USDA awards FAMU 7 grants totaling nearly $3 million

The FAMU College of Agriculture and Food Sciences (CFAS), on Monday, had seven grants totaling nearly $2.95 million funded from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  The funding will support efforts to enhance multidisciplinary Ag research at FAMU, provide more insight into the distinctive qualities of FL wines, and further the university's extensive muscadine grape research.

In 2020, CAFS researchers in the Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research were awarded two patents for developing new strains of muscadine grapes the “Floriana” and “Florida Onyx” grape.  In 2007, FAMU Ag researchers garnered national acclaim for their development of the "Majesty" grape, a breed of muscadine grape that is stronger, larger, heartier, and more disease resistant than previous varieties.  

These investments will help “deliver real-life, applicable solutions to make our food system stronger, while at the same time inspiring a next generation of students and scientists who will help us meet tomorrow’s agricultural challenges,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small.
 
The funded projects are as follows:
1)    Develop ways to improve the muscadine grape product 
Amount $500,000
 
2)    Evaluate the bio-active profiles of FL distinctive wines  
Amount $300,000
 
3)    Study the next generation of native american muscadine grape breeding  
Amount $500,000
 
4)   Build multidisciplinary research and education in food and ag science  
Amount: $750,000
 
5)   Evaluate the the utility of  DNA metabarcoding methods in water quality protocols to asses stream health 
Amount: $300,000
 
6)   Study the potential for under-vine vegetation to reduce the use of pesticides in growing muscadine grapes
Amount: $300,00
 
7)   Evaluate the effects of high starch diets on beef calf health and performance  
Amount: $300,000