The USDA has released it’s FY 2011 SBIR solicitation. Proposals will be due no later than September 2nd and must include a budget of no more than $100,000 for an 8-month period.
The USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has identified five primary “societal challenge areas”. Proposals that fit in one of the topics below AND address these challenge areas are highly encouraged:
1. Global Food Security and Hunger
2. Climate Change
3. Sustainable Bioenergy
4. Childhood Obesity
5. Food Safety
Proposals are also encouraged in these government-wide initiatives:
1. Agriculturally-related Manufacturing Technology
2. Energy Efficiency and Alternative and Renewable Energy
The Topics for this solicitiation are:
8.1-Forests and Related Resources;
8.2-Plant Production and Protection – Biology;
8.3-Animal Production and Protection;
8.4-Air, Soil and Water Resources;
8.5-Food Science and Nutrition;
8.6-Rural and Community Development;
8.7-Aquaculture;
8.8- Biofuels and Biobased Products;
8.12-Small and Mid Size Farms;
8.13-Plant Production and Protection – Engineering
Please be sure to read the solicitation for proposal preparation instructions and topic descriptions.