The USDA national institute of food and agriculture (nifa) southern regional aquaculture center (srac) is one of five regional aquaculture centers established by congress in 1985

Mississippi State University received a $934,421 Project Grant award dated September 15, 2025, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants program (CFDA 10.200). The award supports the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC), one of five congressionally established regional aquaculture centers, through September 14, 2030. The SRAC develops and funds competitive research projects addressing priority needs identified by the region's aquaculture industry, with the mission to enhance viable and profitable U.S. aquaculture production benefiting consumers, producers, service industries, and the American economy.

Under this grant, Mississippi State University will conduct aquaculture research, development, education, and demonstration activities aligned with industry-identified priorities. The center will develop project proposals, fund competitive awards to address regional aquaculture challenges, and disseminate findings through annual reports and project documentation available at www.srac.msstate.edu. Expected outcomes encompass advancements in aquaculture production systems, genetics, disease management, climate resilience, and economic viability of U.S. aquaculture operations, with deliverables supporting both the southern regional aquaculture sector and broader national food security objectives.

The mission of the srac is to support aquaculture research, development, education, and demonstration to enhance viable and profitable U.S. Aquaculture production to benefit consumers, producers, service industries, and the american economy. IT accomplishes this mission by developing and funding competitive project proposals to address priority needs identified by the region's aquaculture industry. Expected outcomes and anticipated benefits for each of the center-funded projects is presented in the annual reports and those reports as well as the project proposals are posted on the center's web site at WWW.srac.msstate.EDU.