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NIFA invests $15.5 million in cyberinformatics

The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture invested $15.5 million in Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics and Tools, or FACT. The agency awarded 18 grants for research to enhance food and ag production. A dozen other grants support nanotechnology-based solutions to improve nutrition, sustainable agriculture and food safety.

An example is Michigan State University’s project to develop low-cost, wireless smart packaging. The system, based on radio-frequency ID tags, monitors food quality and safety along the supply chain.