Nebraska Corn Board Call for Proposals

Rick Koelsch, Nebraska Extension

Nebraska Corn Board is now accepting proposals through January 30, 2015 for 2015 projects. Although listed as a "research" program, the projects funded by the Corn Board include Extension and applied research programs targeting crop production, environmental management, youth development and nutrition/health issues.

The 2015 Request for Proposals states that the research priorities are:

• Increase the demand and usage of corn and /or corn products;
• Research into the various aspects of life cycle analysis that affect corn and or corn ethanol, keeping in mind a systems approach,
• Examples (but not limited to) such as nitrous oxide emissions, irrigation efficiency and fuel use, model elasticity variables;
• Research that optimizes the environmental stewardship practices of present and future corn production systems,
• Livestock production systems vs. crop production systems;
• Research of federal policy that effect corn, livestock, trade and/or ethanol.

One need expressed by members of the Corn Board suggests projects that place the results of funded projects in the hands of Nebraska producers would be valued.  Proposals that build upon current research projects or partner with new proposals to expand the reach of the research presents an opportunity for Extension professionals to consider for submitting a proposal. Below is a listing of currently funded that may serve as a possible starting point for a future partnership or as an idea of the types of projects the Corn Board is funding:

Benchmarking productivity and efficiencies of irrigation water and nitrogen in corn-based cropping systems is led by Patricio Grassini.   The objective  is to analyze NRD producer-reported data to provide proof-of-concept for measuring irrigated corn systems efficiencies.

Corn-derived Resistant Starches to Improve Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome is led by Amanda Ramer-Tait & Jens Walter. Resistant starches (RS) derived from corn offer tremendous potential to support the health of our population, including improved insulin sensitivity, reduced weight gain, etc. Our research will provide important knowledge of how a corn-based ingredient can improve health.

Decide NOW is a project led by Robert Tigner, Jessica Johnson and Cory Walters to increase implementation of marketing strategies. Decide NOW will allow producers to step away from the classroom with the tools needed to implement and modify grain marketing plans. The main component of Decide NOW will be customizable electronic post‐harvest marketing plan with a built in reminder system.

Determining the Feeding Value of Distillers Grains in Cattle Diets (Matt Luebbe, Jim MacDonald, and Galen Erickson).  The majority of ethanol plants in Nebraska started removing a portion of the corn oil from the thin stillage stream resulting in a lower fat distillers grains (DGS) byproduct. With the support of the Corn Board, this project will evaluate deoiled distillers after they became available to producers.

Foliar Analysis in Nutrient Management for High Yield Corn is led by Charles Shapiro and our Extension soils specialists.  Corn has a high rate of nutrient uptake during the V4 to VT stage and demand may exceed the supply. Our hypothesis is that nutrient responsive fields or areas in fields can be identified and remediated through a combination of soil and plant analysis.

Innovative Youth Corn Challenge by Brandy VanDeWalle, Aaron Nygren & Amy Timmerman
The Annual Innovative Youth Corn Challenge will continue for 4-H and FFA members working in teams. Youth are challenged to produce the most economical, highest yielding corn in comparison to their typical production system. 

Managing Corn Stover Removal with Cover Crops to Optimize the Environmental Stewardship Practices of Corn Production (Humberto Blanco).  Harvesting or grazing corn stover addresses a major forage supply need in Nebraska but creates the potential for soil erosion and degradation of soil productivity. Cover crops may reduce adverse effects. This onfarm and research plot project is assessing the interactive effects of corn stover removal and cover crops on soil characteristics, erosion, and crop yields.

Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (Keith Glewen & Gary Zoubek).  Corn growers typically ask the question “does this new production practice or a specific input work to improve the corn yield on my farm and does it provide an economic payback”? On-farm research can help a grower answer those important questions.

Promoting Adoption of In-Season Canopy Sensor-Based Nitrogen Fertilization of Corn Through the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (Richard Ferguson, Joe Luck & Keith Glewen).  The project will promote the adoption of in-season nitrogen fertilization for corn for increasing N use efficiency and reducing environmental impact on groundwater quality. It will also  increase grower’s familiarity with the use of crop canopy sensors to generate an economic optimum in-season nitrogen rate.

Sustainable Corn and Soybean Production (Roger Elmore & Humberto Blanco).  We propose exploring sustainable corn-soybean production systems that incorporate cover crops. Our objectives are to determine the feasibility of utilizing cover crops, in corn and soybean cropping systems. The field activities will be conducted in research plots at four Nebraska sites – both irrigated and rainfed.

Speciality Crop Funding Opportunity

by Rick Koelsch, March 26, 2014

(North Central Region Water Network - next article below)

(Teams Forming for USDA Water Funding - scroll two articles down)

NIFA has released a call for proposals for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) for  2014. Do we have any proposals originating from Nebraska? Who is interested in connecting to a proposal team?

The intent of the SCRI program is to solve the needs of the various specialty crop industries.  SCRI program offers the following five project types for both research and extension projects. A letter of intent is due April 11 and full proposals will be due June 20th. A quick summary follows: 

Standard Research and Extension Project

• Project Period – Up to five years
• Budget – Federal funds not less than $250,000 per project.
• Purpose – To support targeted problem-solving efforts that would not otherwise qualify in scope for support as a Coordinated Agriculture project.

Coordinated Agricultural Projects

• Project Period – Three to five years.
• Funding range – Normally, federal funds will not exceed a total of $10,000,000.
• Purpose – To address specific multiple components of a primary system or multiple components of areas where primary systems overlap (see diagram on page 6).

Regional Partnerships for Innovation

• Project Period – Two to three years.
• Budget – Normally, federal funds will not exceed $2,000,000 per project.
• Purpose – To form partnerships that provide the local or regional infrastructure needed to fully exploit future technology commercialization and adoption.

eXtension Projects

• Project Period – Three to five years.
• Budget – Normally, federal funds will not exceed $450,000 per project.
• Purpose – To develop Communities of Practice (COPs) for the eXtension system and to support existing COPs.

   Research and Extension Planning Projects

• Project Period – One year.
• Budget – Federal funds up to $50,000 per project.
• Purpose – To provide assistance to applicants in the development of quality future SREP, RPI, or CAP proposals (grant planning).  Funds may also be requested to provide assistance to consumer, producer, or industry groups for developing strategic research and extension plans—including goals, objectives, priorities, etc. (strategic planning).  The expectation is that developed plans could provide the relevance bases for future SCRI grant applications. 

The SCRI RFA can be found at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/specialty_crop.html

Extension Funding Opportunities Through NC SARE

by Rick Koelsch

North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NC SARE) runs multiple competitive grant programs that may be of interest to faculty with an applied research or extension interest. NC SARE emphasizes outreach/engagement and farmer involvement (both in proposed projects and review panels), two features that should give Extension faculty a unique advantage. Rick Rasby and his team utilized these advantages in a recently announced $198,000 grant award.

NC SARE funds three priorities: 1) profit for the long-term, 2) stewardship of natural resources, and 3) quality of life improvements in communities.  While many equate organic agriculture with sustainable agriculture, organic projects comprise only 10 to 15% of the funding portfolio.  NC SARE funds a array of topics including soil/water/nutrient stewardship, local foods and urban agriculture initiatives, clean energy, sustainable pest management, crop diversification, and forage and grassland management. .

The NC SARE program offers competitive funding opportunities in five areas.  A quick summary follows and more information is found at  http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs .

Professional Development Program (pre-proposals due in mid-May)

• Funds professional development for "agricultural educators" including extension, natural resource agency, and non-government organization staff. 
• Funds requests for up to $75,000.
• Tapan Pathak has recently been successful with a project addressing agriculture adapting to a changing climate.

Research and Education Program (Pre-proposals due on October 24, 2013)

• Funds requests for up to $200,000.
• All research projects must have an outreach emphasis.
• Rick Rasby's successful proposal targets Impacts of Grazing and Baling of Corn Residue.

Farmer and Rancher Program (Proposals due on November 14, 2013)

• Grants range for $7,500 to $22,500 are made directly to farmers and ranchers.
• Target farmer proposed sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research and demonstration.
• Must include outreach component with Extension encouraged as a partner.
• A Nebraska  producer recently received funding to determine the feasibility of integrating oil seed production into the existing rotation, processing the oil seed into food-grade oil for local resturant use, and retrieving used oil for re-use as bio-diesel.

Youth Educator Program (Proposals due on November 1, 2013)

• Targets educators working with youth on sustainable agriculture concepts.
• Grants are for up to $2,000.
• An Urban Farmers Program in a Lincoln middle school was funded to connect children to the soil and the origins of their food. 

Graduate Student Grant Program (Proposals typically due in the spring)

• Grant awards can be up to $10,000.
• Encourages graduate student connections with  on-farm research experiences.
• Two East Campus graduate students received funding for projects addressing Management of CRP Lands and Agronomic Benefits of Cover Crop Mix Diversity.

NC SARE provides many unique funding opportunties for Extension. Many of the UNL Extension Signature Outcomes addressing water conservation, soil health, agricultural literacy, professional development for natural resource issues, on-farm measures of sustainability, on-farm research, and nutrient management are a potential fit with NC SARE funding opportunities.  Visit with Gary Lesoing, Nebraska's SARE contact person, or myself about your ideas for pursuing SARE funding.