$10.4 Million Given To Educate On Food Safety

Produce Isle

Advertisement

Seventeen grants from USDA were awarded to improve the safety of the food supply in the U.S. through research, education, and Extension. The grants, funded by USDA, awarded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and made by the National Integrated Food Safety Initiative (NIFSI), were unveiled at Michigan State University by Kathleen Merrigan, agriculture deputy secretary, on her visit to the campus on Dec. 7.

Totaling $10.4 million, the grants will go to universities in 13 states to help address a wide range of issues related to food safety. The host university, Michigan State, was awarded three of the grants.

Describing the purpose of the grants, Merrigan said, “With millions of Americans contracting foodborne illnesses each year, USDA is committed to supporting research that improves the safety of our nation’s food supply. Primarily,” she continued, “we expect that the research and education spurred by these grants will find solutions to some pressing food safety issues. Additionally, we want to help American consumers, restaurant employees, and teachers put new food safety principals into practice. Ensuring the safety of food is a top priority for USDA, and we will continue to work with our public and private sector partners on developing solutions to decrease potential risks.” 

In 2011, NIFA awarded $10.4 million to the following universities:

Top Articles
Indoor Farming Insider Talks About Evolution of the Sector

• Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala., $100,000

• University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $542,969

• Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Ga., $100,000

• University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $535,725

• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass., $424,878

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $542,824

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $543,000

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $1,809,934

• North Carolina State University, Raleigh., N.C., $541,621

• Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $1,864,665

• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $543,000

• Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa., $542,607

• Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., $542,999

• Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tenn., $100,000

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $542,977

• Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, $540,326

• University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., $541,313

For a full list of grant recipients, go to www.nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2011news/nifsi_awards.html.

For more information about NIFA, go to www.nifa.usda.gov.

0