Deadline: 20 March 2025
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is seeking applications for the Methyl Bromide Transition (MBT) program to support the discovery and implementation of practical pest management alternatives for commodities and uses affected by the methyl bromide phase-out.
Proposals may integrate research and extension activities or be extension-only and be designed to provide transitional alternatives that address immediate needs resulting from the loss of availability of methyl bromide. The pressure to completely phase-out methyl bromide has created an urgent need for new economical and effective pest control tactics to control soil borne and postharvest pests, and pests that need to be controlled by the processing and shipping industries to meet regulatory standards. All proposals must include a description of the economic analysis of costs and efficacy of implementing the new replacement technology.
Applications submitted to the MBT program must incorporate appropriate integrated pest management (IPM) concepts of prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression of pest populations. Applications submitted must address one or more of the following questions:
- How can non-fumigant management options be developed and/or improved as part of a systems-based integrated pest management strategy?
- What integrated strategies could be used to improve soil health, resulting in improved pest management in crops impacted by the loss of methyl bromide in the pre-harvest environment? Examples include altering the microbial community of the soil to favor beneficial microorganisms that could inhibit pests and pathogens; soil amendments to reduce pests; and use of cover crops and rotations to reduce pest populations.
- What strategies could be used in a systems-based integrated pest management approach to improve pest management in the post-harvest environments impacted by the loss of methyl bromide?
- How can current methyl bromide alternatives be improved or combined to improve their effectiveness and economic viability?
Purpose
- The primary goal and objective of the MBT program is to support the discovery and implementation of practical pest management alternatives to methyl bromide. The MBT program seeks to solve pest problems in key agricultural production and post-harvest management systems, processing facilities, and transport systems for which methyl bromide has been withdrawn or withdrawal is imminent.
Goal
- Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous.
Priority
- Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems.
Funding Information
- The amount available for grants is anticipated to be approximately: $1,860,434
- Maximum Award Amount: $625,000
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 3-4
- Grant Duration: 24-36 Months
Eligible Projects
- The following describes the two types of projects that are eligible for funding. Applicants must propose one of the following project types:
- Integrated projects: focus on research for new alternatives and extension to encourage adoption and implementation of methyl bromide alternatives.
- Extension-Only projects: increase levels of adoption and implementation of pest management strategies by producers and growers.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications may only be submitted by colleges and universities (as defined by Section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(4), as amended, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities,(7 U.S.C. 3103(10)) and 1994 Institutions (7 U.S.C. 301 note).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
