Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative

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Description

The Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI), funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), aims to foster a collaborative research community focused on expanding knowledge of genomes and phenomes relevant to U.S. agriculture. This initiative targets both crop and animal sciences to better understand how genetic diversity interacts with variable weather, environments, and production systems to influence growth and productivity.

AG2PI supports interdisciplinary research combining advanced computing, automated high-throughput phenotyping and genotyping, and climatic modeling. The initiative builds on prior efforts such as the Plant Genome Research Project and the National Animal Genome Research Program. It promotes open access to data, software, germplasm, and other biological materials through standardized, open data sources and material exchange.

The initiative seeks to connect diverse fields including animal physiology, meat science, animal nutrition, veterinary science, agronomy, crop modeling, plant physiology, genetics, genomics, artificial intelligence, informatics, statistics, and engineering to improve the accuracy of predicting crop and animal performance under variable conditions. This will enable more efficient selection of well-adapted, superior genotypes for farmers and ranchers.

Due Dates

• Next due date: March 20, 2025
• Check the NIFA funding page for updates and future deadlines.

Funding Amount

• Award range: $50,000 to $900,000 per project
• Total program funding: Approximately $1,855,844
• Cost sharing or matching funds are required.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• State agricultural experiment stations
• Colleges and universities
• University research foundations
• Other research institutions and organizations
• Federal agencies
• National laboratories
• Private organizations, foundations, or corporations
• Individuals
• Consortia consisting of two or more of the above entities (consortium applications are encouraged)

Application Process

• Applications are submitted through NIFA’s competitive grant process.
• Proposals should emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration and fair access to data and materials.
• Reasonable accommodations and language access services are available upon request at least 10 days before deadlines.
• For electronic access problems, contact: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov.

Additional Information

• The initiative supports research that integrates animal and plant sciences with allied fields such as AI, informatics, and engineering.
• Emphasis on open data standards and sharing of germplasm and biological materials.
• Builds on existing national genome research programs.
• Encourages projects that improve prediction of agricultural performance under variable environmental conditions.

External Links

• NIFA Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative Funding Page
• NIFA Home Page
• NIFA Language Access Services
• NIFA Contact Page
• Subscribe to NIFA Funding Opportunities

Contact Information