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In This Issue:
Policy News
~ Congressional search for budget deals continues, stopgap measure likely~ Societies speak out in support of NSF research programs
~ GMO labeling proponent get a little help from Hollywood
~ States hope SCOTUS will take up WOTUS
International Corner
~ Scotland bans GMO crops~ China’s carbon emissions may be 13% lower than estimated
~ New orange sweet potatoes poised to fight vitamin A deficiency in S. Africa
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities
~ INFEWS Funding Opportunity on Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Water~ Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
~ Graduate Research Fellowship Program
~ National Clean Plant Network
~ National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program
~ Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
Science News
~ Society Presidents ask for research ideas in the food-water-energy nexus~ ASA, CSSA, and SSSA to launch new open access journal
~ Has farming become a soil-forming factor?
~ Food in a future of 10 billion
~ California drought made worse by global warming, scientists say
~ Anti-wheat fad diets undermine food security
~ Scientists call for new review of herbicide
~ What is the future of grazing research?
~ The next great GMO debate
~ Farmers set to reap big benefits with the ‘Internet Of Things’
~ Soils For a Greener World
Policy News
(TOP) ~ Congressional search for budget deals continues, stopgap measure likely
With lawmakers just returning from the August recess this week, Republicans continue to search for a legislative path to avoid a shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on September 30. Many in both parties still hope to pass a short-term continuing resolution (CR), which would extend current spending levels and bridge the gap until new appropriations could be adopted later in the fall. Fears persist that the fight over Planned Parenthood funding could prevent passage of a CR, but it's not clear whether Tea Party Republicans have sufficient votes to carry out a shutdown against the preferences of party leadership. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats continue to press Senate Republicans for negotiations to address sequestration-level spending in FY 2016. Under current law, discretionary spending is scheduled to remain essentially flat in FY 2016. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Societies speak out in support of NSF research programs
On July 8, the Senate Commerce Committee announced its interest in receiving input on the importance of research and its relationship to economic competitiveness. This information will be used to assist the Committee in its efforts to develop their version of a reauthorization of the America COMPETES bill. SSSA signed on to two letters describing the economic impacts of investments in geoscience research at NSF. Read the letters here and here. All three Societies signed on to another letter that asks for support of the peer review process and for strong and balanced funding at NSF. Read the letter here.
(TOP) ~ GMO labeling proponent get a little help from Hollywood
GMO labeling proponents will get some star power on their side when actress Gwyneth Paltrow joins Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester and others on the Hill to speak out about the importance of GMO labeling. Paltrow’s visit to Washington follows the July 23 passage of Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo’s Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which would preempt states from putting in place labeling requirements and create a federal GMO-free certification. The media response to her visit was mixed, but here is one of our favorite pieces from the NY Post.
(TOP) ~ States hope SCOTUS will take up WOTUS
States and industry groups are pushing back against an effort by the EPA to consolidate the more than a half-dozen lawsuits against its new definition of “waters of the United States,” dubbed the Clean Water Rule, a move that could help the rule gain the attention of the Supreme Court yet again. Almost all of the groups that have challenged the rule for what the parties say is regulatory overreach have opposed the move to consolidate, arguing that each has separate interests at stake. The rule was set to go into effect on Sept. 1, but an ND federal judge blocked the controversial water pollution rule from taking effect for the 13 states who have filed suit. Read the full article.
International Corner
(TOP) ~ Scotland bans GMO crops
Scotland Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced that the growth of crops containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will not be allowed in Scotland. To justify this decision, Mr. Lochhead cited the limited Scottish market for products containing GMOs, and the potential brand damage to Scottish products that are currently valued for their "natural, high quality." This move was made possible by an amendment to the European Union's GMO regulation earlier this year, which allows member states to restrict GMOs in food or feed once a GMO has been approved by the EU. However, research organizations are asking the Scottish government to reconsider its recent decision to ban the commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) crops. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ China’s carbon emissions may be 13% lower than estimated
China has emitted significantly less carbon since 2000 than previously estimated because of erroneous assumptions about the quality of the country's coal, a study released today claims. That may sound like great news—but it doesn't mean that the world is warming at a slower rate or that the need to reduce emissions has become less urgent, the researchers warn. China remains the world's largest carbon emitter, and the new study doesn't make its target of reversing its growth in emissions by 2030 any easier to attain. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ New orange sweet potatoes poised to fight vitamin A deficiency in S. Africa
Orange and red sweet potatoes are a common sight in grocery stores and farmer’s markets across North America. But in South Africa—where health officials want to enlist these beta-carotene-rich varieties in the fight against vitamin A deficiency—they remain rare. That could soon change. In a paper in the July-August 2015 issue of Crop Science, lead authors Maryke Labuschagne of South Africa’s University of the Free State and Sunette Laurie of the Agricultural Research Council, describe two promising, orange varieties of sweet potato that are especially suited to the country’s environmental conditions. Read the full article.
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities
(TOP) ~ INFEWS Funding Opportunity on Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Water
Through this Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), the NSF aims to specifically focus on advancing knowledge of the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles; the production and use of fertilizers for food production; and the detection, separation, and reclamation/recycling of nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing species in and from complex aqueous environments. Read the full DCL for more details including submission deadlines.
(TOP) ~ Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications from eligible entities for grants and/or cooperative agreements to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan II. Applications are requested for projects within the five categories listed below, each of which has a separate Funding Opportunity Number (FON). Applicants must apply for the specific funding opportunity they are interested in. The five categories and associated FONs are: 1) Invasive Species Prevention (EPA-R5-GL2015-ISP); 2) Invasive Species Control (EPA-R5-GL2015-ISC); 3) Urban Watershed Management Implementation (EPA-R5-GL2015-UWM); 4) Agricultural Watershed Management Implementation (EPA-R5-GL2015-AWM); and 5) Maumee River Watershed Nutrient Prevention Pilot Project. Deadline, Sept. 28. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM and STEM education. Deadline, Oct 26-30. See the full announcement for specific program deadlines.
(TOP) ~ National Clean Plant Network
The National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) provides asexually propagated plant material free of targeted plant pathogens and pests to protect the environment and ensure the global competitiveness of US specialty crop producers. Program priorities include: 1) establishing and supporting governance and related administrative activities; 2) promoting the introduction, diagnosis, treatment, establishment (in foundation blocks) and release of clean plant materials, both from foreign and domestic sources, for commercial development; 3) conducting methods development to accurately advance and test therapies, as well as establish guidelines and standards for certification maintenance; 4) developing partnerships with extension and outreach services (e.g. university and state departments of agriculture) to interact with commercial nurseries, industry associations and producers; and 5) developing and implementing best practices and quality control protocols. Deadline, Nov. 18. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program
The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) seeks to establish sustainable urban and community forests, by encouraging communities of all sizes to manage and protect their natural resources, which, if well managed, improves the public’s health, well-being, economic vitality, and creates resilient ecosystems for present and future generations. This year, NUCFAC has identified three national grant categories: 1. Analysis and Solutions for Development and Redevelopment Impacts on Urban and Community Forests, 2. Building Human Health Through Urban and Community Forestry, and 3. Climate Change and Its Impact on Trees and Water. An applicant may apply to more than one category; however they are to use a separate application for each category. The purpose of these grants is to address national issues. Deadline, Nov. 23. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of approximately $3 million in competitive grant funds to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through collaborative, multi-state projects that address the following regional or national level specialty crop issues: food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific common issues; and marketing and promotion. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. States are encouraged to submit projects that bring together multi-state teams of partners to research and develop solutions to practical problems that cross state boundaries and address the needs of specialty crop growers. Deadline, Jan. 12. Read the full announcement.
Science News
(TOP) ~ Society Presidents ask for research ideas in the food-water-energy nexus
Jean Steiner (ASA president), Roch Gaussoin (CSSA president), and Carolyn Olson (SSSA president) are joining forces to emphasize the potential importance of a new program within the National Science Foundation (NSF) that could help focus our science and impact the ability to obtain NSF research funding in the next few years. Representatives of NSF have asked for our input at the beginning of a new five-year funding program that couples food, energy, and water. In a joint message, the three Presidents speak about this rare and unique opportunity for the agricultural community to shape research directions. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ ASA, CSSA, and SSSA to launch new open access journal
Agricultural & Environmental Letters (AEL), a new digital journal, was officially launched on Sept. 1, 2015. Agricultural & Environmental Letters is an open access journal that will publish broad-reaching, exceptionally interesting, transformative, and timely research on major scientific, policy, and economic issues that span the entire range of the agricultural and environmental sciences. Rapid global communication is becoming more important, and AEL has been created to facilitate this communication. Learn more here.
(TOP) ~ Has farming become a soil-forming factor?
From erosion to acidification to loss of organic matter, the impacts of agriculture on topsoil are well known. But an open access paper in the July-August 2015 issue of the Soil Science Society of America Journal now suggests that farming’s effects on soil actually go much deeper. In a study that examined how soils across Iowa have evolved during 50 years of agricultural use, Iowa State University scientists Jessica Veenstra and Lee Burras uncovered the usual changes in surface soils that come with plowing and fertilizing, including acidification and damaged soil structure. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Food in a future of 10 billion
Today we have enough food to meet the world’s needs. Indeed, we have an extraordinary global food system that brings food from all over the planet to consumers who can afford to buy it. The food price spike of 2008 and the resurgence of high food prices in recent years have had little impact on the affluent citizens of the developed world who spend a small fraction of their income on food. By contrast, food prices have a profound impact on the world’s poorest people. Many of them spend half or more of their income on food. During the food price crisis of 2008, there were food riots in more than 30 countries. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ California drought made worse by global warming, scientists say
Global warming caused by human emissions has most likely intensified the drought in California by 15 to 20 percent, scientists said on Thursday, warning that future dry spells in the state are almost certain to be worse than this one as the world continues to heat up. Even though the findings suggest that the drought is primarily a consequence of natural climate variability, the scientists added that the likelihood of any drought becoming acute is rising because of climate change. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Anti-wheat fad diets undermine food security
The Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by the acronym CIMMYT, has published what it calls a “discussion paper” entitled “Anti-Wheat Diets Undermine Global Food Security.” The paper notes only 1 percent of people suffer from celiac disease, but that gluten-free diets have become popular. For many health professionals this is a worrying trend because wheat not only supplies 20 percent of the world’s food calories and protein, but has important benefits beyond nutrition, the authors state. The paper provides a scientific assessment of the benefits of whole grain consumption, information that the authors note seems to have been lost in media headlines and the reporting of “pseudo-science.” Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Scientists call for new review of herbicide
U.S. regulators have relied on flawed and outdated research to allow expanded use of an herbicide linked to cancer, and new assessments should be urgently conducted, according to a column published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. There are two key factors that necessitate regulatory action to protect human health, according to the column: a sharp increase in herbicide applied to widely planted genetically modified (GMO) crops used in food, and a recent World Health Organization (WHO) determination that the most commonly used herbicide, known as glyphosate, is probably a human carcinogen. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ What is the future of grazing research?
With all the talk about maize, wheat, and rice production around the globe, it’s easy to forget that the world’s largest agricultural land use by far is grassland grazed by livestock. Grazinglands occupy some four billion hectares of the planet today, with 316 million hectares in the United States alone and another 200 million in Brazil—today’s second-largest producer of beef behind the United States. Pasture-based dairying is also on the rise and the trend isn't likely to slow anytime soon, as consumption of meat and dairy products keeps climbing and consumers clamor for grass-fed beef. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ The next great GMO debate
The discovery of RNA interference earned two academics a Nobel Prize in 2006 and set off a scramble to create drugs that block disease-causing genes. Using this same technology, Monsanto now thinks it has hit on an alternative to conventional genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. It can already kill bugs by getting them to eat leaves coated with specially designed RNA. And if the company succeeds in developing sprays that penetrate plant cells, as it’s attempting to, it could block certain plant genes, too. Imagine a spray that causes tomatoes to taste better or helps plants survive a drought. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Farmers set to reap big benefits with the ‘Internet Of Things’
The next time you’re driving down a country road and see a bucolic scene of a farmer tending his crop in a shiny tractor as hawks circle above, keep in mind that the tractor is likely programmed to drive itself, the farmer is on a mobile device checking soil moisture or nutrient levels in different areas of his land, and that information is being relayed by sensors placed throughout the field. And those hawks could very well be drones. Welcome to modern farming. Or the vision of what farming could become in the era of the Internet of Things. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Soils For a Greener World
Join US Composting Council for the 24th Annual Conference and Tradeshow, January 25-28, 2016 in Jacksonville, FL. Attend the world’s largest composting conference and exhibition for the organics management industry. Hear the latest from industry leaders about solving challenges in collecting organics, manufacturing and using compost, and producing renewable energy from organics. Visit our composting tradeshow to see the latest in equipment and tools for effective programs. Learn more and register.
Sources: USDA; NSF; USFS; EPA; AAAS; ScienceInsider; The Washington Post; Politico; The New York Post; The Hill; The New York Times; Agriculture and Food Security; CIMMYT.org; Reuters; Technology Review; Forbes;
Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.
This page of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA web site will highlight current news items relevant to Science Policy. It is not an endorsement of any position.