NIFA will award competitive grants in the following areas:

(a) Plant health and production and plant products. Plant systems, including:

(1) Plant genome structure and function;

(2) Molecular and cellular genetics and plant biotechnology;

(3) Conventional breeding, including cultivar and breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding;

(4) Plant-pest interactions and biocontrol systems;

(5) Crop plant response to environmental stresses;

(6) Unproved nutrient qualities of plant products; and

(7) New food and industrial uses of plant products.

(b) Animal health and production and animal products. Animal systems, including:

(1) Aquaculture;

(2) Cellular and molecular basis of animal reproduction, growth, disease, and health;

(3) Animal biotechnology;

(4) Conventional breeding, including breed development, selection theory, applied quantitative genetics, breeding for improved food quality, breeding for improved local adaptation to biotic stress and abiotic stress, and participatory breeding;

(5) Identification of genes responsible for improved production traits and resistance to disease;

(6) Improved nutritional performance of animals;

(7) Improved nutrient qualities of animal products and uses;

(8) The development of new and improved animal husbandry and production systems that take into account production efficiency, animal well-being, and animal systems applicable to aquaculture;

(9) The research and development of surveillance methods, vaccines, vaccination delivery systems, or diagnostic tests for pests and diseases, including—

(i) Epizootic diseases in domestic livestock (including deer, elk, bison, and other animals of the family Cervidae); and

(ii) Zoonotic diseases (including bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis) in domestic livestock or wildlife reservoirs that present a potential concern to public health; and

(10) The identification of animal drug needs and the generation and dissemination of data for safe and effective therapeutic applications of animal drugs for minor species and minor uses of such drugs in major species.

(c) Food safety, nutrition, and health. Nutrition, food safety and quality, and health, including:

(1) Microbial contaminants and pesticides residue relating to human health;

(2) Links between diet and health;

(3) Bioavailability of nutrients;

(4) Postharvest physiology and practices; and

(5) Improved processing technologies.

(d) Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment. Natural resources and the environment, including:

(1) Fundamental structures and functions of ecosystems;

(2) Biological and physical bases of sustainable production systems;

(3) Minimizing soil and water losses and sustaining surface water and ground water quality;

(4) The effectiveness of conservation practices and technologies designed to address nutrient losses and improve water quality;

(5) Global climate effects on agriculture;

(6) Forestry; and

(7) Biological diversity.

(e) Agriculture systems and technology. Engineering, products, and processes, including:

(1) New uses and new products from traditional and nontraditional crops, animals, byproducts, and natural resources;

(2) Robotics, energy efficiency, computing, and expert systems;

(3) New hazard and risk assessment and mitigation measures; and

(4) Water quality and management.

(f) Agriculture economics and rural communities. Markets, trade, economics, and policy, including:

(1) Strategies for entering into and being competitive in domestic and overseas markets;

(2) Farm efficiency and profitability, including the viability and competitiveness of small and medium-sized dairy, livestock, crop and other commodity operations;

(3) New decision tools for farm and market systems;

(4) Choices and applications of technology;

(5) The economic costs, benefits, and viability of producers adopting conservation practices and technologies designed to improve water quality;

(6) Technology assessment; and

(7) New approaches to rural development, including rural entrepreneurship.