NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (USDA)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) was established by the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) to find innovative solutions to issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and communities.
One of four agencies that make up USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, the agency is structured to direct federal funding effectively to programs that address key national and global challenges. NIFA addresses these challenges by supporting a clear mission, a vision, and goals.
Mission
“Invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges.”
Vision
“Catalyze transformative discoveries, education, and engagement to address agricultural challenges.”
Goals
Our goals include advancement and application of science and technological tools in order to:
- Achieve global food security and fight hunger
- Mitigate climate change impacts on agricultural, forest, and rangeland systems
- Improve and increase the production of goods and services from working lands while protecting the nation’s natural resource base and environment.
- Contribute to the nation’s energy independence through sustainable production of bioenergy and bio?based industrial products
- Combat childhood obesity by ensuring the availability of affordable, nutritious, and safe food and providing individuals and families science?based nutritional guidance
- Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce.
Source and links: Who We Are | NIFA (usda.gov)
COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA (COM)
College of Micronesia (COM) Land-Grant Program is an 1862 Land Grant Institution under NIFA. As part of the Compact of Free Association agreement in the 1980s, an 1862 Land Grant status was accorded to three Micronesian nations of Federated States of Micronesia comprising four states (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae), the Republic of Palau and The Republic of the Marshall Islands. The College of Micronesia (COM) became the College of Micronesia Land Grant, with its Central Office in Pohnpei, Federated Micronesia. The COM started operating based on the COM Treaty agreement among the three Micronesian governments (FSM, Palau, RMI).
The COM Land-Grant Program offered programs in Extension, Research, and Resident Instruction in each of the nations through the three national colleges, namely, Palau Community College (PCC), College of the Marshall Islands (CMI), and the College of the Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) in “partnership” with the COM.
The primary purpose of this website is to facilitate communication and sharing of information among the colleges in Micronesia as they manage the land-grant Program throughout the far reaches of this region of the Pacific. This service area is characterized by nine different languages, three independent nations in free association with the United States, and thousands of small islands that dot the Pacific Ocean from the eastern-most island of Mili, in the Marshall Islands, to the western-most island of Tobi (Hatohobei) in Palau.