The mcintire stennis (MS) program in CAFS brings about significant benefits to its academic programs

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Florida A&M University $203,506 on October 1, 2025, under the Cooperative Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.202) to support forestry and natural resources research and training through the McIntire-Stennis program.

The award funds multidisciplinary research projects and experiential learning opportunities for scholars recruited from 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions in forestry and natural resource conservation. Scholars participate in research under the supervision of principal investigators and program directors, working with researchers within the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences and collaborating partners to enhance training and preparation for advanced degrees and careers in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other governmental agencies. The program targets high-performing minority students to address declining minority enrollment in forestry and natural resource programs nationwide.

Florida A&M University, a Historically Black College and University and 1890 land-grant institution, serves as the recipient through its Division of Research. The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, with performance in Tallahassee, Florida. McIntire-Stennis funds are expected to be fully expended in the fiscal year of appropriation, with current policy allowing up to 50 percent carryover into the next fiscal year, fully expended by September 30 of the carryover year.

IT strengthens the overall teaching and research capacity in CAFS and the university by promoting and stimulating research in forestry and natural resources that aligns with the goals of the mcintire-stennis cooperative forestry research program. Given the declining numbers of minority students who enroll in forestry and natural resource programs nationwide, the college of agriculture and food sciences (CAFS) is well-positioned to help change this trend, thanks to its historical record of recruiting, instructing, and graduating minority students in agriculture and related sciences. The MS program will help attract and facilitate the recruitment of high-performing students from 1862 and 1890 institutions in forestry and natural resource conservation, thereby increasing the number of graduates in the workforce for potential careers in the united states department of agriculture (USDA) and other governmental agencies. The MS scholars will participate in multidisciplinary research projects and work under the supervision of principal investigators/ program directors. These MS scholars will be provided with experiential learning opportunities to work with other researchers in the college or other institutions and collaborating partners. This approach is expected to further enhance their training, preparation, and motivation to acquire additional knowledge and pursue advanced degrees.