USDA
The USDA has a vision "to provide economic opportunity through innovation, allowing rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also assisting in the feeding of others around the world; and to protect our nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands."
Contact Info
If you would like to get in contact with the USDA, click here to forward your questions or chat with a live agent, or feel free to contact them with their phone number and email.
Phone: (833) ONE-USDA or (202) 720-2791
E-mail: askusda@usda.gov
More Information
Careers at USDA can be found here.
Collaborative Research
The United States Department of Agriculture has been a substantial ally to the Agroecology program offering many research opportunities and providing great mentorship to our student participants. Some of the Agroecology research project topics include Arundo donax, Asian Citrus psyllid, Brevipalpus mites, and the Cattle Fever Tick.
Cooperative Programs
TRESS
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Training, Research, and Education in Soil Science (TRESS) |
Investigators: Engil Pereira, Chu-Lin Cheng, Jihoon Kang
Award Amount: $274,988.00
Award Period: September 2018 - August 2023
Project Information: TRESS offers state-of-the-art soil science courses as well as experiential learning activities, and channels students to careers related to soil science
Funded Projects
PANACEAS
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Pathways to NRCS and academic careers to civil engineering and agriculture students (PANACEAS) |
Investigators: Engil Pereira, Chu-Lin Cheng, James Jihoon Kang, Thang Pham, Wendi Williams
Award Amount: $750,000.00
Award Period: January 2022 – December 2027
Project Information: PANACEAS provides research/extension experiences in Natural Resource Conservation to prepare future soil scientists and civil engineers to 5 of the 20 USDA's mission critical occupations.
Strengthening national security through capacity building and private-university- government partnerships in food and agricultural sciences
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Strengthening national security through capacity building and private-university- government partnerships in food and agricultural sciences |
Investigators: Rupesh Kariyat, Bradley Christoffersen, Pushpa Soti, Alex Racelis, Veerachandra Yemmireddy
Award Amount: $499,866.00
Award Period: December 2019 - December 2025
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
BASEII
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Building Agriculture Science Education (BASEII) for Hispanic Students through Florida-Texas-New Mexico Consortiumg and translating conservation paleobiology |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis, Pushpa Soti
Award Amount: $300,000.00
Award Period: August 2021 - August 2025
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
STARTREC
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South Texas Agricultural Roadmap for Teaching, Research, Experiential Learning, and Careers (STARTREC) in Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis, Christopher Gabler, Savannah Rugg, Ismael Baldillo, Merritt Drewery, Jorge Cantu, Ken Mix
Award Amount: $975,314.00
Award Period: August 2021 - August 2025
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
Subtropical Soil Health Demonstration: On-Farm Trials of Cover Crops for Conservation Innovation in arid farms of south Texas
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Subtropical Soil Health Demonstration: On-Farm Trials of Cover Crops for Conservation Innovation in arid farms of south Texas |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis, Rupesh Kariyat, Bradley Christoffersen, Pushpa Soti, Liu Xiangping.
Award Amount: $1,899,545.00
Award Period: April 2021 - May 2025
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
Southern Regional Center for Food Safety Training
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Southern Regional Center for Food Safety Training |
Investigators: Veerachandra Yemmireddy
Award Amount: $12,000.00
Award Period: August 2021 - August 2024
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
BE AWARE 2
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BioEnergy And Water for Agriculture Research and Education 2 (BE AWARE 2) Network |
Investigators: Michael Persans, Hudson Deyoe
Award Amount: $1,000,000.00
Award Period: January 2020 - August 2024
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
Closing GAPs
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Closing GAPs: Food Safety Education and Outreach to Underserved Communities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley |
Investigators: Veerachandra Yemmireddy, Sebastian Interlandi, Colin Cain
Award Amount: $297,372.00
Award Period: August 2021 - August 2023
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
Exploration of methods to improve access to Healthy Foods in Food Deserts of Texas
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Exploration of methods to improve access to Healthy Foods in Food Deserts of Texas |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis, Owen Temby, Dongkyu Kim, Barber Jessie
Award Amount: $107,259.00
Award Period: August 2021 - December 2022
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
Building Soil Science Capacity through Research and Education at UT Rio Grande Valley
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Building Soil Science Capacity through Research and Education at UT Rio Grande Valley |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis
Award Amount: $100,000.00
Award Period: August 2019 - August 2022
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.
An Integrated Approach to Graduate Research, Education, and Engagement
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An Integrated Approach to Graduate Research, Education, and Engagement |
Investigators: Alexis Racelis, Christopher Gabler, Yuanbing Mao, Parwinder Grewal, George Bennack
Award Amount: $242,000.00
Award Period: July 2017 - June 2022
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project
Applying Computer Vision Technologies To Honey Bee Health And Surveillance: Building Capacity in Agricultural Engineering at a HSI
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Applying Computer Vision Technologies To Honey Bee Health And Surveillance: Building Capacity in Agricultural Engineering at a HSI |
Investigators: Dongchul Kim, Joanne Rampersad-Ammons
Award Amount: $330,930.00
Award Period: June 2018 - August 2022
Project Information: Email linked SEEMS investigators for more information on this project.