Lincoln University

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

HBCU CARES FUNDS

FEDERAL CARES FOR HBCU LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SUCCESS

UNKNOWN TITLE

UNKNOWN TITLE

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

FEDERAL CARES FOR ENHANCED INSTITUTIONAL VIABILITY AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE U.S. IS CURRENTLY FACING A SUBSTANTIAL SHORTFALL OF TALENTED WORKFORCE IN THE FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES SECTORS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. DEMAND FOR A DIVERSE TALENTED WORKFORCE FURTHER STRAINS THE SUPPLY OF NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE. MOTIVATING YOUNG, TALENTED MINORITY STUDENTS TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE IN AGRICULTURE IS PIVOTAL TO MAINTAIN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF U.S. FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND ITS SUSTAINABILITY. IN RESPONSE, A CONSORTIUM OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS FROM TWO 1890 HBCUS AND TWO 1862 UNIVERSITIES INCLUDING ONE HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION (HSI) WILL BE FORMED TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. SIGNIFICANTLY, THE CONSORTIUM INCLUDES THE ONLY TWO HBCUS IN THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO REACH A SIGNIFICANT POOL OF UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES. THE CONSORTIUM WILL FOCUS ON TRAINING STUDENTS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL CHALLENGES IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE IN A SCALABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PLATFORM. THE NEW PARADIGM WILL UNPRECEDENTEDLY LEVERAGE THE SYNERGISTIC CAPABILITIES OF RESEARCH, TEACHING, AND EXTENSION OF MULTIPLE INSTITUTIONS TO MEET FUTURE CHALLENGES IN FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDE, I) DEVELOPMENT OF CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL EMERGENT ONLINE/OFFLINE COURSES, II) STRENGTHENING OF IMMERSION EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS; III) EXPOSURE TO ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN AGRICULTURE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; IV) CREATION OF 2-YEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND RESEARCH/EXTENSION EXPERIENCES; V) TRAINING SCIENTISTS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS; AND VI) ESTABLISHING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SUBSTANTIALLY CONTRIBUTE TO A DIVERSE WORKFORCE FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY.

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

CARE ACT FUNDS - INSTITUTIONAL

FEDERAL CARES FOR LINCOLN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY CARES ACT FUNDS

THIS PROPOSAL IS FOR THE NEW FIVE-YEAR PLAN OF WORK FOR THE 1890 FGP FOR FISCAL YEARS 2018 THROUGH 2023. THE UNIVERSITY IS PROPOSING ONE MAJOR OBJECTIVE AND ONE MINOR OBJECTIVE FOR USE OF THESE FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,185,482 EACH YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $5,927,410. THE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:THE FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO CONSTRUCT AN 18,000 SQ. FT. MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITY. THE UNIVERSITY CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE SPACES TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF ITS EXPANDED COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAM FOR THE 1890 LAND-GRANT MISSION. A NEW FACILITY IS NEEDED WITH THE APPROPRIATE TYPE OF SPACES FOR HOSTING EXTENSION ACTIVITIES, CONDUCTING RESEARCH, AND TEACHING CLASSES. THE AMOUNT OF $1,125,482 WILL BE USED EACH YEAR DURING THIS CYCLE TO ACCRUE WITH THE NEXT 5 YEAR CYCLE. DURING THIS 5 YEAR CYCLE, PROGRAMMING AND DESIGN OF THE NEW FACILITY WILL BE COMPLETED. BIDDING AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE FY23-FY27 GRANT CYCLE FOR A MAXIMUM LENGTH OF TEN YEARS. TOTAL COST OF THE NEW FACILITY WITH APPROPRIATE PARKING IS ESTIMATED AT $11,554,820.00.THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS FOR CONTINUATION OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS AT EXISTING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FACILITIES. REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS MAY INCLUDE PAINTING, ROOFING, FLOOR COVERING, MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL/PLUMBING SYSTEMS, ETC. FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000 ARE BEING SET ASIDE EACH YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $300,000 FOR USE AS NEEDED DURING THIS 5 YEAR CYCLE.THESE PROJECTS ARE CRITICALLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE AND STRENGTHEN THE THREE COMPONENTS OF UNIVERSITY'S 1890 LAND-GRANT PROGRAM - EXTENSION, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH.

MISSOURI IS WELL-KNOWN FOR THE RICHNESS OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE STATE AND THE WELL-BEING OF ITS CITIZENS. THE HEALTH OF AIR, LAND/SOIL, AND WATER RESOURCES DIRECTLY IMPACTS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND RURAL QUALITY OF LIFE. THESE RESOURCES FACE INCREASING PRESSURE FROM INPUT-DEPENDENT, HIGHLY SPECIALIZED CROP AND LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS COMBINED WITH VARIABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUCH AS RECORD-SETTING TEMPERATURES, FLOODING, AND DROUGHTS. THESE CHALLENGES POSE SIGNIFICANT RISKS TO THE SUSTAINABLE PROVISION OF FOOD, CLEAN WATER, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR MISSOURIANS. IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S RESEARCH PRIORITIES, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE RESEARCH (LUCR) PROGRAM HAS BEEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 1) ANIMAL SCIENCE, 2) SOIL HEALTH AND CROP SCIENCES, 3) FOOD NUTRITION AND SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL-ECONOMICS. LUCR AIMS TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING IMPACTFUL, INNOVATIVE, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS EMERGING AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI'S NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI FARMERS AND RANCHERS. LUCR FACULTY MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS THAT SUSTAIN PRODUCTION, IMPROVE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, AND SAFEGUARD HUMAN HEALTH. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND FOREST LANDOWNERS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND ADAPT TO CHANGING AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS. OF THE SIX CRITICAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED, LUCR CAPACITY RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON: 1) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS - INCLUDING SMALL RUMINANT BREEDING, GRAZING MANAGEMENT, POULTRY OPERATIONS, AQUACULTURE, HYDROPONICS, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, SPECIALTY CROPS, VEGETABLE DISEASE CONTROL, AND ORGANIC FARMING. 2) NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP - INCLUDING SOIL HEALTH, AGROFORESTRY, AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS SUCH AS GIS AND REMOTE SENSING TO IMPROVE LAND MANAGEMENT. 3) HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY - INCLUDING SENSOR DEVELOPMENT FOR DETECTION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, DRINKING WATER QUALITY, AND MONITORING OF CONTAMINANTS RELEVANT TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THE OVERALL GOAL OF CAPACITY RESEARCH EFFORTS IN THE LUCR PROGRAM IS TO HELP FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ADOPT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY, IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP, AND PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH THROUGH SAFE FOOD AND WATER SYSTEMS. CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM NIFA AND THE STATE OF MISSOURI IS CRITICAL TO EXPANDING LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S RESEARCH CAPACITY AND ENSURING THAT MISSOURI'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS-PARTICULARLY SMALL-SCALE PRODUCERS-HAVE THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO THRIVE IN THE FACE OF AGRICULTURAL CHALLENGES

MISSOURI IS WELL-KNOWN FOR THE DIVERSITY OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE STATE. THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE STATE'S CITIZENS ALSO DEPENDS ON THE HEALTH OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE AIR, LAND/SOIL, AND WATER RESOURCES. HOWEVER, THESE RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASED PRESSURE DUE TO THE DOMINANCE OF INPUT (E.G., SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS, TILLAGE, PESTICIDES)-DEPENDENT, HIGHLY SPECIALIZED CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS COMBINED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED STRESSORS (E.G., RECORD SETTING HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES, FLOODING, AND DROUGHTS) - ALL OF WHICH HAVE POSED A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE SUSTAINABLE PROVISION OF GOODS (E.G., FOOD PRODUCTION AND FOOD SAFETY) AND SERVICES (E.G., CLEAN AIR AND WATER) FOR THE MISSOURIANS. IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S RESEARCH PRIORITIES, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE RESEARCH (LUCR) PROGRAM HAS BEEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 1) ANIMAL SCIENCE, 2) SOIL HEALTH AND CROP SCIENCES, 3) FOOD NUTRITION AND SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL-ECONOMICS. LUCR AIMS TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING IMPACTFUL, INNOVATIVE, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS EMERGING AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI'S NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI FARMERS AND RANCHERS. LUCR FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS FOR SUSTAINING PRODUCTION, ENHANCING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, AND SAFEGUARDING HUMAN HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MISSOURI RESIDENTS. THE LUCR PROGRAM AND ITS MULTIFACETED RESEARCH PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY TARGET THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, WHILE ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE DIVERSITY OF THE NATION'S FUTURE STEM-AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE. OF THE SIX CRITICAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED, LUCR CAPACITY RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING THREE AREAS: 1) SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS, 2) ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND 3) HEALTH AND HEALTHY FUTURES. UNDER THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, LUCR CURRENT CAPACITY RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN INITIATED AND APPROVED BY NIFA ARE FOCUSED ON THE AREAS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, SOIL HEALTH AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, AGROFORESTRY, RENEWABLE BIOENERGY, AND GIS/REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS. ONGOING CAPACITY RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDER THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS ARE FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SMALL RUMINANT (SHEEP/GOAT) BREEDING, PRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, GRAZING MANA GEMENT, POULTRY OPERATION, AQUACULTURE, HYDROPONIC OPERATION, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, SPECIALTY CROPS AND VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS, EMERGENT VEGETABLE DISEASE CONTROL, AND ORGANIC FARMING. CAPACITY RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDER THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF HEALTH AND HEALTHY FUTURES ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON THE AREAS OF SENSOR DEVELOPMENT FOR DETECTION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND SAFETY, AND EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF CAPACITY RESEARCH EFFORTS IN THE LUCR PROGRAM IS TO HELP FARMERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES - ESPECIALLY SMALL FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND FOREST LANDOWNERS - ADOPT CLIMATE-SMART MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO WITHSTAND INCREASINGLY VARIABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, AND PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH FROM FOOD AND DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION. CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM BOTH NIFA AND THE STATE OF MISSOURI IS THEREFORE CRITICAL TO STRENGTHEN THE RESEARCH CAPACITY OF LINCOLN UNIVERSITY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCE, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH AREAS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENT AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI FARMS AND AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TARGETS UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERSERVED, SMALL FAMERS AND COMMUNITY AND FIRSTGENERATION STUDENTS. THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN MISSOURI THROUGH THE INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM IS LAUNCHING SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, AND FOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANT, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS ALSO JOINED THE GROUP EFFORTS OF THE 1890 MULTISTATE CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUSING ON 1) SOIL HEALTH AND ADOPTIVE AG PRACTICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOCIALLYDISADVANTAGED FARMERS; 2) WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT; 3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; AND 4) ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE LU RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE, IMPACTFUL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTION AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS, ESPECIALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. THE PROGRAMS WILL ASSIST FARMERS, FAMILIES, YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH FOLLOWING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS ADDRESSING HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH DISPARITY REDUCTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE WITH AGES OF FIFTY AND OVER.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCE, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH AREAS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENT AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI FARMS AND AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TARGETS UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERSERVED, SMALL FAMERS AND COMMUNITY AND FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS. THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION AND CO MMUNICATION WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN MISSOURI THROUGH THE INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM IS LAUNCHING SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, ANDFOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANT, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS ALSO JOINED THE GROUP EFFORTS OF THE 1890 MULTISTATE CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUSING ON 1) SOIL HEALTH AND ADOPTIVE AG PRACTICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS; 2) WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT; 3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; AND 4) ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE LU RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE, IMPACTFUL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTION AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS, ESPECIALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. THE PROGRAMS WILL ASSIST FARMERS, FAMILIES, YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH FOLLOWING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS ADDRESSING HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH DISPARITY REDUCTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE WITH AGES OF FIFTY AND OVER.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCES, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN MISSOURI'S FARMS AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE PRODUCERS, FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, AND RURAL FAMILIES THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH AND RURAL WELL-BEING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP, AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN MISSOURI THROUGH AN INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHES SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, FOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANTS, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. THESE INITIATIVES ARE STRUCTURED TO DELIVER PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE FARM PRODUCTIVITY, ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY, AND SUPPORT LONG-TERM AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCE. THE PROGRAM ALSO PARTICIPATES IN MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATIONS TO ADDRESS SOIL HEALTH, ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND POLICY ANALYSIS RELEVANT TO MISSOURI'S PRODUCERS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST, AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INCLUDES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON HEALTH AND AGING PROVIDES PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE HEALTH LITERACY AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS, ENSURING THAT MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL COMMUNITIES REMAIN STRONG, HEALTHY, AND PRODUCTIVE.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCE, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH AREAS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENT AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI FARMS AND AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TARGETS UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERSERVED, SMALL FAMERS AND COMMUNITY AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS. THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN MISSOURI THROUGH THE INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM IS LAUNCHING SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, AND FOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANT, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS ALSO JOINED THE GROUP EFFORTS OF THE 1890 MULTISTATE CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUSING ON 1) SOIL HEALTH AND ADOPTIVE AG PRACTICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED FARMERS; 2) WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT; 3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; AND 4) ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE LU RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE, IMPACTFUL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTION AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS, ESPECIALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. THE PROGRAMS WILL ASSIST FARMERS, FAMILIES, YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH FOLLOWING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AG ING WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS ADDRESSING HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH DISPARITY REDUCTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE WITH AGES OF FIFTY AND OVER.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCE, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH AREAS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENT AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI FARMS AND AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TARGETS UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERSERVED, SMALL FAMERS AND COMMUNITY AND FIRSTGENERATION STUDENTS. THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN MISSOURI THROUGH THE INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM IS LAUNCHING SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, AND FOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANT, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS ALSO JOINED THE GROUP EFFORTS OF THE 1890 MULTISTATE CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUSING ON 1) SOIL HEALTH AND ADOPTIVE AG PRACTICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOCIALLYDISADVANTAGED FARMERS; 2) WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT; 3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; AND 4) ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE LU RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE, IMPACTFUL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTION AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS, ESPECIALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. THE PROGRAMS WILL ASSIST FARMERS, FAMILIES, YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH FOLLOWING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS ADDRESSING HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH DISPARITY REDUCTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE WITH AGES OF FIFTY AND OVER.

IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE USDA-NIFA'S TOP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRIORITY AREAS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, PLANT SCIENCE, FOOD SAFETY, NATURAL RESOURCE, SOCIAL ECONOMICS, HUMAN HEALTH, AND YOUTH AREAS THAT ADDRESS EMERGENT AND CRITICAL ISSUES FACING MISSOURI FARMS AND AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY TARGETS UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERSERVED, SMALL FAMERS AND COMMUNITY AND FIRST- GENERATION STUDENTS. THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON FIVE (5) IDENTIFIED CRITICAL ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN MISSOURI THROUGH THE INTEGRATIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM IS LAUNCHING SIX INITIATIVES: ORGANIC FARMING, URBAN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL HEMP, FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, ANDFOREST ECOSYSTEM, AND SMALL RUMINANT, IN AN EFFORT TO MEET THE CRITICAL, GROWING NEEDS OF THE STATE AND STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, IN 2022, THE EXTENSION AND RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS ALSO JOINED THE GROUP EFFORTS OF THE 1890 MULTISTATE CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT AND PARTICIPATED IN ALL FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUSING ON 1) SOIL HEALTH AND ADOPTIVE AG PRACTICES NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOCIALLY- DISADVANTAGED FARMERS; 2) WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT; 3) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; AND 4) ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY. THE LU RESEARCH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE, IMPACTFUL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTION AND MUL TIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS. THESE PROGRAMS SEEK TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS URGENT, EMERGENT ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING MISSOURI'S AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE NEEDS OF MISSOURI'S SMALL FARMERS, ESPECIALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS. THE RESEARCH PROGRAM HAS FIVE RESEARCH FOCUSES: 1) ANIMAL PRODUCTION; 2) CROP AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 3) FOOD SAFETY, 4) NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND 5) SOCIAL ECONOMICS, WITH AN EMPHASIS OF SMALL RUMINANTS, AQUACULTURE, SOIL HEALTH, SPECIALTY CROPS, ORGANIC PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY DETECTION, WATER QUALITY, FOREST HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM ACTIVELY PURSUE EXTRAMURAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT CURRENT RESEARCH AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS. THE LU EXTENSION EFFORTS AIM TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, ST. LOUIS, AND CENTRAL, SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. THE PROGRAMS WILL ASSIST FARMERS, FAMILIES, YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES WITH UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS THROUGH FOLLOWING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: 1) 4-H AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, 2) FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, 3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 4) HEALTH AND AGING, 5) FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND 6) URBAN GARDENING. THE PAULA J. CARTER CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS ADDRESSING HEALTH LITERACY, HEALTH DISPARITY REDUCTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION FOR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCE WITH AGES OF FIFTY AND OVER.

THE PROJECT EXPANDS MARKETS FOR CLIMATE-SMART HEMP IN MISSOURI AND SUPPORTS FARMERS IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING OF CLIMATE-SMART P RACTICES.

1890 LAND GRANT

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY EVANS ALLEN PROJECTS

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM (FUTURE ACT)

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROJECTS

RECIPIENTS INSTITUTIONAL COSTS

FY2020 EVANS ALLEN APPROVED PROJECTS

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

1890 LAND GRANT

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM (FUTURE ACT)

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

FY2020 EXTENSION -BASED ON POW

EVANS' ALLEN CAPACITY FUNDS - APPROVED RESEARCH PROJECTS

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OBJECTIVE 1THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MEAT SCIENCE FACILITY (MSF).THE PRODUCTION OF SMALL RUMINANTS HAS BEEN A NICHE MARKET FOR LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S TARGET AUDIENCE OF SMALL-SCALE PRODUCERS. LU WILL CONSTRUCT A MEAT SCIENCE FACILITY (MSF) TO SERVE THAT AUDIENCE. THE MSF WILL INCLUDE CLASSROOM SPACE FOR EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING AND DEMONSTRATIONS INCLUDING AN EXTENSION OF THE CARCASS RAIL SYSTEM TO ALLOW ANIMAL CARCASSES TO BE USED. THE MSF WILL ALLOW LU TO DEVELOP A MEAT SCIENCES CURRICULUM AS WELL AS CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS RELATED TO MEAT CUTTING AND PROCESSING. THE 2020 COVID PANDEMIC HAS INCREASED CONSUMER DEMAND FOR MEATS PRODUCED LOCALLY. THE PRODUCERS WORKING TO SUPPLY THIS DEMAND RELY ON SMALL MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS LOCATED WITHIN THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES. THIS TREND HAS CREATED DEMAND FOR LOCALLY PROCESSED MEATS THAT NOW EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING PROCESSING PLANTS; THEREBY, CREATING A NEED FOR MORE MEAT PROCESSING FACILITIES FOR SMALL RUMINANTS AND OTHER SPECIES SUCH AS BEEF, POULTRY, AND PORK.OBJECTIVE 2THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FACILITY (IHF).HEMP IS A MULTIPURPOSE CROP WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS. THE U.S IS THE LARGEST IMPORTER OF HEMP PRODUCTS, MAINLY SEED AND FIBER. THE USE OF SPECIFIC METABOLITES IN COSMETICS AND HUMAN HEALTH HAS FURTHER INCREASED ITS DOMESTIC DEMAND. THE CROP PRODUCTION TO MEET THE DOMESTIC DEMAND IS HINDERED BY SEVERAL BOTTLENECKS INCLUDING LIMITED SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT OR PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES. FURTHERMORE, WHEN HEMP WAS RECENTLY REINTRODUCED IN MISSOURI AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS, SEED BANKS HAD BEEN DESTROYED. THERE IS LIMITED AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE ON ADAPTED CULTIVARS AND CORRECT PRODUCTION PRACTICES.LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S CAPACITY IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH WAS BOOSTED BY STATEWIDE SUPPORT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY HEMP INSTITUTE (LUHI). THE GOAL OF LUHI IS TO BUILD A SMALL-SCALE IHF WHERE RESEARCH CAN BE CONDUCTED ON PROCESSING HEMP FIBERS,HEMP GRAINS, AND HEMP FLOWERS. LABORATORIES, CLASSROOM SPACE, AND FIBER/GRAIN PROCESSING UNITS WILL AID IN THE EXPERIENTIAL TEACHING AND DEMONSTRATION OF THESE PROCESSES. ADDITIONALLY, THE LHI WILL ALLOW LU TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM AS WELL AS CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS RELATED TO HEMP GENETICS, PRODUCTION, TESTING, AND PROCESSING.IDEALLY, THE FACILITY WILL ANCHOR THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MIDWEST, THUS BENEFITING FARMERS, ESPECIALLY MINORITY AND SMALL FARMERS, CREATING JOBS, AND PROVIDING HEMP PROCESSING SUPPORT TO THE INDUSTRY.?OBJECTIVE 3THE CONTINUATION OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FACILITIES.SEVERAL OF THE EXISTING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION FACILITIES ON CAMPUS AND SATELLITE OFFICES ARE MORE THAN FORTY YEARS OLD. MANY OF THE BUILDINGS HAVE SURVIVED TORNADOES, HAIL, EXTREME COLD, AND VANDALISM.THE CURRENT FLOORING IS THE ORIGINAL, OLD COMPOSITION VINYL TILES. SEVERAL BUILDINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED ON OLD FOUNDATIONS WHICH CAUSES MULTIPLE PROBLEMS (I.E,., FLOORS OUT OF LEVEL, WATER SEEPAGE, PLUMBING AND SEWER, ETC.).OTHER EXAMPLES OF RENOVATIONS NEEDED INCLUDE REPLACING OUTDATED MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS, PAINTING OFFICES AND MEETING ROOMS, ROOF AND GUTTER REPAIRS, CONVERSIONS OF UNUSED SPACE TO CRITICAL OFFICE SPACE, AND REPLACING OUTDATED/OBSOLETE OFFICE EQUIPMENT.

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

FY2019 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OUTREACH EDUCATION BASED ON PLAN OF WORK

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS

1890 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FORMULA FUNDING

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

STRENGTHENING RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH FORMULA FUNDS

PROJECT PURPOSE:LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S BUILD AND CONTINUALLY ENHANCE DIGITAL CAPACITY FOR DESIRED AND SUSTAINED OUTCOMES PROJECT HAS TWO MAIN GOALS (1) BUILD AND ENHANCE AN EFFECTIVE BROADBAND AND IT CAPACITY; AND (2) PROVIDE BROADBAND EDUCATION, AWARENESS, TRAINING, ACCESS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND OTHER UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS.ACTIVITIES:THE PROJECT IS COMPRISED OF TWO ACTIVITIES. THE FIRST ACTIVITY IS TO UPGRADE THE BROADBAND AND IT CAPACITY AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY. THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE WILL PROVIDE HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIVITY IN CRITICAL AREAS OF THE CAMPUS AND GREATLY INCREASING THE CAMPUS CAPACITY AND BANDWIDTH TO SERVE STUDENTS AND OTHER UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS. TO INCREASE IT CAPACITY, THE UNIVERSITY WILL HIRE AN ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECT TO ENSURE IT FUNCTIONALITY AND TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY. THE SECOND ACTIVITY WILL CREATE A TEACHING AND LEARNING ACADEMY TO PROMOTE A NEW AND INNOVATIVE DIGITAL EDUCATION CAMPUS CULTURE WITH PRAGMATIC AND STATE-OF-THE-ART PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS. TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH SUPPORT, THE UNIVERSITY WILL LOAN LAPTOPS WITH HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO EACH INCOMING FRESHMAN.OUTCOMES:AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WILL GUARANTEE A STABLE, RELIABLE, AND FLUID INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROVIDE AVAILABILITY OF THE BROADBAND NETWORK TO CAMPUS TO SUPPORT A POSITIVE AND FUNCTIONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL IT PERSONNEL WILL ENABLE THE CONFIGURATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS AND BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY AND OTHER UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROVISION OF PERSONAL DEVICES TO ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WILL ENHANCE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PREPAREDNESS FOR THE WORKING FIELD. THE DIGITAL EDUCATION WORKSHOP WILL ALSO ENHANCE DIGITAL LITERACY AMONG STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY MEMBERS.BENEFICIARIES:LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S BUILD AND CONTINUALLY ENHANCE DIGITAL CAPACITY FOR DESIRED AND SUSTAINED OUTCOMES PROJECT WILL SERVE ALL LINCOLN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND OTHER UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS. ALL FRESHMEN WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A PERSONAL DEVICE TO SUPPORT EDUCATION NEEDS AND ACCESS. THE ON-CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE WILL INCREASE DIGITAL BROADBAND ACCESS TO ALL STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITY STAKEHOLDERS. THE DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT OF DIGITAL LITERACY. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY IS IN LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES (IF APPLICABLE): THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH FORMULA FUNDS

PROJECT PURPOSE:THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI (LU) "CONNECT LU" PROJECT WILL PROVIDE LU STUDENTS WITH LAPTOPS AND HOTSPOTS TO REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO ACCESSING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR MANY LU STUDENTS. LU CONNECTS AIMS TO PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR MEANINGFUL ELECTRONIC ENGAGEMENT WITH EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THAT LEAD TO INCREASED STUDENT SUCCESS.ACTIVITIES: LINCOLN WILL PRIORITIZE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS BY ENSURING THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE THROUGH THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS HAVE FIRST ACCESS TO THE LAPTOPS AND HOTSPOTS. THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH COORDINATION BETWEEN THE STUDENT TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR AND THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID.THEY WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED EXTENDED TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT THROUGH THE HIRING OF A FULL-TIME STUDENT TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR. THIS POSITION WILL MANAGE THE STUDENT LAPTOP PROGRAM AND MANAGE EXTENDED HOURS OF SERVICE FOR STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT. OUTCOMES: HOTSPOTS AND LAPTOPS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BASED ON STUDENT NEED PER SECTION 902(C)(1)(B)(III) OF THE ACT. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WILL PRIORITIZE PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS WHEN DISTRIBUTING DEVICES, AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THE REMAINING BASED ON NEED. THE PROJECT WILL HELP PROVIDE BROADBAND EDUCATION, AWARENESS, TRAINING, ACCESS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONAL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUSIVE OF FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS. BENEFICIARIES:STUDENTS WHO ARE PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IN JEFFERSON CITY, MO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CONNECT LU PROJECT. ANY DEVICES REMAINING AFTER DISTRIBUTION TO PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE STUDENT BODY, AND THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO EXTENDED TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

1890 EXTENSION PROGRAMS

1890 EXTENSON PROGRAMS

EVAN'S ALLEN RESEARCH - APPROVED PROJECTS

UPWARD BOUND

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OUTREACH EDUCATION BASED ON PLAN OF WOK

STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM (SIP)

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY UPWARD BOUND CONTINUING PROGRAM

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

MULTI-TASK PROJECT TO PROVIDE RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING GOALS IDENTIFIED BY THE ARMY

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT: LINCOLN'S EXCELLENT ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN SCIENCE - TRANSFORMATION (LEAPS-T)

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OUTREACH EDUCATION BASED ON PLAN OF WORK

UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM

DEVELOPING A REALITY V BASED TRAINING VIDEO FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION -

LINCOLN'S EXCELLENT ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN SCIENCE: FORWARD MARCH

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

EVANS-ALLEN

EVANS-ALLEN

IMPLEMENTATION GRANT: A MODEL FOR ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN STEM (AMASS): POSITIVE FEEDBACK INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MINORITY AND NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS AN

HBCU - INSTITUTIONAL AID

RESILIENT LIVESTOCK WINTER FEEDING

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

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USING DATA SCIENCE TO UNDERSTAND SOIL WILDFIRE & SOCIAL DISPARITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR POLLUTION

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH

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TRIO - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS PROJECT/VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS PROJECT/VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS/FARM ACQUISITION

INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS PROJECT/VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

DICKINSON RESEARCH CENTER EXPANSION/NEW EXTENSION FACILITY IN SIKESTON, MO

NEW EXTENSION FACILITY IN SIKESTON, MO

NEW EXTENSION FACILITY IN SIKESTON, MO

A PATHWAY TO EQUITY: RECRUITING AND RETAINING UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN STEM EDUCATION

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DICKINSON RESEARCH CENTER EXPANSION/NEW EXTENSION FACILITY IN SIKESTON, MO

EVANS-ALLEN

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NEW EXTENSION FACILITY IN SIKESTON, MO

EVANS-ALLEN

NASA/LINCOLN UNIVERSITY TEACHER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP: MINORITY UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE,&TECHNOLOGY AWARDS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM

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LINCOLN'S EXCELLENT ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN SCIENCE (LEAPS)

INVESTIGATION OF THE SIGNALING PATHWAY ACTIVATED BY 1,25D3-MARRS RECEPTOR

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIACOMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN: 2025-2030“REIMAGINING STEAM THROUGH AI, DATA SCIENCE, & INFRASTRUCTURE”

KANSAS CITY OUTREACH CENTER CONTINUED/VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

KANSAS CITY OUTREACH CENTER CONTINUED/VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY TITLE III PART F PROJECTS

EVANS-ALLEN

1890 AGRICULTURAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOREST FARMING PRACTICES REFER TO CULTIVATING HIGH-VALUE SPECIALTY CROPS IN THE FOREST UNDERSTORY WITH THE SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT OF THE CANOPY AND FOREST OVERSTORY TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DESIRED NONTIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS (NTFPS). THROUGH THIS PROJECT, WE WILL USE A GRASS-ROOTS APPROACH TO BUILD A LOCALIZED NETWORK OF FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, AND RESEARCHERS INTERESTED IN FOREST FARMING, WHICH WILL COMPLEMENT ONGOING RESEARCH AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ON AGROFORESTRY AND FOREST FARMING. THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES WILL ALLOW FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FOREST FARMING NETWORK MODELED AFTER SUCH A COALITION IN THE APPALACHIAN AND NORTHEAST US AND WILL RESULT IN FOREST FARMING ADOPTION IN MISSOURI AND THE MIDWEST. THIS PROPOSAL WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEMONSTRATION SITES ESTABLISHED AT THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BUSBY FARM ALONG WITH A FIELD VISIT TO OZARK MOUNTAIN GINSENG AND OTHER MENTOR FARMER SITES. THE PROJECT WILL CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES, AND FARM TOURS FOR TSPS, AGENCY WORKERS, AND PRODUCERS TO ESTABLISH THE FOREST FARMING NETWORK. THE PROJECT HAS INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND OUTREACH COMPONENTS WITH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAINING, CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS, AND STATEWIDE NETWORK DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROPOSED PROJECT BUILDS LINCOLN UNIVERSITY'S TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND EXTENSION CAPABILITIES AND IS ALIGNED WITH USDA'S STRATEGIC GOAL. AN ACTIVE FOREST FARMING NETWORK OF FARMERS, STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND PROFESSIONALS IS A KEY PRODUCT OF THE PROJECT. SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND LIMITED-RESOURCE FARMERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ADOPTION OF FOREST FARMING SYSTEMS WHICH CAN IMPROVE THEIR INCOME GENERATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IMPACT OF LONG-TERM COVER CROPPED ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISEASE SUPPRESSIVE SOILS

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MISSOURI'S FORESTS, HOME TO AT LEAST 730 WILDLIFE SPECIES, ARE FACING URGENT HEALTH ISSUES FROM INVASIVE SPECIES PESTS AND THEIR IMPACTS NECESSITATING EFFECTIVE MONITORING METHODS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO IMPROVE FOREST HEALTH MONITORING BY INTEGRATING GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES WITH ADVANCED AI MODELS TO DEVELOP A FOREST HEALTH EARLY WARNING SYSTEM (FHEWS). WE WILL COMBINE SATELLITE IMAGERY, UAV-BASED MULTISPECTRAL AND LIDAR DATA, ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION AND LOCATION-BASED FOREST HEALTH METRICS TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE GEOSPATIAL DATABASE. AI MODELS WILL ANALYZE THIS DATA FOR FOREST HEALTH MONITORING. KEY OBJECTIVES OF THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT INCLUDE: 1. DEVELOPING AND TRAINING AI MODELS TO DETECT EARLY SIGNS OF FOREST HEALTH ISSUES AND CREATING A USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE FOR MISSOURI STAKEHOLDERS. 2. PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU) AND INCREASING STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN FORESTRY, GEOSPATIAL SCIENCE AND AI THROUGH MENTORING SCHOLARSHIPS AND PROVIDING STUDENT EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. 3. HOSTING WORKSHOPS TO DISSEMINATE FINDINGS AND TRAIN MISSOURI STAKEHOLDERS IN USING FHEWS TO FACILITATE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION. CO-PD WITH EXPERTISE IN REMOTE SENSING AND FOREST HEALTH WILL BE CRITICAL IN DEVELOPING AND VALIDATING AI MODELS. AIFARMS INSTITUTE AT UIUC WILL ENHANCE LU'S AI CAPABILITIES. BRAD GRAHAM FROM THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION WILL ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE CBG PROGRAM BY EDUCATING STUDENTS, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS AND ENHANCING EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMS AT LU. IT SUPPORTS USDA'S FOCUS ON BUILDING AI AND MACHINE LEARNING CAPACITY IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.

EQUIPMENT: EQUIPMENT TO EXPAND HBCU UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTION IN FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY & DRUG CHEMISTRY -THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (HBCU-UP) SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT ENHANCE UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AT HBCUS, AS MEANS TO BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN THE NATION'S STEM WORKFORCE. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO TRANSFORM ACADEMIC OFFERINGS BY ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE, PARTICULARLY IN FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY (THE STUDY OF POISONS) AND DRUG CHEMISTRY, AS STUDENTS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUPPORTING FORENSIC LABORATORIES. THIS HBCU-UP EQUIPMENT AWARD PROVIDES LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (PA) WITH FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF A TRIPLE QUADRUPOLE MASS SPECTROMETER WHICH WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS, DRUG CHEMISTRY, AND TOXICOLOGY LABORATORY COURSE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, STUDENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO USE THE INSTRUMENTATION TO PROCESS ROUTINE CASE SAMPLES AS WELL AS TO CONDUCT NOVEL RESEARCH ALONGSIDE FORENSIC PRACTITIONERS. STUDENTS WILL GAIN FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO EXCEL IN FORENSIC SCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND CRIME LABORATORY WORK SETTINGS. USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY OR ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE DIRECT IONIZATION SAMPLE INTRODUCTION FOR ANALYSIS OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, STUDENTS WILL GAIN EXPERIENCE ON MODERN, STATE OF THE ART INSTRUMENTATION COMPARABLE TO WHAT IS UTILIZED IN FORENSIC LABORATORIES AND/OR GRADUATE PROGRAMS. THIS EQUIPMENT AND THE RESEARCH IT WILL SUPPORT PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN EXPANDING STUDENT AND FACULTY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESEARCH IN THE UNDERGRADUATE CENTER FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (PA), THUS EXPANDING THE RESEARCH CAPACITY AT AN HBCU IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE GOALS OUTLINED IN THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT OF 2022. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SUPPORTS STUDENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER - PROJECT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU) SUPPORTS STUDENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (LUSS-SUD) WILL FOCUS ON THE LU STUDENT POPULATION. LU WILL PARTNER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PROGRAM EVALUATION AND RESEARCH UNIT (PERU). LUSS-SUD WILL EXPAND SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION, AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (SBIRT) SERVICES, IMPLEMENT HARM REDUCTION PRACTICES, OFFER CASE MANAGEMENT, AND CONNECT HIGH-RISK STUDENTS TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND RECOVERY-SUPPORT SERVICES. THE NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED LU STUDENTS TO BE SERVED WILL INCLUDE 250 IN YEAR 1, 250 IN YEAR 2, AND 250 IN YEAR 3 FOR A TOTAL OF 750 STUDENTS DURING THE ENTIRE PROJECT PERIOD. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS IS LU’S UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT POPULATION, WHICH IN FALL 2021 WAS 1,767 STUDENTS, OF WHICH 84% WERE BLACK, 6% HISPANIC/LATINX, 3% MULTIRACIAL, AND LESS THAN 4% ASIAN, AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKA NATIVE, WHITE, AND/OR UNKNOWN/DID NOT DISCLOSE. THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE WAS ENGLISH, WITH UNDER 5% OF STUDENTS SPEAKING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. STUDENTS WERE 67% FEMALE AND 33% MALE WITH AN AGE RANGE OF 17 TO 25 YEARS OLD. STUDENTS INCLUDED PA RESIDENTS (49%), OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS (47%), AND U.S. NON-RESIDENTS (2%). LU ESTIMATES 24% IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ+ BASED ON NATIONAL PREVALENCE. THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR LU STUDENTS WAS $45,600, WHICH EQUATES TO THE 47TH AVERAGE INCOME PERCENTILE. THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA INCLUDES LU STUDENTS LIVING ON CAMPUS IN RURAL CHESTER COUNTY, PA. IN 2021, LU STUDENTS WERE FROM 28 STATES AND NINE COUNTRIES; INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS COMPRISE UNDER 10% OF THE STUDENT POPULATION. CHESTER COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE MAINLY WHITE (78%), HAVE HIGHER MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME ($104,161) THAN PA ($63,627), AND A HIGHER PROPORTION OF PERSONS POSSESSING A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER (54%) THAN PA (32%). LUSS-SUD’S GOALS INCLUDE: GOAL 1) BY SEPT. 2025, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LU STUDENTS SCREENED FOR SUBSTANCE USE AND CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS (SUD/MH), AND CO-OCCURRING PHYSICAL HEALTH (E.G., HIV OR HEPATITIS C ID TESTING) BY INTEGRATING SBIRT INTO HEALTH AND COUNSELING SERVICES (HCS); GOAL 2) BY SEPT. 2025, EXPAND ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED HARM REDUCTION PRACTICES FOR LU STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HIGH RISK FOR SUBSTANCE USE BY INTEGRATING BRIEF ALCOHOL SCREENING INTERVENTION FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS (BASICS) AND CANNABIS SCREENING AND INTERVENTION FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS (CASICS) INTO COUNSELING SERVICES, AND FOR LU STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HIGH-RISK FOR OPIOID OVERDOSE BY INTEGRATING TARGETED NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESIDENCE LIFE; GOAL 3) BY SEPT. 2025, IMPROVE CARE COORDINATION FOR LU STUDENTS ACCESSING OR ENGAGING IN SPECIALTY SUD/MH TREATMENT BY ESTABLISHING A CASE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WITHIN COUNSELING SERVICES; GOAL 4) BY SEPT. 2025, ADDRESS HEALTH INEQUITIES AND DEVELOP A RECOVERY-SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT BY PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FROM LU TO SUD/MH TREATMENT PROVIDERS, DEDICATING SPACE TO ACCESS TELEHEALTH TREATMENT, IF APPROPRIATE, AND ESTABLISHING RECOVERY- SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ON CAMPUS; GOAL 5) BY SEPT. 2025, PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION USING GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT, QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODOLOGIES, AND EHR ENCOUNTER DATA TO IMPLEMENT CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND HEALTH EQUITY INITIATIVES, PROMOTE SBIRT SUSTAINABILITY, AND ASSESS STUDENT OUTCOMES; AND GOAL 6) BY SEPT. 2025, OPTIMIZE PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY BY DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO SUSTAIN ACTIVITIES BEYOND THE GRANT PERIOD. THROUGH THESE GOALS AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES, LUSS-SUD WILL ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE COLLEGIATE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND RECOVERY PROGRAM TO ADDRESS SERVICE GAPS TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT STUDENTS AT-RISK/WITH SUD/MH TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SUD/MH TREATMENT.

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH: TRANSLATIONAL APPROACHES TO STRENGTHENING RURAL RESILIENCE -THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS DEFINES RURAL AS AREAS WITH LESS THAN 2000 HOUSES OR LESS THAN 5000 RESIDENTS IN ITS 2020 CENSUS. BASED ON THIS DEFINITION, ABOUT 20% OF THE U.S. POPULATION LIVES IN RURAL AREAS. RURAL AREAS COVER MORE THAN 90% OF THE U.S. LAND, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL RESOURCES LIKE WATER, FOOD, ENERGY, AND RECREATION. THEREFORE, RURAL AREAS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SPHERES OF THE U.S. PROMOTING THE RESILIENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AMERICA CAN PROFOUNDLY IMPACT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. COMPARED WITH THE URBAN POPULATION, RURAL RESIDENTS TEND TO HAVE LOWER AVERAGE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, AN OLDER AGE PROFILE, AND FACE HIGHER RATES OF POVERTY, FOOD INSECURITY, AND HOUSING INSTABILITY. THEY ALSO HAVE FEWER JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND LESS DISCRETIONARY INCOME. AS A RESULT, RURAL RESIDENTS ARE OFTEN LESS ABLE TO COPE WITH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SHOCKS AND STAY RESILIENT AMIDST HIGH INFLATION AND INTEREST RATE DISRUPTIONS. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT AIMS TO COMPREHENSIVELY EVALUATE THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED BY RURAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. THE STUDY WILL EXPLORE THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS ON RURAL HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES. RESEARCH METHODS WILL INCLUDE INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS COPING STRATEGIES FOR MAINTAINING RESILIENCE, AND IDENTIFICATION OF PERSISTENT OBSTACLES TO RECOVERY AND GROWTH. BY PROVIDING VALUABLE INSIGHTS TO POLICYMAKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS, THE PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE TRANSLATION OF TARGETED INTERVENTIONS ADDRESSING THE DISTINCT NEEDS OF RURAL AMERICANS. PROJECT OUTCOMES HAVE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO UNDERSTANDING RURAL ECONOMIC DYNAMICS AND PROMOTING RURAL COMMUNITIES? LONG-TERM RESILIENCE AND PROSPERITY ACROSS THE U.S. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

TRAINING A DIVERSE STEM WORKFORCE TO MEASURE AND MODEL ENERGY, WATER, AND CARBON BUDGETS

EVANS-ALLEN

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH FORMULA FUNDS

EVANS-ALLEN

SECTION 1444

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH FORMULA FUNDS

SECTION 1444

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROJECT INCREASES FOOD SAFETY CAPABILITIES FOR MISSOURI SMALL FARMERS AND PROCESSORS, AND THEIR ON-FARM AND DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH FOOD SAFETY TRAINING

EVANS-ALLEN

SECTION 18004(C) OF THE CARES ACT ALLOWS AN INSTITUTION TO USE ALLOCATED FUNDS RECEIVED UNDER SECTION 18004(A)(1) TO COVER ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTIONS

1890 EXTENSON PROGRAMS

ENHANCING PROFITABILITY AND LIVELIHOOD OF MINORITY, SOCIALLYDISADVANTAGED, VETERAN AND BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN THE OPPORTUNITY ZONES OF MISSOURI

1890 EXTENSION PROGRAMS

THE LEAPS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

THE CARES ACT ALLOWS INSTITUTIONS TO USE HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND GRAN TO COVER ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS. THIS

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN DEMANDS FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING THE SOURCES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI) - THE SOURCES OF FECAL POLLUTION - IN BOTH SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER. THESE DEMANDS HAVE BEEN DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS FOR TAKING EFFECTIVE STEPS TOWARDS RESTORING WATER QUALITY. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WE WILL ENHANCE OUR CAPACITIES VIA THIS PROJECT THROUGH BOTH RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. THE RESEARCH AIMS TO DEVELOP NEW METHODS, ELIMINATING THE LIMITATIONS OF CURRENT METHODS, FOR ACCURATELY DETECTING E. COLI ORIGINATING FROM AGRICULTURAL SOURCES. THE RESEARCH TEAM AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU) HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN DEVELOPING TWO METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING E. COLI OF HUMAN ORIGIN. BUILDING ON THIS PROGRESS AND COLLABORATING WITH THE VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY (VSU), THIS PROJECT AIMS TO FURTHER EXTEND THE RESEARCH BY DEVELOPING APPROACHES TO DETECT E. COLI OF LIVESTOCK ORIGIN. AT THE SAME TIME, THE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT E. COLI AND FECAL POLLUTION. THIS ENDEAVOR WILL IDENTIFY AND CLARIFY COMMON PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT E. COLI AND FECAL POLLUTION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND SUMMER WORKSHOPS. THIS PROJECT IS THE PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF TWO 1890 LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES, MULTIPLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES, AND A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS IN MISSOURI. THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL PARTNER INSTITUTIONS IN FECAL SOURCE TRACKING, AND THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL IMPROVEMENT OF WATER QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THROUGH THIS PROPOSAL, THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OBTAINED AND THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM A PREVIOUSLY USDA/OPPE FUNDED PROJECT, IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI, AND EXPAND THE SERVICES OF LINCOLN UNIVERSITY TO THE NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, AND CENTRAL REGIONS OF THE STATE. THE APPLICANT AIMS TO HELP MINORITY, LIMITED RESOURCES, AND UNDERSERVED FARMERS, IN THE THREE REGIONS, IMPROVE THEIR AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND INCREASE THEIR INCOME, THROUGH INCREASED EXTENSION PROGRAMMING, AND COLLABORATION WITH FSA, NRCS, AND MDA, TO HELP FARMERS KNOW ABOUT AND ACCESS THE PROGRAMS OF THESE AGENCIES. THE APPLICANT ALSO INTENDS TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER FACULTY IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, RECRUIT ONE GRADUATE STUDENT AND 2 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED GROUPS, AND CONDUCT MUCH-NEEDED RESEARCH ON MARKETING FOR MINORITY AND UNDERSERVED FARMERS.THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF LINCOLN UNIVERSITY THROUGH INCREASED AREA OF SERVICE (FROM 4 CENTERS TO 7 CENTERS), INCREASE IN THENUMBER OF FARMERS' EDUCATORS BY 3 EDUCATORS, INCREASED NUMBER OF FARMERS SERVED BY LU BY AT LEAST 120 FARMERS, INCREASED LU EXTENSION PROGRAMMING BY 9 LISTENING SESSIONS FOR NEED ASSESSMENT; 18 WORKSHOPS AND 9 REGIONAL CONFERENCES; AN INCREASE IN LU EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS BY 5 PUBLICATIONS, AN INCREASE IN LU UNDERSERVED STUDENTS BY 3, AND AN INCREASE IN LU SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS BY ONE THESIS AND ONE SCIENTIFIC MANUSCRIPT PUBLISHED IN A SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL.

SOIL ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY IS FUNDAMENTAL TO SOIL HEALTH AND EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM AGRICULTURE. RECENT WIDESPREAD USE OF ENGINEERED NANOPARTICLES (ENPS) AND COMMON HABITAT OCCURRENCE OF PER-AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) HAS RAISED SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC CONCERNS ON THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SUCH CONTAMINANTS OF EMERGING CONCERNS (CECS). THE VAST APPLICATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES (AGNPS)-CONTAINING PESTICIDES AND WIDE EXPOSURE OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS TO PFAS CONTAMINATED IRRIGATION WATER AND BIOSOLID POSES SUBSTANTIAL RISKS TO SOIL HEALTH IN AGRICULTURAL SETTINGS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO COMPREHENSIVELY EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF AGNPS AND TWO MOST PREVALENT PFAS COMPOUNDS ON THE ACTIVITIES OF EIGHT SOIL ENZYMES VIA ENZYMOLOGICAL ASSAYS AND ADVANCED METABOLOMIC ANALYSIS AND TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE MITIGATION METHODOLOGIES BASED ON THIOLFUNCTIONALIZED BIOCHAR. SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON SOIL MANAGEMENT AND EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM AGRICULTURE IN MISSOURI AND BEYOND. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE DATA-BASED KNOWLEDGE OF CECS IMPACTS ON SOIL ENZYMES, COST-EFFECTIVE/DEPLOYABLE MITIGATION SOLUTIONS AND DISSEMINATION OF DEVELOPED METHODS TO GROWERS AND FARMERS IN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL HELP THE LEADING 1890 INSTITUTE (LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI) STRENGTHEN ITS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CAPACITIES AND BOOST THE TRAINING OF STUDENTS THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO SKILLED-ENHANCED WORKFORCE.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HEMP IS A MULTIPURPOSE CROP WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS. THE U.S IS THE LARGEST IMPORTER OF HEMP PRODUCTS, MAINLY SEED AND FIBER. THE USE OF SPECIFIC METABOLITES IN COSMETICS AND HUMAN HEALTH FURTHER INCREASES ITS DOMESTIC DEMAND. THE CROP PRODUCTION TO MEET THE DOMESTIC DEMAND IS HINDERED BY SEVERAL BOTTLENECKS INCLUDING LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF PRODUCTION STRATEGIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, LACK OF CULTIVARS WITH WIDE ADAPTABILITY, 'HOT' PLANTS IN THE FIELD AND VERY LESS BREEDING TOOLS. HEMP IS REINTRODUCED RECENTLY IN MISSOURI AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS WITH NO ADAPTED VARIETIES AND SO NO MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. TO ESTABLISH THE HEMP PRODUCTION IN MISSOURI AND EXPAND TO THE MIDWEST, SUITABLE VARIETIES MUST BE SELECTED/DEVELOPED FOR DIVERSE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS. LONG TERM GOAL IS TO ADDRESS MAJOR PRODUCTION CHALLENGES OF HEMP IN MISSOURI AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ALLEVIATING NATIONAL PRODUCTION CHALLENGES. MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THIS INTEGRATED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECT ARE TO (1) IDENTIFY SUITABLE HEMP VARIETIES FOR VARIOUS AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF MISSOURI AND TEST CROP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, (2) DEVELOP GENETIC AND GENOMIC RESOURCES TO GENERATE BREEDING TOOLS FOR CROP IMPROVEMENT, (3) DISSECT MOLECULAR MECHANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEMP PLANT GETTING 'HOT' AND REGULATE IT, (4) DISSEMINATE HEMP PRODUCTION INFORMATION, EDUCATE AND BUILD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HEMP FARMERS AND PROCESSORS, AND (5) TRAIN GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN HEMP GENETICS, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, AND BREEDING STRATEGIES. THE PROJECT APPROACHES AND OUTCOME WILL FORM A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR ATTRACTING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM PUBLIC-PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS AND ALSO WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.THIS

QUINOA, LIKE OTHER CULTIVATED CROPS, RELIES ON OPTIMAL LEVELS OF ESSENTIAL MACRONUTRIENT APPLICATION, PARTICULARLY NITROGEN (N), PHOSPHORUS (P),AND POTASSIUM (K)TO PROMOTE OPTIMAL GROWTH AND MAXIMIZE GRAIN YIELD AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY. HOWEVER, THERE IS LIMITED OR NO INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE CROP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR QUINOA PRODUCTION IN THE US. THEREFORE, THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY OPTIMUM MACRONUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN QUINOA TO IMPROVE GRAIN YIELD AND SEED QUALITY BY INTEGRATING MANUAL AND HIGH-THROUGHPUT AERIAL PHENOTYPING (HTAP) METHODS. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE: 1) EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS LEVELS AND TIMING OF NPK APPLICATIONS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF QUINOA, 2) IDENTIFY THE MOST EFFECTIVE HTAP METHODS TO MEASURE POTENTIAL TRAITS IN QUINOA, 3) EVALUATE THE ECONOMICS OF OPTIMUM NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY INTEGRATING MANUAL AND HTAP, AND 4) DISSEMINATE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES TO SMALL-SCALE FARMERSEXTENSION AGENTS, STUDENTS, AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, USING WORKSHOPS, TRAINING, AND PUBLISHING IN NEWSPAPERS AND PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS. 5) TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONALS TO INCREASE RETENTION AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES BY PROVIDING HANDS-ON PRACTICAL LEARNING INITIATIVES. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU) AND NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL STATE UNIVERSITY (NC A&T) WILL COLLABORATE TO IMPLEMENT THIS STUDY. OUR PROJECT IS COLLABORATIVE, INTEGRATED (RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION)AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS RESEARCH TO ADDRESS THE CBG PROGRAM PRIORITY BY USING INNOVATIVE AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PROJECT WILL EXAMINE CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR SHEEP AND GOAT MEAT, FACTORS AFFECTING THEIR PURCHASE DECISIONS, AND HOW CONSUMER EDUCATION CAN INCREASE THEIR DEMAND USING SURVEYS AND ECONOMETRIC MODELING. THE PROJECT ALSO WILL EXPLORE THE MARKETING CHANNELS FOR GOAT AND SHEEP PRODUCERS, THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF EACH CHANNEL, AND THE PROFITABILITY OF SMALL GOAT AND SHEEP FARMERS USING DATA COLLECTED THROUGH FOCUSED INTERVIEWS, SURVEYS, AND ECONOMIC MODELING. MARKETING STRATEGIES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR FARMERS TO INCREASE THEIR SALES. TEACHING MODULES AND RESEARCH PROJECTS WILL BE DEVELOPED TO EDUCATE UNDERSERVED, LOW-INCOME, FIRST-GENERATION MINORITY STUDENTS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING TO IMPROVE THEIR COMPETITIVENESS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION MODELS FOR FARMERS WILL BE DEVELOPED TO HELP THEM MAKE INFORMED MARKETING AND PRODUCTION DECISIONS TO INCREASE THEIR COMPETITIVENESS AND PROFITABILITY.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN RECENT YEARS THE WHOLE QUINOA PLANT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN A FEW ASIAN AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FOR POTENTIAL USE AS A FORAGE CROP DUE TO THE HIGH NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF THE ENTIRE PLANT. SO FAR, NO STUDY HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE U.S. TO DETERMINE QUINOA FORAGE YIELD NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS AND FEED VALUES. OUR PRELIMINARY RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE NUTRITIONAL AND FEED VALUES OF THE ENTIRE QUINOA PLANT (AT THE COMPLETE BLOOMING STAGE) ARE VERY HIGH AND COMPARABLE WITH ALFALFA FORAGE VALUES. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT QUINOA WHOLE PLANT CAN BE USED AS A AN ALTERNATIVE FEED FOR SMALL RUMINANTS (SHEEP AND GOATS). WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS BY FOLLOWING THE OBJECTIVES:(1) ASSESS NUTRITIONAL COMPOUNDS IN THE ENTIRE QUINOA PLANT (2) CHARACTERIZE NUTRIENT UTILIZATION RUMINAL FERMENTATION INCLUDING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES AND FEED VALUES (3) EVALUATE THE ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION PROCESSING ANDMARKETING AND (4) EDUCATE AND TRAIN STUDENTS IN CROP PRODUCTION. IN ADDITION, WE WILL DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION TO FARMERS SMALL ANIMAL PRODUCERS AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY THROUGH DEMONSTRATION PLOTS FIELD DAYS AND WORKSHOPS. OUR PROPOSAL IS INNOVATIVE BECAUSE THE CHARACTERIZATION OF QUINOA PLANTS' NUTRITIONAL RUMEN DEGRADATION AND FEED VALUES WILL HELP US INTRODUCE A ALTERNATIVE AND VIABLE FORAGE CROP FOR SMALL RUMINANTS TO BRING ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS AND PRODUCERS.

EVANS-ALLEN

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AQUACULTURE REMAINS AS THE ONLY FOOD PRODUCTION SECTOR THAT HAS SHOWN DOUBLE-DIGIT PERCENT GROWTH IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ALLOWED AQUACULTURE TO OCCUR IN CONFINED SPACES INDOORS AND IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES. HOWEVER, THE UNITED STATES HAS SHOWN A DECREASE IN AQUACULTURE OF FINFISH AND INCREASES IN CATCH-FISHERIES ACTIVITIES AND IMPORTS. THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO ECONOMIC RESTRICTIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS. HENCE, UNITED STATES FISH FARMERS NEED ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND HAVE REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WHEN COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF FISH MONOCULTURE. IN SMALL INSTITUTIONS LIKE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, LIMITATIONS SUCH AS BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, HEAVY TEACHING LOAD OF FACULTY, LACK OF SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS/FACULTY, AND LACK OF ACCESS TO STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT RESTRICT THE OPPORTUNITIES OF STUDENTS IN INNOVATIONAL AREAS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO BUILD RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION CAPACITY BY CARRYING OUT EXPERIMENTAL AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS THAT WILL SERVE AS NUTRIENT BUDGET MODELS FOR THE UNITED STATES, EXTENSION MODELS FOR MISSOURI FARMERS, AND AN OUTLET FOR STUDENTS TO ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS WITH SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BRING FACULTY OF DIFFERENT AREAS TOGETHER TO MAKE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY THE MODEL FOR AQUACULTURE POND NUTRIENT BUDGETS. FOR EACH OF THE THREE YEARS OF THIS CBG, THE EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS WILL SERVE AS DEMONSTRATIONS FOR MISSOURI FISH FARMERS, OF WHICH THESE SYSTEMS ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLINESS OF AQUACULTURE BY INTEGRATING MULTIPLE SPECIES WITHIN THE SAME PRODUCTION SPACE AND TIME (INTEGRATED MULTI-TROPHIC AQUACULTURE - IMTA). WE WILL BE MAKING USE OF SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENTS TO BUILD PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY, OF WHICH LINCOLN UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE FEW UNIVERSITIES IN THE REGION TO HAVE AN AQUACULTURE LABORATORY AND RELEVANT ANALYTICAL EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS A GREENHOUSE GAS ANALYZER. IN GENERAL, STUDENTS DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT WILL OBTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WHILE OTHER STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE ENHANCED EDUCATION WHEN CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL OF ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT TO BE INTEGRATED IN CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO PLAN TO UTILIZE LAND ADJACENT TO THE AQUACULTURE LABORATORY TO HAVE HOUSING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS THAT WANT TO DO AN INTERNSHIP AS PART OF THEIR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS. THE INCLUSION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WILL ENHANCE THE EDUCATION OF CURRENT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS BY EXPOSING THEM TO A DIVERSE WORK ENVIRONMENT. NEVERTHELESS, RESEARCH CAPACITY OF LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WILL GROW WHEN CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL NEEDED TO CARRY OUT POND PRODUCTIONS ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE. EDUCATION CAPACITY WILL BE ENHANCED WITH THIS CBG WHEN CONSIDERING THE INTEGRATION OF THE PROJECT METHODS AND RESULTS IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THE POTENTIAL OF AQUACULTURE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PROJECTS OVERSEAS,ACCORDING TO RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS.THIS PROJECTAIMS TO ESTABLISH CARBON, NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS BUDGETS IN THE GROW-OUT OF FRESHWATER PRAWNS (MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII) AND THE PHASE II PRODUCTION OF SUNSHINE BASS (MORONE SAXATILIS X MORONE CHRYSOPS) FARMED IN MONOCULTURE AND IMTA SYSTEMS IN EARTHEN PONDS. TWO IMTA SYSTEMS WILL BE USED, OF WHICH ONE WILL MAINTAIN THE BASS IN CAGES AND THE OTHER WILL REAR THE BASS AS FREE-SWIMMING. THIS IS TO TEST IF ANTAGONISM EXISTS BETWEEN THE FISH AND THE PRAWNS. THE POND INPUT COMPARTMENTS USED TO ANALYZE THE NUTRIENT BUDGETS ARE THE STOCKED FISH, STOCKED PRAWNS, RAINWATER, INLET WATER, GAS DIFFUSION, FERTILIZERS, AND FEED. THE OUTPUT COMPARTMENTS WILL BE HARVESTED FISH, HARVESTED PRAWNS, GAS DIFFUSION, GAS EBULLITION, OUTPUT WATER, ACCUMULATED SLUDGE, SETTLEABLE SOLIDS, AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS. ALL TESTED SYSTEMS WILL BE SUBJECT TO CASH-FLOW AND ECONOMIC ANALYSES.THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BENEFIT LOCAL, STATE, AND REGIONALECONOMIES BY ELABORATING ALTERNATIVE, ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND HAVING THESE SYSTEMS SERVE AS DEMONSTRATIONS THROUGH EXTENSION. THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACTIVITY WOULD EASE PRESSURE ON PRODUCTIONS AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE DESTINED FOR THE UNITED STATES, THEREBY CUTTING EMISSIONS RELATED TO TRANSPORT AND INCREASING FOOD SECURITY IN REGIONS WHERE THE FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS OCCUR. SPECIFIC BENEFITS FOR THE MIDWEST ARE MAINLY RELATED TO DIVERSIFYING PRODUCTION WITHOUT A DECREASE IN THE MAIN TARGET AQUACULTURE SPECIES, WHICH WOULD IMPROVE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE FOR ACTIVITIES LIMITED BY THE TEMPERATE CLIMATE. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY MUST BE GIVEN HIGH CONSIDERATION WHEN CONSIDERING RECENT TRADE DISRUPTIONS RELATED TO SARS-COV2-19. NEVERTHELESS, THE ADDITION OF AN UNFED SECONDARY SPECIES WOULD IMPROVE FEED CONVERSION AND ACT AS AN ECOSYSTEM SERVICE. A MAJOR ASPECT REGARDING THE SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS PROJECT IS THE CREATION OF NEW PROFESSIONALS TO PARTICIPATE IN AQUACULTURE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ON THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE SETS OF EMPIRICAL DATA THAT DESCRIBE THE DYNAMICS OF GREENHOUSE GASES IN AQUACULTURE. THIS DATA WILL BE COLLECTED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH WATER AND SEDIMENT QUALITY DATA, WHICH CAN BE USED BY GOVERNING BODIES. THE MAJOR BENEFIT OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT STUDENTS WILL BE TRAINED AT A HIGH CAPACITY AND BECOME COMPETITIVE PROFESSIONALS. MORE SPECIFICALLY, BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL ANIMAL HUSBANDRY ASPECTS OF AQUACULTURE, STUDENTS WILL GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF USING SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSES WHILE LEARNING HOW TO BUILD ENTERPRISE BUDGETS.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPATIAL MAPPING AND QUANTIFYING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON DISTURBANCES DAMAGING NATURAL RESOURCES NEED MULTIDISCIPLINARY PLANS WITH COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT OF SCIENTISTS WORKING IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, GIS, REMOTE SENSING, BIOLOGY, AND CLIMATE CHANGE FIELDS. WE PROPOSE A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT TO MODEL THE OAK MORTALITY CHALLENGE IN THE OZARK HIGHLANDS. THIS IS A SPATIALLY EXPLICIT FRAMEWORK WHICH WILL INCORPORATE THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL (CLIMATIC, BIOPHYSICAL, AND EDAPHIC) VARIABLES ON OAK MORTALITY OCCURRENCE AND SPREAD. THE PROJECT LINKS TO THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ON BIODIVERSITY AND WILL PROVIDE THE SPATIAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE STUDY OF THE POTENTIAL UNDERLYING CAUSES OF DAMAGE TO OAK WOODLANDS AND CONSEQUENTLY EXAMINE ALTERNATIVE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT APPROACHES.OAK DECLINE, AS IS IT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO, REPRESENTS A LARGE THREAT TO THE STABILITY AND ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING OF MOST OF THE HARDWOOD FORESTS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE BECAUSE OAK SPECIES ARE USUALLY DOMINANT AND RANK HIGHLY WITH THE ECOLOGICAL ROLES THEY PLAY IN THESE SYSTEMS. THE OZARK HIGHLANDS OF MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS REPRESENT A VITAL CASE STUDY FOR OAK DECLINE IN THE LAST TWO DECADES. ABOUT 35% OF MISSOURI'S TOTAL LAND AREA IS COVERED WITH FORESTS (6.2 MILLION HA). THESE FORESTS PROVIDE CRITICAL ECONOMIC AND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND HARBOR A RICH DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE SPECIES. RESEARCH ON THE POTENTIAL UNDERLYING CAUSES OF OAK DECLINE IS CRITICAL TO THE INSTITUTIONAL GOALS AND STRATEGIC PLANS OF BOTH LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI (LU) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI (MU). IT IS IN INSTITUTIONAL GOALS OF LU TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THE RESEARCH IN FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AREAS AND TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND SUPPORT ITSCENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SCIENCE LABORATORY. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY OF ACHIEVING BOTH GOALS. THE USDA FOREST SERVICE'S POLICY IS TO INCREASE THE REPRESENTATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF MINORITY STUDENTS IN FORESTRY RESEARCH AND IT IS A POLICY OF LU TO RECRUIT AND EDUCATE MORE MINORITY GRADUATE STUDENTS IN GEOSPATIAL AND FORESTRY RESEARCH. THUS, THIS PROJECT IS ALIGNED WITH BOTH POLICIES.THIS PROPOSED PROJECT IS AN INTEGRATED COLLABORATIVE WORK BETWEEN LU AND MU PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING THIS RECENT DISTURBING PHENOMENON OF OAK DECLINE. THE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED IS ANTICIPATED TO LEAD TO FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIONS, IN A PROACTIVE MANNER, TO WARD OFF OAK DECLINE IN SUSCEPTIBLE OAK FORESTS. THIS FUNDAMENTAL, APPLIED, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH TEACHING/EDUCATION. IN THIS REGARD, GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE AFFORDED AND MENTORED. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SCIENTISTS AT BOTH INSTITUTIONS TO COMBINE THEIR RESOURCES AND ENHANCE THEIR CAPACITY IN SPATIAL MODELING TO STUDY THE LANDSCAPE AND LOCAL SCALE CHANGES IN OAK DECLINE. IT WILL INVESTIGATETHE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN THIS GLOBAL HOTSPOT OF OAK MORTALITY IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS. COLLABORATION WITH MU AND OTHER DATA AND RESEARCH AGENCIES WILL SPECIFICALLY HELP BUILDING CAPACITIES AT LU FOR SPATIALLY EXPLICIT LANDSCAPE SCALE MODELING FOR FOREST MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS.

INTEGRATED RESEARCH IN SINGLE E.COLI O157:H7 CELL DETECTION AND INTERACTIVE EDUCATION TO BUILD CAPACITY IN FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY

GARDENING AS A THERAPY TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

AGRICULTURAL SOURCES CONTINUE TO ACCOUNT FOR SIGNIFICANT PROPORTIONS OF GLOBAL ANTHROPOGENIC PRODUCTION OF MAJOR GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG), SUCH AS NITROUS OXIDE AND METHANE. SOIL-BASED FLUXES OF GHG ARE PRODUCED PRIMARILY THROUGH PLANT AND MICROBIAL PROCESSES AND ARE AFFECTED BY SOIL PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES. THE LOWER MISSOURI RIVER FLOODPLAIN (MRF) REGION ENCOMPASSES MANY DIFFERENT LAND USE SYSTEMS INCLUDING AGRICULTURE AND RIPARIAN FOREST. THE EFFECTS OF THESE DIFFERENT LAND USE SYSTEMS IN THE MRF ON SOIL GHG (I.E., CARBON DIOXIDE, NITROUS OXIDE AND METHANE) EMISSIONS HAVE BEEN LITTLE STUDIED. LIKELIHOOD OF CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED FREQUENT FLOODING MAY ALTER THE GHG FLUXES FROM THESE LANDSCAPES FURTHER. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO EVALUATE SOIL GHG EMISSIONS (CO2, CH4, N2O) IN FLOODPLAIN SOILS UNDER AGROFORESTRY, ROW-CROP AGRICULTURE, AND FORESTED SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO DIFFERENCES IN SOIL WATER CONTENT, TEMPERATURE, LAND USE, AND NITROGEN INPUTS. SINCE, MICROBIAL PROCESSES ARE BIG DRIVES OF GHG EMISSIONS, EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO EVALUATE THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN THESE LANDSCAPES AS WELL AS IN RESPONSE TO FLOODING. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SPATIAL VARIATION OF GHG EMISSIONS IN THESE LAND-USE SYSTEMS IN THE MISSOURI RIVER FLOODPLAIN IS ALSO A NEEDED AREA OF STUDY. FUTURE GHG RESEARCH PROJECTS WITHIN THE REGION NEED A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE SYSTEMS FOR PROPER STATISTICAL DESIGN. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH WITH AN OBJECTIVE TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR LINCOLN UNIVERSITY TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA (SWD) DROSOPHILA SUZUKII WAS FIRST DETECTED IN CALIFORNIA IN 2008 AND HAS SINCE SPREAD TO MANY SOFT FRUIT AND BERRY CROP-PRODUCING STATES. THIS INSECT CURRENTLY POSES GREAT RISKS TO THE APPROXIMATELY $8 BILLION SOFT FRUIT AND BERRY CROPS INDUSTRY. LIKE MANY OTHER PESTS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING TOOLS AND PREDICTIVE MODELS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) PROGRAM. CONVENTIONAL SWD MONITORING TRAPS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ARE BASED ON MANUAL COUNTING OF THE INSECT. BUT THIS IS LABOR-INTENSIVE AND TIME-CONSUMING. WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN IMPROVED SMART TRAP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. WE ARE THEREFORE PROPOSING TO INCREASE RESEARCH BY FINE-TUNING THIS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)-ENABLED SMART TRAP SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A CAMERA, EDGE COMPUTING, AND WIRELESS NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES TO MONITOR SWD POPULATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE APPLICATION OF A USER-FRIENDLY DEGREE-DAY MODEL INTO THE SMART TRAPS WILL HELP IMPROVE THE TIMING OF INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS TO COINCIDE WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE STAGES OF SWD, THUS REDUCING THE NUMBER AND COST OF INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS. WE WILL DEVELOP EXTENSION MATERIALS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ABOUT THE SMART TRAP AND IPM FOR SMALL FRUIT FARMERS IN MISSOURI. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY AND ITS COLLABORATION INSTITUTIONS IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN ACCESSING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., MACHINE LEARNING AND AI) AND ADVANCED MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURE USING THE DEGREE-DAY MODELS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS OF THIS CAPACITY-BUILDING GRANT IN BUILDING RESEARCH, TEACHING, AND EXTENSION CAPACITY THROUGH COLLABORATIONS.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY-FOX CHASE PARTNERSHIP IN CANCER RESEARCH AND TRAINING 1 OF 2

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TO MEET THE GOAL OF ENHANCING THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORKFORCE IN FOOD, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI WILL ESTABLISH A ROBUST PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATES ENROLLED IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES (CAEHS). THIS PROGRAM WILL ENGAGE, RETAIN, MENTOR AND EXPOSE STUDENTS IN CLASSROOM CURRICULUM AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURAL RELATED AREAS ON CAMPUS AND WITH INDUSTRY, CULMINATING IN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES. FURTHER, THIS PROGRAM WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES FOR ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM IS TWO-FOLD: (1) TO TARGET AND ENROLL UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND A FOCUS ON FUTURE CAREERS IN THIS FIELD, AND (2) TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO HAVE MEANINGFUL UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCES WHILE IMPROVING THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES GAINING THE ACADEMIC AND HANDS-ON SKILL COMPETENCIES NEEDED FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE. ONCE ENROLLED, STUDENTS WILL NAVIGATE A 4-YEAR ACADEMIC AND CAREER PATHWAY THAT DETAILS MILESTONES FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION LEADING TO GRADUATION AND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE. ADDITIONAL MILESTONES INCLUDE MENTORING AND FOSTERING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL RELATED DISCIPLINES, EXPOSURE TO 21ST CENTURY CUTTING-EDGE CAREER OPTIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE INTENTIONAL EMPLOYER CONTACTS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM WILL FORM A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY WITH INTENSE INTERFACE WITH ACADEMIC FACULTY, RESEARCHERS AND EMPLOYERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THE 1890 SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO SUPPORT THE RECRUITMENT, ENGAGEMENT, RETENTION, MENTORING, AND EXCELLENT TRAINING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU; AN 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION), WHICH WILL RESULT IN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED DISCIPLINES. THE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT WILL CREATE A HIGHLY SKILLED FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS WORKFORCE, THAT SERVES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF US AGRICULTURE. THIS SCHOLARSHIP ADVANCES THE PERSONAL, AND LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES OF THE WORKFORCE.THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS:1. RECRUIT AND ENROLL QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS INTO THE BS AGRICULTURE DEGREEPROGRAM AT LU2. ATTRACT AND AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO MINORITIES AND UNDERREPRESENTED QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS3. INCREASE THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS4. TO ADVANCE US AGRICULTURE THROUGH HANDS-ON/EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, FIELDWORK, SEMINARS, PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES, INTERNSHIPS, ETC.1890 SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR INDIVIDUALS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WHO:• HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR ADMISSION AT LU.• WILL BE ENROLLED AT LU NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE DATE OF ACCEPTANCE.• INTEND TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING A CAREER IN AGRIBUSINESS, ENERGY, RENEWABLE FUELS, OR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.• HAVE A MINIMUM CUMULATIVE 2.8-GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND MAINTAIN AT LEAST A 3.0 GPA ON A SEMESTER AND CUMULATIVE BASIS WHILE RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT.STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE AND BE TRAINED THROUGHEXPERIENTIAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES THAT SPANAQUACULTURE, GENOMICS/INDUSTRIAL HEMP PRODUCTION & CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, ANIMAL SCIENCE - PRODUCTION, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, FOREST HYDROLOGY/CLIMATE IMPACT, FOOD NUTRITION AND TOXICOLOGY, HYDROPONICS/VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, NEW CROPS, ORGANIC FARMING, SOIL HEALTH, ETC. STUDENT SCHOLARS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN CLUBS (E.G., MANRRS, AGCLUB) AND FFA ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE THEIR LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER SKILLS. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS WILL INCLUDE RECRUITMENT, AG LITERACY DAY, AND PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES.THE ACTIVITIESWILL ENHANCE THEKNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF SCHOLARS FOR A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE IN AGRICULTURE AND RELATED FIELDS. THE OUTCOMES GAINED FROM SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT INCLUDE INCREASED STUDENT RETENTION, COMPLETION OF A BS DEGREE PROGRAM IN AGRICULTURE WITHIN FOUR YEARS, A HIGHER NUMBER OF GRADUATES AS AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS READY FOR CAREERS IN FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES, PRIVATE BUSINESS, NON-PROFIT, AND JOBS ABROAD, AND EMBRACING GRADUATE STUDIES.THE 1890 USDA (DAVID SCOTT) SCHOLARSHIP IS AN EXCELLENT EFFORT BY THE USDA AND HAS SUPPORTED THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS FOR CAREERS OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE NATION. THIS IMPLIES A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF US AGRICU,LTURE AND THE PROVISION OF QUALITY FOODS AND FIBER OR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND RELATED OUTPUTS/SERVICES IN THE NATION. OVERALL, THE NEW AG PROFESSIONALS ARE READY TO REPLACE THE AGING WORKFORCE OF OUR NATION.

THE 1890 SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE 50-70 SCHOLARSHIPS PER YEAR TO SUPPORT THE RECRUITMENT, ENGAGEMENT, RETENTION, MENTORING, AND EXCELLENT TRAINING OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, MISSOURI. ALL FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, MISSOURI, IS AN 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION. OUR GOALS ARE TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN THE FUTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE OF AMERICA. SCHOLARS AWARDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT WILL OBTAIN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED DISCIPLINES. THE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT WILL CREATE A HIGHLY SKILLED FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS WORKFORCE THAT SERVES AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF US AGRICULTURE. THESE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS HELP US DEVELOP THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES, AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES OF THE FUTURE AGRICULTURE PRFESSIONALS OF OUR NATION.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE 1890 USDA (DAVID SCOTT) SCHOLARSHIP IS AN EXCELLENT INITIATIVE BY THE USDA AND HAS LED TO THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS FOR CAREERS OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE NATION. WE ARE NOW AWARDING THIS SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE NEW AGRICULTURE EDUCATION DEGREE BEGINNING IN FALL 2024. THE SUCCESS OF THE 1890 USDA WILL CONTINUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF US AGRICULTURE AND THE PROVISION OF QUALITY FOODS AND FIBER OR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND RELATED OUTPUTS/SERVICES IN THE NATION.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE 1890 USDA (DAVID SCOTT) SCHOLARSHIP IS AN EXCELLENT INITIATIVE BY THE USDA AND HAS LED TO THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS FOR CAREERS OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE NATION. WE ARE NOW AWARDING THIS SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE NEW AGRICULTURE EDUCATION DEGREE THAT BUGUN THIS PAST FALL (2024).THE SUCCESS OF THE 1890 USDA WILL CONTINUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF US AGRICULTURE AND THE PROVISION OF QUALITY FOODS AND FIBER OR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND RELATED OUTPUTS/SERVICES IN THE NATION.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THE 1890 SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO SUPPORT THE RECRUITMENT, ENGAGEMENT, RETENTION,MENTORING, AND EXCELLENT TRAINING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU; AN 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION), WHICH WILLRESULT IN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED DISCIPLINES. THE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT WILL CREATEA HIGHLY SKILLED FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS WORKFORCE, THAT SERVES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF USAGRICULTURE. THIS SCHOLARSHIP ADVANCES THE PERSONAL, AND LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES OF THEWORKFORCE.THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS:1. RECRUIT AND ENROLL QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS INTO THE BS AGRICULTURE DEGREE PROGRAM AT LU2. ATTRACT AND AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO MINORITIES AND UNDERREPRESENTED QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS3. INCREASE THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS4. TO ADVANCE US AGRICULTURE THROUGH HANDS-ON/EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, FIELDWORK, SEMINARS, PROFESSIONALCONFERENCES, INTERNSHIPS, ETC.1890 SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR INDIVIDUALS AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WHO:• HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR ADMISSION AT LU.• WILL BE ENROLLED AT LU NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE DATE OF ACCEPTANCE.• INTEND TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING A CAREER IN AGRIBUSINESS, ENERGY, RENEWABLE FUELS, ORFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.• HAVE A MINIMUM CUMULATIVE 2.8-GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND MAINTAIN AT LEAST A 3.0 GPA ON ASEMESTER AND CUMULATIVE BASIS WHILE RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT.STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE AND BE TRAINED THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES THAT SPAN AQUACULTURE, GENOMICS/INDUSTRIAL HEMPPRODUCTION & CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, ANIMAL SCIENCE - PRODUCTION, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, FOREST HYDROLOGY/CLIMATE IMPACT, FOODNUTRITION AND TOXICOLOGY, HYDROPONICS/VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, NEW CROPS, ORGANIC FARMING, SOIL HEALTH, ETC. STUDENT SCHOLARS ALSOPARTICIPATE IN CLUBS (E.G., MANRRS, AGCLUB) AND FFA ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE THEIR LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER SKILLS. OTHERACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS WILL INCLUDE RECRUITMENT, AG LITERACY DAY, AND PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES. THE ACTIVITIES WILL ENHANCETHE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF SCHOLARS FOR A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE IN AGRICULTURE AND RELATED FIELDS. THE OUTCOMES GAINEDFROM SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT INCLUDE INCREASED STUDENT RETENTION, COMPLETION OF A BS DEGREE PROGRAM IN AGRICULTURE WITHIN FOURYEARS, A HIGHER NUMBER OF GRADUATES AS AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS READY FOR CAREERS IN FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES, PRIVATEBUSINESS, NON-PROFIT, AND JOBS ABROAD, AND EMBRACING GRADUATE STUDIES.THE 1890 USDA (DAVID SCOTT) SCHOLARSHIP IS AN EXCELLENT EFFORT BY THE USDA AND HAS SUPPORTED THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OFAGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS FOR CAREERS OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE NATION. THIS IMPLIES A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE COMPETITIVENESSOF US AGRICULTURE AND TH,E PROVISION OF QUALITY FOODS AND FIBER OR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND RELATED OUTPUTS/SERVICES IN THE NATION.OVERALL, THE NEW AG PROFESSIONALS ARE READY TO REPLACE THE AGING WORKFORCE OF OUR NATION.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** 1890 AGRICULTURAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING IS TO INCREASE ENROLMENT FROM MINORITY STUDENTS BY OFFERING AFFORDABLE CRITERIA FOR FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS. THE OUTCOME WILL BE ADDING ANOTHER AROUND 8 STUDENTS TO SUPPORT FULL-RIDE SCHOLARSHIP FOR FOUR YEARS DEGREE. THE TARGET AUDIENCE ARE MINORITY AND UNDERSERVING STUDENTS. THE METHODS TO REACH OUT THE TARGET STUDENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:RECRUITING OFFICE WILL GENERATE MATERIALS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT PROGRAMSVISIT SCHOOLS AND OFFER PRESENTATIONSPROVIDE CAMPUS VISITS

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** VEGETABLE GROWERS IN MISSOURI AND OTHER NEARBY STATES FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES DURING TRANSITION FROM CONVENTIONAL TO ORGANIC SYSTEMS INCLUDING SOIL EROSION, POOR SOIL QUALITY/FERTILITY, AND WEED PRESSURE, ALL OF WHICH LIKELY CONTRIBUTES TO REDUCED YIELD AND PROFITABILITY. ACCORDING TO RECENT SURVEYS OF ORGANIC AND NON-ORGANIC VEGETABLE GROWERS IN MISSOURI AND THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN THE USE OF COVER CROPS TO INCREASE THE SOIL'S ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT AND SUPPRESS WEEDS IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, THE CONCERN IS THAT FARMERS WILL OFTEN HAVE TO TAKE LAND OUT OF CASH CROP PRODUCTION EVERY OTHER YEAR OR MORE TO GROW COVER CROPS AS THEY BUILD UP SOIL HEALTH, A PRACTICE THAT WILL INEVITABLY REDUCE ECONOMIC RETURNS, LIMITING ORGANIC ADOPTION IN THE REGION. AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF INTEGRATING LIVING PERENNIAL COVER CROPS BETWEEN ROWS OF VEGETABLE CROPS IS PROPOSED TO ENABLE FARMERS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY BUILD SOIL HEALTH WHILE KEEPING LAND IN CASH CROP PRODUCTION. THE MULTI-YEAR NATURE AND EXTENSIVE ROOT SYSTEMS OF PERENNIAL COVER CROPS IS EXPECTED TO NOT ONLY REDUCE SOIL EROSION, NUTRIENT RUNOFF, AND BUILD SOIL HEALTH, BUT ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVE FARMER INCOME DUE TO DECREASED ANNUAL INPUTS AND ASSOCIATED COSTS. SPECIFICALLY, THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF USING PERENNIAL GRASS/LEGUME COVER CROP MIXES IN THE TRAVEL PATHS BETWEEN PRODUCTION ROWS OF VEGETABLES TO BUILD SOIL HEALTH AND SUPPRESS WEEDS DURING THE THREE-YEAR ORGANIC TRANSITION PERIOD WITHIN A VEGETABLE FAMILY CROP ROTATION. OUTCOME OF THIS RESEARCH WILL INCLUDE (1) AN IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH ECOSYSTEM SERVICES INCLUDING SOIL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, WEED SUPPRESSION, AND CASH CROP YIELD GENERATED FROM THE USE OF PERENNIAL GRASS/LEGUME COVER CROP MIXES IN THE TRAVEL PATHS BETWEEN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION ROWS, AND (2) INCREASED USE OF PERENNIAL COVER CROP-BASED ALTERNATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TO MEET THE GOAL OF ENHANCING THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORKFORCE IN FOOD, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI WILL ESTABLISH A ROBUST PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATES ENROLLED IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN SCIENCES (CAEHS). THIS PROGRAM WILL ENGAGE, RETAIN, MENTOR AND EXPOSE STUDENTS IN CLASSROOM CURRICULUM AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURAL RELATED AREAS ON CAMPUS AND WITH INDUSTRY, CULMINATING IN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES. FURTHER, THIS PROGRAM WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES FOR ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND RELATED FIELDS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM IS TWO-FOLD: (1) TO TARGET AND ENROLL UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND A FOCUS ON FUTURE CAREERS IN THIS FIELD, AND (2) TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO HAVE MEANINGFUL UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCES WHILE IMPROVING THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES GAINING THE ACADEMIC AND HANDS-ON SKILL COMPETENCIES NEEDED FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE. ONCE ENROLLED, STUDENTS WILL NAVIGATE A 4-YEAR ACADEMIC AND CAREER PATHWAY THAT DETAILS MILESTONES FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION LEADING TO GRADUATION AND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE. ADDITIONAL MILESTONES INCLUDE MENTORING AND FOSTERING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL RELATED DISCIPLINES, EXPOSURE TO 21ST CENTURY CUTTING-EDGE CAREER OPTIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE INTENTIONAL EMPLOYER CONTACTS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM WILL FORM A LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY WITH INTENSE INTERFACE WITH ACADEMIC FACULTY, RESEARCHERS AND EMPLOYERS IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

THE STRENGTHENING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CAMPUS APPROACHES TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING INITIATIVE (CSC INITIATIVE) SUPPORTS HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS), HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS (HSIS), AND TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (TCUS) TO STRENGTHEN THEIR INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUS. THE CSC INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THESE INSTITUTIONS TO ESTABLISH CULTURALLY RELEVANT STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE RESPONSE PROTOCOLS AND PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY IS A PUBLIC, HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY (HBCU) LOCATED IN PENNSYLVANIA, PA. WITH THIS NEW AWARD, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS CAMPUS PARTNERS, WILL CREATE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TAILORED TO LGBTQIA+ STUDENTS AND OTHER UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, AND WORK WITH THE DESIGNATED CAMPUS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER TO: 1) BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE INSTITUTION TO DEVELOP A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC, COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING BY SECURING RELEVANT PARTNERSHIPS, CONDUCTING TRAININGS, AND DEVELOPING RESOURCES TAILORED TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY; 2) DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN TO OUTLINE KEY STRATEGIES NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE; AND 3) ESTABLISH A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM THAT WILL OVERSEE AND IMPLEMENT PROJECT ACTIVITIES.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE LOW-COST, EASY TO OPERATE, AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT REDUCE THE FORMIN

MICROALGAE-BASED BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH: ELUCIDATING UPTAKE MECHANISMS OF SILVER/ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES INTO FOOD CROPS AND TRANSPORT THROUGH SOIL ECOSYSTEM

PREDICTION AND CONTROL OF THE PERFORMANCE OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF ANIMAL MANURE THROUGH METAGENOMICS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

TRACKING DISSOLVED ORGANIC NITROGEN IN TERRESTRIAL AQUATIC SYSTEMS USING FLUORESCENCE EEM SPECTROSCOPY

HYDROLOGIC REGIME AND NITROGEN CYCLING: UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLAYPAN AND LOESS WATERSHEDS IN MISSOURI

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** QUINOA GRAIN IS EATEN WORLDWIDE AS A HEALTHY FOOD, BUT CONSUMPTION OF QUINOA LEAVES IS UNCOMMON. THE FRESH YOUNG LEAVES AND TENDER SHOOTS OF QUINOA CAN BE EATEN IN SALADS OR COOKED AS VEGETABLES. THE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE SUGGESTS THAT DAILY INTAKE OF AT LEAST ONE SERVING OF LEAFY GREENS CAN PREVENT CHRONIC DISEASES, INCLUDING HEART DISEASES, CANCER, DIABETES, OBESITY, AND MICRONUTRIENTS DEFICIENCIES; HOWEVER, SCIENTIFICALLY, VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ON THE NUTRITIONAL, PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS, AND HUMAN HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN LEAVES OF QUINOA. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT CONSUMPTION OF QUINOA LEAVES PROVIDES NUTRIENTS THAT PREVENT AND/OR TREAT CHRONIC DISEASE. WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS BY FOLLOWING THE OBJECTIVES TO (1) ASSESSES NUTRITIONAL COMPOUNDS, (2) CHARACTERIZE THE BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS FOR ANTIOXIDATION AND HEALTH BENEFITS, (3) EXPLORE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF BENEFICIAL BACTERIA IN THE HUMAN INTESTINE, AND (4) EDUCATE AND TRAIN STUDENTS IN CROP PRODUCTION. IN ADDITION, WE WILL DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION TO FARMERS, CONSUMERS AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY THROUGH DEMONSTRATION PLOTS, FIELD DAYS, WORKSHOPS, AND PUBLICATIONS. OUR COLLABORATIVE, INTEGRATED-MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH ADDRESSES THE CBG PROGRAM PRIORITY AREA HUMAN HEALTH, OBESITY AS IT RELATES TO NUTRITION AND HUMAN SCIENCES. OUR PROPOSAL IS INNOVATIVE BECAUSE CHARACTERIZATION OF NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF QUINOA LEAVES WILL HELP US TO INTRODUCE A NUTRIENT-RICH VEGETABLE IN AMERICAN FOOD CHAIN AND BRING ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS.

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH: INCORPORATING ATTENTION INTO COMPUTATIONAL AUDITORY SCENE ANALYSIS USING SPECTRAL CLUSTERING WITH FOCAL TEMPLATES

TARGETED INFUSION PROJECT: BRIDGING ALLIANCES TO INFUSE NEUROSCIENCE AT THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (BRAINLU)

GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER QUALITY ARE CRITICAL AREAS OF RESEARCH FOR MANY REASONS, BUT PRIMARILY BECAUSE THESE WATER SOURCES ARE THE BASIS FOR ALL DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES AND IRRIGATION IN THE US.DRINKING CONTAMINATED WATER CAN HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH EFFECTS ON HUMANS.DISEASES SUCH AS CHOLERA, HEPATITIS, AND DYSENTERY MAY BE CAUSED BY CONTAMINATION FROM HUMAN AND ANIMAL WASTE. THE QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY NATURAL AND HUMAN-MADE CONTAMINANTS. CONTROLLING THE EXPOSURE OF SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER TO THESE CONTAMINANTS, SHOULD IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. ACCORDING TO WATER QUALITY REPORTS, THE MAJOR SOURCES OF GROUND AND SURFACE WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE US, AND ESPECIALLY IN MISSOURI, ARE FROM MODERN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFOS). THE CLEAN WATER ACT DEFINES CAFOS AS POINT SOURCES OF POLLUTION THAT ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PERMITS TO DISCHARGE INTO RIVERS OR OTHER DRINKING SOURCES. ALL OTHER AGRICULTURAL SOURCES ARE CONSIDERED NONPOINT AND ARE NOT REGULATED UNDER FEDERAL LAW.NUMEROUS STUDIES OVER THE PAST DECADES HAVE DOCUMENTED THE FACT THAT RUNOFF FROM INTENSIVELY MANAGED CAFOS INCLUDE EXTREMELY HIGH LEVELS OF NATURAL ORGANIC MATTER (NOM), NUTRIENTS (PRIMARILY NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS), PATHOGENS, HORMONES, ANTIBIOTICS, SYNTHETIC ORGANIC CHEMICALS (USED AS CLEANING AGENTS, ALGAECIDES, ETC.), DISINFECTANTS (USED ON THE ANIMALS AND IN THEIR PENS), AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICALS, SUCH AS COPPER SULFATE (USED IN FOOTBATHS FOR COWS). DESPITE CURRENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS), THE CONTAMINANTS FROM AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES AND CAFOS CONTINUE TO FIND THEIR WAY INTO IMPOUNDMENTS AND STREAMS AS RUNOFF POLLUTION AND CONTAMINATE DRINKING WATER SOURCES. CONVENTIONAL PROCESSES INCLUDE DIRECT FILTRATION, COAGULATION-BASED TREATMENT, MEMBRANE-BASED SYSTEMS, AND ABSORPTION BASED SYSTEMS.HOWEVER, THESE METHODS RESULTED IN ONLY LIMITED SUCCESS. REGULATORS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, AND THE AGRICULTURE ANDANIMAL FARM INDUSTRIES SHOULD ALL LOOK TO SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THIS CRITICAL PROBLEM AFFECTING HUMAN LIFE AND WATER QUALITY. FURTHER ADVANCES IN THE REMOVAL OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS FROM WATER RUNOFF SOURCES WILL REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL APPROACHES AND MODALITIES FOR EFFECTIVE REMOVAL AND PURIFICATION. AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OUR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT MAGNETIC IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES COATED WITH COAGULANTS (HEREIN REFERRED TO AS MAGNETIC NANOSPONGES, MNSS) DUE TO THEIR INHERENT HIGH-SURFACE AREA WITH ACTIVE ABSORPTION CAPABILITIES WILL EFFECTIVELY REMOVE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS (NOM AND SOCS) EFFICIENTLY AND COST-EFFECTIVELY FROM THE WATER BEFORE ENTRY INTO CRITICAL WATERWAYS.

QUINOA IS A HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS AND A POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT FOOD SECURITY CROP BECAUSE OF ITS ABILITY TO TOLERATE DROUGHT AND LOW SOIL FERTILITY. THE U.S. IS THE LARGEST CONSUMER AND IMPORTER OF QUINOA, WITH THE DOMESTIC DEMAND CHIEFLY MET THROUGH IMPORTS FROM SOUTH AMERICA. IN 2017, THE U. S. IMPORTED 78 MILLION POUNDS OF QUINOA AT A COST OF $85 MILLION. DOMESTIC PRODUCTION IS MOSTLY SMALL-SCALE AND CENTERED AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE NORTHWEST. TO EXPAND QUINOA PRODUCTION TO THE MIDWEST, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AND/OR IDENTIFY SUITABLE VARIETIES. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO SELECT HIGH-YIELDING, DROUGHT-TOLERANT QUINOA CULTIVARS FOR THE MIDWEST. THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE: TO (1) EVALUATE AND SELECT QUINOA LINES FOR HIGHER YIELD AND DROUGHT TOLERANCE, (2) DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF DROUGHT STRESS ON SEED COMPOSITION, (3) DISSEMINATE QUINOA PRODUCTION INFORMATION AND ENCOURAGE ADOPTION BY SMALL FARMERS AS A PROFITABLE CROP, (4) MEASURE THE ECONOMICS OF QUINOA PRODUCTION AND MARKETING, AND FINALLY, (5) TRAIN STUDENTS IN PLANT BREEDING AND CROP PRODUCTION. STARTING WITH ABOUT 100 QUINOA ACCESSIONS, WE HAVE SELECTED 10 BEST LINES AFTER MULTI-YEAR AND MULTI-LOCATION EVALUATIONS. THESE LINES WILL BE EVALUATED AT SIX MISSOURI LOCATIONS. PROMISING LINES WILL BE RELEASED AS CULTIVARS AND WILL BE USED IN FUTURE BREEDING WORK. HOPEFULLY, THE SMALL FARMERS WILL USE THESE CULTIVARS TO EXPAND PRODUCTION INTO MORE MARGINAL LANDS, AND INCREASE THEIR PROFITABILITY. EVENTUALLY, THIS WORK SHOULD LEAD TO REDUCED IMPORTS, IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY, AND CREATE A CADRE OF WELL-TRAINED AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ADSORPTION-INDUCED CONFORMATIONAL DYNAMICS OF AMYLOIDOGENIC PROTEINS AT CHEMICAL INTERFACES USING SINGLE-MOLECULE SPECTROSC

TARGETED INFUSION PROJECT: LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BIOINFORMATICS PROGRAM (LUBI)

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION MODEL THAT WILL INCORPORATED INTO THE AGRIBUSINESS CURRICULUM AND TO FOSTER GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SCIENCE EDUCATION AMONG STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. SPECIFICALLY, THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS IN GIS KNOWLEDGE OF YOUTH IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING HANDS-ON WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SATELLITE OFFICE IN KANSAS CITY AND LINCOLN EXTENSION INNOVATIVE CENTER IN JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI; (2) TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE, PARTICULARLY MINORITIES, WHO ARE ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED IN GIS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL BY OFFERING GIS MINOR COURSES;(3)TO DEVELOP A NEW MODULE THAT INCORPORATES GIS IN THE AGRIBUSINESS CURRICULUM.

REDUCING ARSENIC UPTAKE BY DOMESTIC RICE PLANTS

2018 HPF AACR - LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HIGH THROUGHPUT NANOSENSOR FOR ACCURATE AND SENSITIVE DETECTION OF E. COLI O157:H7

LEAPS: FORWARD

RECIPIENT'S EXPENSES AND STUDENT GRANTS

TARGETING INFUSION PROJECT: LU- FIELDS: LINCOLN UNIVERSITY - FOOD INTERSECTIONAL EDUCATION LINKED TO DIVERSIFY SUSTAINABILITY

EMERGING COVER CROP-BASED, NO-TILL SYSTEMS (CCBNTS) OFFER SOLUTIONS TO MANY CRITICAL MANAGEMENT CONCERNS OF ORGANIC PRODUCERS. HOWEVER, ADOPTION OF THESE SYSTEMS BY SMALL AND MID-SIZED PRODUCERS HAS BEEN GREATLY LIMITED BY THE LACK OF SCALE-APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT AND STRATEGIES. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO DEVELOP, THROUGH FOUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, AND PROMOTE, VIA EXTENSION PROGRAMMING, EFFECTIVE CCBNTS INVOLVING FROST-KILLED, SPRING-TERMINATED, AND LIVING MULCH SYSTEMS THAT COULD BE EASILY IMPLEMENTED BY SMALL PRODUCERS. THE PROPOSED SYSTEMS WILL FACILITATE BOTH TRANSPLANT-BASED PRODUCTION AND DIRECT-SEEDED CROPS. AN INNOVATIVE COMPONENT OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSED IS THE USE OF WINTER-KILLED TILLAGE RADISH TO MANAGE THE TRANSPLANTING ZONE IN BOTH LIVING MULCH AND SPRING TERMINATED SYSTEMS. FOR ALL FOUR RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, WE WILL QUANTIFY TREATMENT EFFECTS ON SOIL HEALTH, ARTHROPOD COMMUNITIES, WEED SUPPRESSION/WEED SEED PREDATION, INCIDENCE OF SOIL-BORNE AND FOLIAR DISEASES, AND YIELD OF SUMMER SQUASH AND BEET CROPS. ANALYSES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF EACH SYSTEM. THE MULTI-FACETED EXTENSION COMPONENT FOR THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO REACH OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN AND BEYOND MISSOURI THROUGH FIELD DAYS, TARGETED WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL GROWERS AND PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES, FARM WALKS AT GROWER COOPERATOR LAND, AND THROUGH PRINTED MEDIA AND WEB-BASED OUTLETS SUCH AS EORGANIC. OUR EXTENSION EFFORTS SEEK TO DOCUMENT SHORT- AND MID-TERM OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES SEVERAL OREI LEGISLATIVELY-DEFINED GOALS INCLUDING #1 (FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION), #2 (EVALUATING ECONOMIC BENEFITS), AND #6 (ON-FARM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT EMPHASIZES...INNOVATION FOR WORKING ORGANIC FARMS).

THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES PROPOSED IN THIS PROGRAM WILL FOLLOW A WORKSHOP TRAINING APPROACH CONSISTING OF 12 SESSIONS. SEVEN OF THOSE 12 SESSIONS WILL BE IN-CLASS SESSIONS AND 5 WILL BE ON-FARM DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS. EACH SESSION WILL BE 2.5 TO 3 HOURS IN DURATION DEPENDING ON THE SPEAKERS' LANGUAGE AND THE MATERIALS TO BE INSTRUCTED.WHILE MANY PARTICIPANTS WILL BE CONVERSANT IN ENGLISH, MOST WILL COMPREHEND TECHNICAL MATERIAL MORE COMPLETELY IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. THEREFORE, WE WILL PRESENT ALL SESSIONS IN SPANISH WITH TRANSLATION FROM SPANISH INTO ENGLISH AND ENGLISH INTO SPANISH AVAILABLE AS NEEDED.THE WORKSHOP WILL BE CENTERED IN LOCATIONS WHERE HIGH NUMBERS OF LATINO PRODUCERS RESIDE. FARM VISITS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITHIN A 25 MILES OF OUR MAIN LOCATIONS. WE HAVE A NETWORK OF FARMERS WITH THE APPROPRIATE CHARACTERISTICS TO BE HOST FARMERS IN BOTH STATES. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OWNS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMS IN THE MIDWEST REGION, ANDOTHER RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL CENTERS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DEMONSTRATIONS IF NEEDED. HOWEVER, THESE SITES ARE NOT IDEALLY LOCATED FOR OUR PLANNED ACTIVITIES.WE HAVE LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS PROGRAM THAT THE TEACHING APPROACH MENTIONED ABOVE IS APPROPRIATE FOR LATINO FARMER AND RANCHER AUDIENCES. LIKE MOST PRODUCERS, LATINO PRODUCERS USUALLY HAVE A FULL-TIME OTHER JOB, EITHER IN THE NIGHT OR IN THE DAY. FEW OF THEM ARE FULLY SELF-EMPLOYED THROUGH THEIR FARM AND RANCH BUSINESSES. THE MOST AVAILABLE TIME FOR THEM TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS IS ON THE WEEKENDS OR AFTER WORK, SO SESSIONS WILL BE PLANNED FOR EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS. HAVING A FEW IN-CLASS SESSIONS MIXED WITH ON-FARM DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS HELPS PARTICIPANTS TO STAY MOTIVATED. HAVING SESSIONS EVERY OTHER WEEK ALSO HELPS THEM TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND. IN BOTH STATES, CLASSROOM SESSIONS WILL BE HELD IN THE SORTS OF VENUES WE HAVE USED PREVIOUSLY, INCLUDING COMMUNITY ROOMS, LIBRARIES AND CHURCHES SPACES. THESE SOCIAL SETTINGS MAKE PRODUCERS TOFEEL COMFORTABLE DURING TRAINING.

NOVEL ESCHERICHIA COLI GENETIC MARKERS FOR WATER SAFETY

SILVER NANOPARTICLES AS PESTICIDE FOR AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS

RESEARCH INITIATION AWARD: MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS INTO RNO AND XNO PRODUCT FORMATIONS: THE ROLE OF HEMOGLOBIN AND LIGAND STERICS IN PHYSIOLOGICAL RNO BINDING AND SYNTHESIS -NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: RESEARCH INITIATION AWARDS SUPPORT FACULTY AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN DEVELOPING NEW RESEARCH PROGRAMS OR ENHANCING EXISTING ONES. THESE AWARDS AIM TO ADVANCE THE RESEARCH CAPABILITIES OF FACULTY MEMBERS, IMPROVE RESEARCH AND TEACHING AT THEIR HOME INSTITUTIONS, AND ENGAGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN MEANINGFUL RESEARCH EXPERIENCES. THE AWARD TO LINCOLN UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATES THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC NITROSOALKANES AND HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN. NITROSOALKANES ARE COMPOUNDS FORMED THROUGH THE OXIDATION OF AMINES OR THE REDUCTION OF NITRO-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH HEMOGLOBIN CAN CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS METHEMOGLOBINEMIA AND HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA. THIS PROJECT ENHANCES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE INTERACTIONS AND ADDRESSES A SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE GAP REGARDING THE STRUCTURAL IMPACTS OF NITROSOALKANES BINDING WITH HEMEPROTEINS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS. BEYOND ITS SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES, THE PROJECT PROVIDES ESSENTIAL RESEARCH TRAINING FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND INCLUDES OUTREACH EFFORTS TARGETING RURAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO INSPIRE INTEREST IN SCIENCE. TOGETHER, THESE INITIATIVES PROMISE TO FOSTER THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONALS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLED SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: THE PROJECT AIMS TO ELUCIDATE THE STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF ORGANIC NITROSOALKANES (RNOS) BINDING TO HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN (HB). RNOS, COMPOUNDS FORMED THROUGH THE OXIDATION OF AMINES OR THE REDUCTION OF NITRO-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS, INTERACT WITH HB AND CAN CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS METHEMOGLOBINEMIA AND HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA. THE SPECIFIC GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO: (1) EMPLOY UV-VIS SPECTROSCOPY TO QUANTIFY THE BINDING RATES OF HB-RNO INTERACTIONS; (2) USE X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHY TO CAPTURE THE BINDING MODES OF THESE INTERACTIONS; AND (3) DELINEATE THE CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES AND POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THIS BINDING. UNDERSTANDING THESE STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS IS CRUCIAL, AS THEY PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS BY WHICH RNOS DISRUPT HB FUNCTION. IN PARALLEL, THE PROJECT AIMS TO INVESTIGATE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS OF RNOS BY HB, FOCUSING ON THE ROLE OF HEMOGLOBIN IN ACTIVATING NITRIC OXIDE (NO) FOR NITROSYL TRANSFER TO DIFFERENT NUCLEOPHILES, PARTICULARLY CONTRASTING CARBON AND SULFUR NUCLEOPHILES. THESE FINDINGS HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE BROADER ROLES OF HEMEPROTEINS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE, POTENTIALLY GUIDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES AGAINST RNO-RELATED DAMAGE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

TARGETED INFUSION PROJECT: IMPLEMENTATION OF AN HBCU UNDERGRADUATE CENTER FOR FORENSIC SCIENCES AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY -THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (HBCU-UP) THROUGH TARGETED INFUSION PROJECTS SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND STUDY OF EVIDENCE-BASED INNOVATIVE MODELS AND APPROACHES FOR IMPROVING THE PREPARATION AND SUCCESS OF HBCU UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY PURSUE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, OR MATHEMATICS (STEM) GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND/OR CAREERS. THE PROJECT AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (PA) SEEKS TO CREATE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CENTER FOR FORENSIC SCIENCES (LU-CFS), ENHANCING THE INSTITUTION?S CURRICULAR OFFERINGS, MODERNIZING LABORATORY CAPABILITIES, AND IMPROVING LIBRARY RESOURCES. THE PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WELL-QUALIFIED, MINORITY STUDENT GRADUATES HAVING THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO EXCEL IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND/OR FORENSICS LABORATORIES BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES SUCH AS INTERNSHIPS, PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FORENSIC SCIENCE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSING CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE COURSE CURRICULUM FOR THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM WILL BE DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORENSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM ACCREDITATION COMMISSION (FEPAC) ACADEMIC STANDARDS THROUGH ENHANCEMENTS OF EXISTING COURSES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW COURSES. RESEARCH AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WORKING ALONGSIDE FACULTY, PRACTITIONERS AND OTHER FORENSIC PROFESSIONALS WILL BE DEVELOPED WHILE CREATING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. LABORATORY SPACE WILL BE MODERNIZED WITH INSTRUMENTATION SUCH AS GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC/MS) COMPARABLE TO WHAT IS USED IN FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORIES, WHILE EXISTING LIBRARY RESOURCES WILL BE EXPANDED THROUGH ADDITION OF KEY FORENSIC SCIENCE JOURNALS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT MAY ADDRESS THE DISPROPORTIONATE PARTICIPATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER MINORITY GROUPS IN STEM FIELDS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE FORENSIC SCIENCES WHERE UNDERREPRESENTATION RESTRICTS FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE DUE PROCESS OF LAW. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

INTERCROPPING OF A DIVERSE MIX OF NATIVE, PERENNIAL SPECIES WITHIN AN ALLEY CROPPING SYSTEM TO MAXIMIZE RESILIENCE, PRODUCTIVITY, AND FARM INCOME.

TARGETED INFUSION PROJECT: EXPANSION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERACTIVE LEARNINGEXPRESS APP

THE AIM OF THE PROJECT IS THREE FOLD. FIRSTLY, TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN FOURLOCAL, COMMUNITY-ORIENTED DEMONSTRATION SITES BY NETWORKING WITH FOUR REGIONAL COORDINATORS TO DEVELOP LOCAL "LEARNING HUBS" TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE PRODUCERS AND TEACHERS IN FIVE REGIONS MISSOURI INCLUDING THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SITECENTRALLY LOCATED IN THE STATE. SECONDLY, TO PROMOTE LONG TERM FARM PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABLITY BY REACHING OUT TO PRODUCERS TO PROACTIVELY PLAN AND IMPLEMENT PRACTICES INCLUDING COMPOSTING AND COVER CROPPING FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT AND NUTRIENT CYCLING AND TO REDUCE THE DEPENDENCE ON PESTICIDES BY IMPLEMENTING IPM TRAP CROPPING. THIRDLY, TO STRENGTHEN THE PIPELINE OF TRAINED FOOD AND AGRICULTURE TECHNICAL PERSONNEL BY REACHING OUT TO K-14 TEACHERS AND ASSISTING THEM WITH A SET OF SUPPLEMENTARY CLASS ACTIVITIES AND FUNDS FOR FIELD EDUCATIONAL TOURS TO INCREASE STUDENT EXPOSURE TO INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS AND TO FACILITIES WITH ADVANCED GREEN TECHNOLOGIES. EACH YEAR OF THE PROJECT IT IS ANTICIPATED FIFTEEN PRODUCERS WILL IMPLEMENT THE MENTIONED GREEN PRACTICES ON THEIR FARMS AND FIVE SCHOOLS WILL INVOLVE STUDENTS WITH THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT WILL PROMOTE AND ADVANCE GROWERS' KNOWLEDGE OF PLANT AND SOIL HEALTH. BY ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH GROWERS, THE PROJECT WILL PROMOTE MORE SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRACTICES OF FARM MANAGEMENT AND FOOD PRODUCTION. EDUCATORS WILL GAIN ACCESS TO POSITIVE, CONTRIBUTORY AND CREATIVE METHODS TO AUGMENT THEIR EFFORTS IN INCREASING STUDENTS' EXPOSURE T, AND STIMULATING THEIR INTEREST IN THE STEM AREAS AND TO ENCOURAGE CAREER CHOICES IN THE FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN SCIENCES.

SUSTAINABLE MARKET DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCE USE FOR SPECIALTY CROPS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: OUT OF ONE, MANY: PARALOG-SPECIFIC REGULONS FROM A SINGLE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE -LIFE DEPENDS ON INTRICATE CONTROL OF CELLULAR DECISIONS, AND THE SOPHISTICATION OF THIS CONTROL SCALES WITH ORGANISMAL COMPLEXITY. THIS IS NICELY ILLUSTRATED BY TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS (TFS), DNA-BINDING PROTEINS THAT TURN GENES OFF AND ON IN A CAREFULLY CHOREOGRAPHED MANNER. IN BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS, THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF TF FAMILIES DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THROUGHOUT EVOLUTION, PRIMARILY THROUGH GENE DUPLICATION. AFTER DUPLICATION, TF FAMILY MEMBERS OFTEN TOOK ON NEW REGULATORY FUNCTIONS, IN A PROCESS TERMED FUNCTIONAL DIVERGENCE. THIS EXPANDED THE REGULATORY TOOLKIT OF ORGANISMS, GIVING THEM INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED CONTROL OVER DECISIONS RANGING FROM STRESS RESPONSE TO IMMUNITY TO DEVELOPMENT. OUR GROUP RECENTLY DESCRIBED A MECHANISM OF TF FUNCTIONAL DIVERGENCE OPERATING IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS WHICH WE TERMED ?DIFFERENTIAL USAGE OF SHARED BINDING SITES?. THIS PROPOSAL WILL MAP THE UNDERLYING REGULATORY PROPERTIES OF THIS DEEPLY UNDERSTUDIED MECHANISM USING CUTTING-EDGE MULTI-OMIC TECHNIQUES. A KEY GOAL OF THE PROPOSAL IS TO FORGE A LONG-TERM COLLABORATION BETWEEN AN R1 INSTITUTE (PENN) AND AN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING INSTITUTION (LINCOLN UNIVERSITY (LU)). STUDENTS REAP MAXIMUM BENEFITS WHEN RESEARCH IS SUSTAINED THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR AT THE STUDENTS? HOME INSTITUTES. WE WILL MODEL THIS PHILOSOPHY BY BUILDING LOCAL RESEARCH CAPACITY AT LU AND PROVIDING A PAIRED SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AT PENN, ENABLING YEAR-ROUND STUDENT-LED RESEARCH. WE BELIEVE THIS WILL REDUCE SCIENTIFIC DISENGAGEMENT BY PRIORITIZING RETENTION ? NOT JUST INITIAL EXPOSURE ? OF STUDENTS TO RESEARCH. FUNCTIONAL DIVERGENCE OF TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS (TFS) HAS DRIVEN CELLULAR AND ORGANISMAL COMPLEXITY THROUGHOUT EVOLUTION, BUT ITS MECHANISTIC DRIVERS REMAIN POORLY UNDERSTOOD. THIS PROPOSAL WILL BEGIN TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP USING CLASS III HOMEODOMAIN LEUCINE ZIPPER (HD-ZIPIII) PROTEINS AS A MODEL. THIS ANCIENT FAMILY OF TFS PROLIFERATED OVER THE COURSE OF EVOLUTION TO REGULATE NEARLY ALL ASPECTS OF PLANT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH FUNCTIONALLY REDUNDANT AND FUNCTIONALLY DIVERGENT ACTIVITIES. WE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT TWO CO-EXPRESSED FUNCTIONALLY DIVERGENT HD-ZIPIII FAMILY MEMBERS ? CORONA AND PHABULOSA ? BIND TO A NEARLY OVERLAPPING SET OF GENES. DESPITE THIS, EACH PARALOG HAS HUNDREDS OF UNIQUELY REGULATED DIRECT TARGETS. THUS, HD-ZIPIII TFS DO NOT GENERATE THEIR SPECIFIC TRANSCRIPTIONAL OUTCOMES BY BINDING TO DISTINCT SITES IN THE GENOME. INSTEAD, THESE OUTCOMES EMERGE BY PARALOG-SPECIFIC INTERPRETATION OF A COMMONLY BOUND NETWORK OF GENES. WE TERMED THIS MECHANISM DIFFERENTIAL USAGE OF SHARED BINDING SITES, AND SHOWED IT DEPENDS IN PART ON THEIR LIPID BINDING STAR-RELATED TRANSFER (START) DOMAIN. HOWEVER, ITS UNDERLYING REGULATORY PROPERTIES REMAIN UNKNOWN. THIS PROPOSAL WILL BEGIN TO CHARACTERIZE THIS NEWLY IDENTIFIED MECHANISM CONTROLLING HD-ZIPIII SPECIFICITY IN TWO AIMS. AIM 1 WILL FORMALLY LINK DIFFERENTIAL USAGE OF SHARED BINDING SITES TO HD-ZIPIII PARALOG DIVERGENCE, THEN IDENTIFY AND FUNCTIONALLY CHARACTERIZE ITS CAUSATIVE GENOMIC ENHANCER SEQUENCES. AIM 2 WILL TEST WHETHER PARALOG-SPECIFIC TRANSCRIPTIONAL OUTPUTS ARE GENERATED BY INTERACTING PARTNERS USING PROTEOMIC APPROACHES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

BROADENING PARTICIPATION RESEARCH GRANT: APPLYING THE PERFORMANCE PYRAMID TO STEM EDUCATION

DDR-ARTEMIS: DIGITAL AGRICULTURE DATA SCIENCE AND ROBOTICS: APPLIED RESEARCH AND TRAINING FOR ENHANCING MOTIVATION IN SCIENCE

EVANS-ALLEN

THE PRESENCE OF CRYPTIC E. COLI, INCLUDING ENTERIC- AND ENVIRONMENTAL-LIVING MEMBERS, HAS POSED A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO THE CURRENT E. COLI-BASED METHODS FOR WATER QUALITY MONITERING AND MANAGEMENT. TO TAKE STEPS TO OVERCOME THE LIMITATIONS OF THE CURRENT E. COLI-BASED METHODS, THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO OBTAIN BASELINE INFORMATION ABOUT CRYPTIC E. COLI. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE (1) TO DETERMINE THE DISTRIBUTION (ECOLOGICAL NICHE) AND PREVALENCE (FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE) OF CRYPTIC E. COLI IN THE UNITED STATES, AND (2) TO COMPARE THE FATE OF ENTERIC CRYPTIC E. COLI VERSUS. THAT OF REAL E. COLI IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS. FOR THE STUDY UNDER OBJECTIVE 1, FECAL SAMPLES FROM THE MAJOR FECAL POLLUTION SOURCES (INCLUDING HUMANS, LIVESTOCK, AND WILD ANIMALS) AND WATER SAMPLES FROM DRAINAGE AREAS OF DIFFERENT DOMINANT LAND USES WILL BE OBTAINED FROM MISSOURI AND VIRGINIA. FOR THE STUDY UNDER OBJECTIVE 2, THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, PH, AND UV LIGHT ON THE FATES OF REAL E. COLI VERSUS ENTERIC CRYPTIC E. COLI WILL BE STUDIED IN AN AQUATIC MICROCOSM. THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND A RESEARCH UNIT OF THE USDA-ARS IN COLUMBIA, MISSOURI. THIS PARTNERSHIP IS TO COMBINE THE STRENGTH OF THE RESEARCH AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES OF TWO 1890 UNIVERSITIES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE USDA-ARS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF BOTH SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS CRETICAL ISSUES IN FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AND TO BENEFIT STUDENTS AT BOTH SCHOOLS BY PROVIDING HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE THEIR JOB MARKET COMPETITIVENESS.

ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AT LINCO*

RENOVATION AND UPGRADE OF RESEARCH SPACE IN FOUNDERS HALL LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

SECTION 1444

HYDROLOGIC PROCESSES CONTROLLING STREAM WATER QUALITY IN A MISSOURI CLAYPAN WATERSHED

NEW COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TITLED: COGNITIVE WORKLOAD ASSESSMENT FOR OPTIMIZING SOLDIER-SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PROJECT SUMMARYVEGETABLES OF THE FAMILY BRASSICACEAE (BRASSICA VEGETABLES), WHICH INCLUDES COLLARDS, POSSESS VITAMINS, AND ANTI-CARCINOGENIC AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES. BRASSICA VEGETABLES ARE RICH DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUCOSINOLATES (PRECURSORS TO A GROUP OF ANTI-CARCINOGENIC ISOTHIOCYANATES). COLLARDS (BRASSICA OLERACEAL. ACEPHALA) ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN CUISINE IN THE SOUTHERN U.S., BUT HYDROPONIC GROWING ALLOWS A MORE WIDESPREAD SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF THIS CROP LOCALLY UNDER DIFFERENT CLIMATES NATIONWIDE. IN ADDITION TO CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEINS, AND ESSENTIAL MINERALS THE USDA-ARS DATABASE REPORTS THAT 100 G FRESH WEIGHT OF RAW COLLARDS CONTAINS AS MUCH AS 546.4% OF THE DAILY VALUE OF VITAMIN K, WHICH PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN HELPING THE BLOOD TO CLOT AND PREVENT EXCESSIVE BLEEDING; VITAMIN A (8.4% BETA-CAROTENE AND 16.7% RETINOL), 58.8% VITAMIN C, 8.3% VITAMIN B6, AND 7.6% RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2). THIS RESEARCH WILL UTILIZE CURRENT EXPERTISE AND ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE FROM OVER A DECADE OF HYDROPONIC CROP PRODUCTION RESEARCH AT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY-MISSOURI TO IDENTIFY CROP MANAGEMENT-ASSOCIATED VARIABILITY OF HEALTH-BENEFICIAL GLUCOSINOLATES IN COLLARDS. INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF CROPPING PRACTICES APPROPRIATE TO PRODUCE COLLARDS WITH HIGHER AND CONSISTENT CONCENTRATIONS OF GLUCOSINOLATES ENHANCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYBRIDS WITH IMPROVED DIETARY QUALITIES. PROPOSED APPROACHES TO EXECUTING THIS PROJECT INVOLVE GROWING COLLARDS IN NFT HYDROPONIC CULTURE AND EXTRACTING LEAF-, STEM, AND ROOT TISSUE FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. TOTAL GLUCOSINOLATES, VITAMIN K, AND CAROTENOIDS WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND QUANTIFIED BY GAS-LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FROM THE PRODUCTS OF HYDROLYSIS, ISOTHIOCYANATES, AND OXAZOLIDINE,2,THIONES. CONFIRMATION OF THE IDENTITY OF AGLUCONS FROM EACH COLLARD CULTIVAR WILL BE MADE BY A UHPLC/MS/MS TANDEM SYSTEM.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODE (GIN) PARASITES ARE POSING A SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS TO RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ORGANIC SHEEP AND GOAT RAISING ENTERPRISES. THE GINS CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ANIMAL AND ECONOMIC LOSSES TO THE INDUSTRY WHILE MOST OF AVAILABLE CHEMICAL ANTHELMINTIC (CAHC) ARE BECOMING DRUG RESISTANCE AND CAUSING CONTAMINATIONS IN PASTURE, SOIL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS. AS THESE RISK FACTORS INCREASE AND GIN PARASITE INFECTIONS SPREAD IN THE REGION, AND AS PROHIBITED USE OF CAHC IN ORGANIC ANIMALS, AN URGENT AND PRACTICAL SOLUTION MUST BE SOUGHT FOR GOAT AND SHEEP FARMING ENTERPRISES. THIS PROJECT PROPOSES AN ORGANIC AND ALTERNATIVE CONTROL OF GIN PARASITES IN SMALL RUMINANT ANIMALS BY FEEDING SELECTED ANTHELMINTIC HERBAL PLANT, NEMATOPHAGUS FUNGAL FEED SUPPLEMENT, AND ROTATIONAL GRAZING ANTHELMINTIC PASTURES. THE SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES FOLLOW: (1) EVALUATE THE ANTHELMINTIC EFFICACY OF ARTEMISIA HERBAL PLANT AS AN ORGANIC DEWORMING AGENT TO CONTROL GIN INFECTIONS IN SMALL RUMINANTS; (2) EVALUATE A NEMATOPHAGOUS FUNGUS AS A PROBIOTIC AGENT TO PREVENT GIN INFECTIONS IN SMALL RUMINANTS; AND (3) ESTABLISH AN ANTI-PARASITIC PASTURE FOR GRAZING ORGANIC ANIMALS TO AVOID CAHC USE AND SOIL CONTAMINATION. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES WILL ENHANCE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF PRODUCERS PERTAINING TO BIOCONTROL OF GIN PARASITES IN SMALL RUMINANTS, ENHANCE ORGANIC FARMING SUSTAINABILITY, AND INCREASE SHEEP AND GOAT ENTERPRISING PROFITS. PROJECT PROGRESS, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND FINAL RESULTS WILL BE REPORTED TO SCIENTIFIC AND FARMING COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS ORGANIC GOAT AND SHEEP PRODUCERS IN THE FORM OF NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITES, CONFERENCES, TRAINING WORKSHOPS, RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS, REPORTS, AND JOURNAL ARTICLES.

EVAL. OF SOILLESS ROOT-SUPPORT SUBSTRATES FOR CONTROL OF NITRATE & PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION FROM VEG. PROD. IN NON-RECIRCULATING HYDROPONIC SYS.

EMPOWERING SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN MISSOURI WITH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES AND APPROPRIATE USDA OUTREACH PRO

THE GRANTS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUS PROGRAM (CAMPUS PROGRAM) IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. § 20125. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUSES. THESE COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE VICTIM SERVICES, IMPLEMENT PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN SECURITY AND INVESTIGATION STRATEGIES IN ORDER TO PREVENT, PROSECUTE, AND RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. THE CAMPUS PROGRAM SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP CAMPUS-BASED COORDINATED RESPONSES THAT INCLUDE CAMPUS VICTIM SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HOUSING OFFICIALS, ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENT LEADERS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND DISCIPLINARY BOARDS, AND THAT ENHANCE VICTIM SAFETY AND ASSISTANCE AND HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THESE RESPONSES MUST BE LINKED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PROSECUTORS’ OFFICES, COURTS, AND NONPROFIT, NONGOVERNMENTAL VICTIM ADVOCACY AND VICTIM SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS.    THE FUNDED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PROJECT’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND VICTIM SERVICE PARTNERS, WILL IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROJECT ON CAMPUS. THROUGH THIS INITIAL AWARD, THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WILL: 1) CREATE A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM TO OVERSEE ALL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES; 2) PROVIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TO ALL STUDENTS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING; 3) PROVIDE ONGOING TRAINING TO ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THESE CRIMES; 4) PROVIDE ACCESS TO 24-HOUR CONFIDENTIAL VICTIM SERVICES AND ADVOCACY; AND 5) CONDUCT ONGOING TRAINING TO ALL PERSONNEL IN THE CAMPUS DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** POULTRY FEED REQUIRES SOURCES OF PROTEIN, ENERGY, VITAMINS, AND MINERALS. IN CONVENTIONAL CHICKEN DIETS IN THE UNITED STATES, CORN SERVES AS THE MAIN ENERGY SOURCE AND SOYBEAN MEAL AS THE MAIN PROTEIN SOURCE. A TYPICAL CORN-SOY-BASED DIET MEETS THE NEEDS OF MOST POULTRY WITH LIMITED NEED FOR SUPPLEMENTATION WITH SYNTHETIC AMINO ACIDS BECAUSE SOYBEAN MEAL HAS A HIGH PROTEIN CONTENT AND AN EXCELLENT AMINO ACID PROFILE THAT COMPLIMENTS THAT OF CORN. WHILE SOYBEAN MEAL IS THE DOMINANT PROTEIN SOURCE IN POULTRY DIETS, PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT MOST SOYBEANS ARE PRODUCED FROM GENETICALLY MODIFIED STRAINS AND SOYBEANS CONTAIN PHYTOESTROGENS WHICH MAY IMPACT HUMAN HEALTH. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN SOY-FREE DIET FORMULATIONS FOR POULTRY. UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE MANY ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES HAVE BEEN STUDIED IN POULTRY, MOST OF THESE INGREDIENTS CAN ONLY BE USED FOR A SMALL PORTION OF THE DIET BEFORE CAUSING DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS. FOR EXAMPLE, RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT BROILERS FED DIETS CONTAINING AS MUCH AS 20% FIELD PEAS HAD SIMILAR GROWTH PERFORMANCE AS BROILERS FED A CORN-SOY CONTROL (FARRELL ET AL, 1999). DR. FISHER'S OWN PREVIOUS WORK SUGGESTED THAT THAT FIELD PEAS CAN BE USED TO REPLACE ABOUT 30% OF CORN AND SOYBEAN MEAL WITHOUT SACRIFICING GROWTH PERFORMANCE (FISHER, 2016). HOWEVER, REPLACEMENT OF A LARGER PORTION OF THE SOYBEAN MEAL WITH FIELD PEAS CAN RESULT IN REDUCED PERFORMANCE OF GROWING CHICKENS AND LAYING HENS (FARRELL ET AL, 1999; TUUNAINEN ET AL, 2016). A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCE THAT NEEDS FURTHER RESEARCH IS HEMP AND HEMP BYPRODUCTS. HEMP (CANNABIS SATIVA) COULD BE A BETTER PROTEIN SOURCE THAN CURRENT SOY ALTERNATIVES (E.G., PEAS) BECAUSE IT HAS A HIGHER PROTEIN CONTENT AND IS RICH IN SULFUR AMINO ACIDS. HEMP IS CURRENTLY CULTIVATED FOR FIBER AND SEEDS, BUT HEMP AND ITS BYPRODUCTS ARE NOT APPROVED AS ANIMAL FEED INGREDIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN A 2022 STATEMENT, THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN FEED CONTROL OFFICIALS (AAFCO) SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO SHOW THAT HEMP IS SAFE FOR ANIMALS TO CONSUME AND THAT THE RESULTING ANIMAL PRODUCTS ARE SAFE FOR HUMANS TO CONSUME. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF REPLACING SOYBEAN MEAL WITH HEMPSEED CAKE, A BYPRODUCT OF HEMP OIL PRODUCTION, ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT CLASSES OF GROWING POULTRY: FAST-GROWING BROILERS, SLOW-GROWING BROILERS, AND EGG-TYPE PULLETS. THIS EVALUATION WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH A SERIES OF FEEDING TRIALS USING HEMPSEED CAKE TO PARTIALLY OR FULLY REPLACE SOYBEAN MEAL IN THE DIET. DURING EACH TRIAL, THE GROWTH, FEED CONSUMPTION, FEED EFFICIENCY, AND CARCASS YIELDS WILL BE EVALUATED. ADDITIONALLY, CANNABINOID CONTENT OF MEAT PRODUCED DURING THE TRIALS WILL BE ANALYZED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT CANNABINOIDS MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO ANIMAL PRODUCTS WHEN ANIMALS CONSUME HEMP OR HEMP BYPRODUCTS. THIS PROJECT SHOULD PRODUCE VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT TH,E EFFECT OF HEMPSEED CAKE ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF CHICKENS AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR MEAT. THESE RESULTS WILL ADD TO THE BODY OF LITERATURE NEEDED TO GET AAFCO APPROVAL FOR HEMPSEED CAKE AS A FEED INGREDIENT FOR POULTRY. APPROVAL WOULD BENEFIT POULTRY PRODUCERS, EXPAND MARKETS FOR THE HEMP INDUSTRY, AND INCREASE THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES WHICH ADVANCES THE USDA-NIFA STRATEGIC GOAL OF MANAGING CLIMATE RESISTANCE THROUGH ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION.