The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has announced a groundbreaking program designed to empower the next generation of food and agriculture professionals. With an investment of $262.5 million, the "From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals" program aims to strengthen the workforce and promote diversity across the industry.
This program, funded under the President's Inflation Reduction Act, focuses on expanding access, lowering costs, and building a clean energy economy while bolstering American supply chains. By partnering with educational institutions nationwide, including 1890 Land-grant Universities and Hispanic-serving Institutions, the program provides training, educational support, and early career opportunities to over 20,000 aspiring food and agriculture leaders through 33 project partners, this program aims to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
The USDA's vision is to create economic opportunities for American families, feed the nation, and foster equity and diversity. The NextGen program aligns with this vision by inspiring, preparing, and empowering young individuals, particularly from underrepresented communities, to become the next generation of agricultural problem solvers and hunger fighters.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) collaborates with the Association for Intercultural Development Research to effectively monitor and report on the benefits and impact of the NextGen program. Additionally, the USDA introduces two new public dashboards that offer access to aggregated agricultural research investment data and enable grant applicants to track the progress of their applications in real time.