Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center scientists received funding for Capacity Building Grant program and other proposals submitted to the USDA in 2010.

Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin received the sum of $300,000 for the Outreach and Assistance of Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers in Louisiana from the Office of Advocacy and Outreach. This one-year project will provide technical assistance to Louisiana small farmers. One of the key outcomes of this project will be the highly anticipated Southern University Ag Center's "Louisiana Small and Minority Farmers' Conference" which will be held March 17-19, 2011. Dr. Mellion-Patin also received a Capacity Building Grant award in the amount of $199,684. The Academy for the Academic Enhancement of High School Students in the Food and Agricultural Sciences project will offer academic enhancement and leadership development to high school students across the state. The ultimate goal of this project is to enhance the test-taking skills of minority youth while enhancing their leadership development and exposing them to careers in the food and agricultural sciences.

Other recipients of the USDA Capacity Building Grant Program include: Drs. Yadong Qi, Ultraviolet-B Radiation Protection Strategies in Selected Southern Trees, $299,510; Zhu Ning, Quantifying the Responses of Urban Tree Species to Elevated CO2 and Flooding, $299,947; Bridget Udoh, Strategies to Improve Farm and Business Efficiency Through Integrated Communications, $185,323; Kasundra Cyrus, Preparing Families for Future Health and Wealth Challenges; $264,733; and Glenda S. Johnson, Southern University Childhood Obesity Prevention Study, $281,533.

Dr. Divya Jaroni has received funding for a food safety project in collaboration with University of Arizona, USDA-ARS, and Yuma Agricultural Center, AZ. The four-year USDA-NIFA project is entitled "Improving the Safety and Post-harvest Quality of Field Grown Organic Leafy Greens: Assessment of Good Agricultural/Production Practices Along the Farm-to-Fork Continuum." The award amount is $3,000,000 with a subcontract of $500,882 to Southern University Ag Center. The long term goal of this project is to improve the profitability of organic leafy green farms by developing and implementing commercially feasible technology and operational production/handling programs to assure the safety and quality of organic leafy greens.

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