The regulations in this subpart apply to the program authorized under section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632).

(a) Focus areas. The purpose of this program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address needs of specific crops and their regions, including the following five focus areas:

(1) Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics, such as—

(i) Product, taste, quality, and appearance;

(ii) Environmental responses and tolerances;

(iii) Nutrient management, including plant nutrient uptake efficiency;

(iv) Pest and disease management, including resistance to pests and diseases resulting in reduced application management strategies; and

(v) Enhanced phytonutrient content.

(2) Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators.

(3) Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing).

(4) New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening.

(5) Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops, including fresh produce.

(b) Other. NIFA will award research and extension, including integrated, grants to eligible institutions listed in § 3430.203. In addition to the focus areas identified in this section, NIFA may include additional activities or focus areas that will further address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry. Some of these activities or focus areas may be identified by stakeholder groups or by NIFA in response to emerging critical needs of the specialty crop industry.

(c) In addition to SCRI grants, NIFA will make competitive research and extension grants under the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program (see § 3430.209).

(a) The definitions applicable to the program under this subpart include:

Integrated project means a project that incorporates the research and extension components of the agricultural knowledge system around a problem area or activity.

Specialty crop means fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Trans-disciplinary means a multi-discipline approach that brings biological and physical scientists together with economists and social scientists to address challenges in a holistic manner.

(b) The following definitions apply to § 3430.209:

Citrus means edible fruit of the family Rutaceae, including any hybrid of such fruits and products of such hybrids that are produced for commercial purposes in the United States.

Citrus producer means any person that is engaged in the domestic production and commercial sale of citrus in the United States.

Eligible applicants for the grant program implemented under this subpart include: Federal agencies, national laboratories; colleges and universities (offering associate's or higher degrees); research institutions and organizations; private organizations or corporations; State agricultural experiment stations; individuals; and groups consisting of 2 or more entities identified in this sentence.

(a) For each RFA, NIFA may develop and include the appropriate project types and focus areas (in addition to the five focus areas identified in § 3430.201) based on the critical needs of the specialty crop industry as identified through stakeholder input and deemed appropriate by NIFA. In making awards for this program, NIFA will give higher priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, and multidisciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate the results to producers and the public.

(b) In awarding grants under § 3430.208, priority will be given to grants that address the research and extension priorities established pursuant to section 1408A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123a).

(a) Prohibition against construction. Funds made available under this subpart shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees).

(b) Indirect costs. Subject to § 3430.54, indirect costs are allowable.

(a) Requirement. Grantees are required to provide funds or in-kind support from non-Federal sources in an amount that is at least equal to the amount provided by the Federal government. The matching contribution must be provided from non-Federal sources except when authorized by statute. The matching requirements under this subpart cannot be waived.

(b) Indirect costs. Use of indirect costs as in-kind matching contributions is subject to § 3430.52.

The term of a grant under this subpart shall not exceed 10 years.

In addition to the scientific peer review (see § 3430.33), NIFA will regularly conduct a panel of specialty crop industry representatives to review and rank applications for merit, relevance and impact.

The purpose of this program is to award competitive grants to:

(a) Conduct scientific research and extension activities, technical assistance, and development activities to combat citrus diseases and pests, both domestic and invasive, which pose imminent harm to the United States citrus production and threaten the future viability of the citrus industry, including huanglongbing and the Asian Citrus Psyllid; and

(b) Provide support for the dissemination and commercialization of relevant information, techniques, and technologies discovered pursuant to research and extension activities funded through—

(1) The emergency citrus disease research and extension program; or

(2) Other research and extension projects intended to solve problems caused by citrus production diseases and invasive pests.