE and other programs

Programs and opportunities in Water Resources and Climate Change AFRI Biomass Research Development Initiative Specialty Crops Research Initiative National Integrated Water Quality program (O’Neill)

AFRI’s priority challenge areas • Global Food Security • Sustainable Bioenergy--$40 million for 2010 • Climate Change--$55 million for 2010 • Childhood Obesity Prevention • Food Safety Increasing % of integrated (research+extension+education) grants awarded Water quality and quantity issues highly relevant to 4 of the 5

AFRI Foundational Programs: 6 Congressionally Mandated Themes: Plant Health and Productions and Plant Products Animal Health and Production and Animal Products Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Environment Agriculture Systems and Technology Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities Total of $64 million

AFRI Fellowship Grants $6 million total $3 million Pre-doctoral grants (up to $75K each) $3 million Post-doctoral grants (up to $130K each) Must address one or more of the Challenge Areas

Foundation Program: Agricultural Water Science • Application Deadline – May 19, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET) • Proposed Budget Requests – • Standard Grants must not exceed $500,000 (including indirect costs) for project periods of up to 5 years. Program anticipates making up to 10 awards in FY 2010. • Conference and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants must adhere to the guidelines outlined beginning in Part II, D. 4 and 5 (page 12). • Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed. • Requested Project Type – Research projects • Requested Grant Types –Standard, Conference, and FASE Grants

Agricultural Water Science Program Priorities Drought triggers: Develop the science behind the most appropriate drought triggers and provide an understanding of the connection between trigger levels and drought response decisions Understand the potential and relevance for bioaccumulation of recycled water constituents applied at typical irrigation rates used exclusively or through blending with surface and groundwater sources.

Other Foundational programs related to water and climate: • Plants: water use efficiency and adaptation to drought • Practical approaches to food safety: sampling plans to detect pathogens in water, soil, manure

Sustainable Bioenergy Challenge Area • Development of regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy and biobased products • Focus is on five dedicated feedstocks • Environmental, economic, and social prosperity for rural communities • Innovative Research+Education+Extension Collaborative Multi-disciplinary work

Sustainable Bioenergy Program Areas • Regional Approaches to Sustainable Bioenergy CAP:Application Deadline – August 27, 2010, Must not exceed $9,000,000 per year ($45 million total, including indirect costs) up to 5 years, Integrated only • Regional Approaches to Sustainable Bioenergy CAP Planning • Sustainable Bioenergy Research: Deadline June 14, 2010, Up to $200K/year for 5 years, Research only • Investing in America’s Scientific Corps: Stimulating a New Era of Students and Faculty in Bioenergy • National Loblolly Pine Genome Sequencing

Regional Approaches to Sustainable Bioenergy CAP Priorities • Present a coordinated plan for developing a regional system for the sustainable production and distribution of biofuels, bioenergy and biobased products with net positive social, environmental, and economic effects • Multidisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach that leverages existing federal, university, and private industry efforts through research, extension, and education • Should focus on one or more USDA identified feedstocks as regionally appropriate (perennial grasses, oilcrops and algae, woody biomass, sorghum, energy cane)

Sustainable BioenergyResearch 2010 Priorities Must be relevant to development of sustainable regional systems for bioenergy production and biologically-based products: • Feedstock Crop Protection—evaluate and mitigate pests and beneficial species associated with energy crops. • Enhanced-Value Co-products—develop knowledge of biological, chemical, and thermo-chemical processes to produce valuable co-products and industrial polymers. • Carbon Sequestration—targets analysis of impacts of bioenergy feedstock production on carbon cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainable Bioenergy Research • In FY 2011: • Impacts of policy on feedstock production systems • Scalable conversion of feedstock to “drop-in” biofuels • Impacts of feedstock production systems on pollinators and wildlife • In FY 2012: • Land-use changes resulting from feedstock production and conversion • Socioeconomic impacts of biofuels in rural communities • Logistics of handling feedstocks for biofuels

Investing in America’s Scientific Corps Priorities • Applicants must present either: • Student-led research or investigative projects appropriate to education level; or • Faculty development through training, course materials, etc. in some aspect of the bioenergy arena • Projects must provide research-based training and education activities that: • Focus on bioenergy and biobased products; AND • Link to a regional bioenergy system concept including multidisciplinary course content

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Climate Change Challenge Area Primary contact: Dr. Louie Tupas Lead National Program Leader (202) 401-4926 ltupas@nifa.usda.gov

Climate Change Overview • AFRI seeks applications for Climate Change research, education and extension projects to solve critical agriculture issues, priorities, or problems of climate change. • Projects must focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest production systems and preparing the nation’s agriculture and forests to adapt to changing climates.

The majority of these grants will be large, integrated, trans-disciplinary projects focused on: • developing best management practices and sustainable methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration from agriculture and forest systems while contributing to the emerging carbon-based market and; 2) developing advanced food, feed, and fiber production systems and new plant cultivars and animal breeds adapted to changing climates through classical/conventional breeding and other appropriate approaches. .

Challenge Area Overview Projects are expected to address one of the stated Program Area Priorities which collectively contribute to the achievement of the following goals: • Mitigation – Reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural and forestry production systems and maximize carbon sequestration potential in agriculture and forest working lands. • Adaptation – Maximize resiliency and reduce the impact of climate change on the productivity of agriculture and forest systems and reduce carbon, nitrogen, and water footprints under changing climates. • Climate education and extension – Increase the number of scientists, educators, and extension professionals in the workforce with the skills and knowledge to address climate change issues in agriculture.

Challenge Area Overview Over the next 3 years, focus will be on specific areas/commodities: In FY 2010: • Cropping systems: cereal production systems (e.g., corn, barley, wheat, rice and oats) • Animal systems: swine or poultry production systems • Forests systems: southern conifers In FY 2011: • Cropping systems: legume and forage production systems • Animal systems: ruminant livestock and dairy production systems • Forest systems: western conifers • Grassland, pastureland, and rangeland systems .

For FY 2012: • Cropping systems: food and non-food horticultural production systems, fiber production systems • Animal systems: farmed aquaculture and specialty livestock • Forest systems: deciduous hardwoods and mixed forests • Agroecosystems that provide ecosystem services (e.g., provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services identified under the 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)

Challenge Area Program Areas • Regional Approaches to Climate Change: Coordinated Agricultural Project • Regional Approaches to Climate Change: Planning • National Cereal Germplasm Phenotyping • Impacts of Climate Change on Animal Health and Production • Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture

Challenge Area Program Areas • Carbon Cycle Science • Joint with NASA and the US Forest Service • Total Program Funds: Approximately $26.5 million ($3.5 million from AFRI) • Proposals submitted through NASA (deadline June 4) • Information at the NIFA and NASA Web sites • Lead National Program Leader: • Dr. Nancy Cavallaro (ncavallaro@nifa.usda.gov) (202) 401-5176

Challenge Area Program Areas • Earth System Modeling • Joint with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE)) • Total Program Funds: Approximately $60 million ($10 million from AFRI) • Proposals submitted through NSF • Information at the NIFA, NSF, and DOE Web sites • Lead National Program Leader: • Dr. Louie Tupas(ltupas@nifa.usda.gov) (202) 401-4926

A Regional Integrated CAP:-Brings together a multi-state, multi-institutional, and trans-disciplinary team to integrate scientific discoveries and technology with practical application.-Involves a team that conducts targeted research, education, and extension activities in response to the goals of the Climate Change Program. -A CAP contains the needed science-based expertise in research, teaching, and extension, as well as expertise from principal stakeholders and partners, to accomplish project goals and objectives. -Applications should outline the potential of the project, the structure, coordination, and plan of implementation, and should achieve specific research, education, and extension milestones that will be evaluated during the study period.

Regional Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) Regional Approaches to Climate Change Letter of Intent Deadline May 7th, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET) Application Deadline – July 16th, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET) Proposed Budget Requests – Must not exceed $4,000,000 per year ($20 million total, including indirect costs) for project periods of up to 5 years. Program anticipates making up to 5 awards in FY 2010. Requested Project Type – Integrated Projects, CAP

Regional Approaches to Climate ChangeRegional Integrated CAP Planning GrantsApplication Deadline – May 14, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET)Proposed Budget Requests –Must not exceed $50,000 per year ($50,000 total, including indirect costs) for project periods of up to 1 year. Program anticipates making up to 10 awards in FY 2010.Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.Requested Project Type – Integrated ProjectsRequested Grant Type – Planning/Coordination Grants Only

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture (Standard grants) Letter of Intent Deadline April 30, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET); Application Deadline – July 2, 2010 (5:00 p.m., ET) Proposed Budget Requests – Standard Grants must not exceed $1,000,000 per year($5 million total, including indirect costs) for project periods of up to 5 years. Program anticipates making up to 13 awards in FY 2010. Conference Grants must not exceed $50,000 ($50,000 total, indirect costs are not permitted on Conference Grant awards) for project periods of up to 1 year. Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed. Requested Project Type – Research, Education, and Extension and Integrated Projects Requested Grant Type – Standard, Conference, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants

Applicants must address the following for research projects:Projects must demonstrate a well developed plan for achieving a reduction of agricultural emissions and/or an increase in carbon sequestration in agroecosystems (Mitigation) or an increase in resiliency and sustainability of agriculture production and natural resources under variable climates (Adaptation). Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Research Priorities Develop or improve management options for climate change adaptation or mitigation in any of the following areas: Soil carbon sequestration and storage under changing land cover and land use practices;Sustainable joint use of nitrogen and water that optimizes yield and quality while reducing greenhouse gas emissions; or Integration of coupled climate-agriculture models and technologies into decision support tools for climate friendly agriculture and natural resource management in large, medium or small scale production systems.

Develop or improve models and technologies for climate mitigation or adaptation in any of the following areas:Forecast and control of pest, disease, and invasive species outbreaks and the survival and distribution of insect pollinators brought about by climate variability and long-term climate change;Systems level analyses to allow targeted and predictable breeding strategies in conjunction with natural resource management to optimize water and nitrogen use efficiency, nutrient utilization and carbon sequestration; orApplication of classical/conventional breeding or new technologies that utilize recent advances in genomic sequence information to develop new plant varieties and animal breeding lines that are adapted to changing climates and maximize greenhouse gas mitigation potential. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Research Priorities

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Research Priorities Develop or improve knowledge of how human behavior, decision, and choices affect carbon, nitrogen, water, and energy footprints in any of the following areas:Impacts of alternative mitigation and adaptation strategies on the prosperity of small and medium-sized farms and on rural communities; orLocal, regional and national barriers for the adoption of on-farm technologies and practices that reduce carbon, nitrogen, water and energy footprints.

Develop human capital relevant to the AFRI Climate Change Program. Education Projects must address one or more of the specific education priorities and focus on enhancing formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience. Projects may include faculty development, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies to address climate change impacts in agriculture and forestry. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Education Priorities

Specific education priorities are:Increase capacity of agricultural programs to meet the teaching and research demands brought about by climate change through faculty development, improved teaching methods, workshops on climate and agriculture, and collaborative efforts and networking with faculty outside the traditional agricultural disciplines.Develop trans-disciplinary curricula for agricultural sciences programs that include education on climate change.Develop and provide structured research training and academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students that lead to an increased number of professionals with cross-disciplinary training in agriculture and climate science. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Education Priorities

Extension and outreach programs must deliver science-based knowledge and informal educational programs to various communities.Extension Projects must address program specific priorities and enable individuals and groups to make informed decisions regarding the production and consumption of climate friendly agricultural goods and services. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Extension Priorities

Specific priorities for extension are:Develop materials and outreach programs that raise youth and adult consumer awareness of carbon, nitrogen, energy and water footprints of agriculture products.Develop appropriate training and resource materials for extension educators to achieve target goals of mitigation and adaptation in farm and forest production systems and promote preparedness for extreme and variable climate conditions.Develop educational materials and outreach programs (in collaboration with eXtension, 4-H, Agriculture in the Classroom, or similar youth programs) on methods that youth, families and communities can use to reduce carbon, nitrogen, energy and water footprints in their community. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture Program Area Research, Education, and Extension Priorities Extension Priorities

Expected Outcomes for this session