Top
Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser’s address (or “location”) bar.

SSL

This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that’s been signed by the U.S. government. The https:// means all transmitted data is encrypted  — in other words, any information or browsing history that you provide is transmitted securely.

USDA
United States Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  • About
  • Data Gateway
  • Budget & Legislation
  • Contact

GTranslate

EnglishEnglish
EnglishEnglishAfrikaansAfrikaansAlbanianAlbanianAmharicAmharicArabicArabicArmenianArmenianAzerbaijaniAzerbaijaniBasqueBasqueBelarusianBelarusianBengaliBengaliBosnianBosnianBulgarianBulgarianCatalanCatalanCebuanoCebuanoChichewaChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCorsicanCroatianCroatianCzechCzechDanishDanishDutchDutchEsperantoEsperantoEstonianEstonianFilipinoFilipinoFinnishFinnishFrenchFrenchFrisianFrisianGalicianGalicianGeorgianGeorgianGermanGermanGreekGreekGujaratiGujaratiHausaHausaHawaiianHawaiianHebrewHebrewHindiHindiHmongHmongHungarianHungarianIcelandicIcelandicIgboIgboIndonesianIndonesianIrishIrishItalianItalianJapaneseJapaneseJavaneseJavaneseKannadaKannadaKazakhKazakhKhmerKhmerKurdish (Kurmanji)Kurdish (Kurmanji)KyrgyzKyrgyzLaoLaoLatinLatinLatvianLatvianLithuanianLithuanianLuxembourgishLuxembourgishMacedonianMacedonianMalagasyMalagasyMalayMalayMalayalamMalayalamMalteseMalteseMaoriMaoriMongolianMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)Myanmar (Burmese)NepaliNepaliNorwegianNorwegianPashtoPashtoPersianPersianPolishPolishPortuguesePortuguesePunjabiPunjabiRomanianRomanianRussianRussianSamoanSamoanScottish GaelicScottish GaelicSerbianSerbianSesothoSesothoShonaShonaSindhiSindhiSinhalaSinhalaSlovakSlovakSlovenianSlovenianSomaliSomaliSpanishSpanishSudaneseSudaneseSwahiliSwahiliSwedishSwedishTajikTajikTeluguTeluguThaiThaiTurkishTurkishUkrainianUkrainianUrduUrduUzbekUzbekVietnameseVietnameseWelshWelshXhosaXhosaYiddishYiddishYorubaYorubaZuluZulu
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Programs
  • Grants
  • Tools
  • Newsroom
  • Impacts
  • Resources
  • Search

Search form

You are here

  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Small Business

Small Business

Small businesses often bring an innovative approach to challenges the agriculture industry faces. Defined as being staffed by 500 or fewer employees, small businesses are a key component of a strong economy. Their size allows them to exercise the flexibility and focus to pioneer ground-breaking research and innovation in fields such as agriculture-related manufacturing and energy technologies.

Importance of Small Business

Small businesses frequently offer a fresh perspective to addressing agricultural, social, and environmental issues. Through partnerships with universities and the private sector, small businesses are able to access the resources to develop innovative tools and strategies to meet public needs. 

These businesses help to drive economic development by providing:

  • Job opportunities
  • Groundbreaking research
  • Innovative technology

NIFA’s Impact

NIFA programs foster small businesses’ capacity to conduct high quality, advanced research on vital agricultural issues.

The agency’s initiatives are:

  • Stimulating technological innovation
  • Strengthening the role of small businesses in meeting federal research goals
  • Transferring USDA-supported research findings to the private sector
  • Increasing participation of women-owned and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses in technological innovation
 
  • Advanced Technologies
  • Animals
  • Business and Economics
    • Markets and Trade
    • Natural Resource Economics
    • Small Business
    • StrikeForce
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Farming and Ranching
  • Food Science
  • Health
  • Human Sciences
  • International
  • Natural Resources
  • Plants

Related Content

Latest Programs

  • Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture
  • Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities Program Area

Latest Blogs

  • Helping America’s Farmers, Ranchers, and Producers When They Need It Most
  • Ag Research Extends Beyond Crop Fields into Forests
  • Penn State Extension Program for Beginning Farmers Wins National Accolades
  • Grants
    • Search for a Funding Opportunity
    • Apply for a Grant
    • Wait for Grant Notification
    • Grant Payments
    • Manage a Grant
    • Close a Grant
    • NIFA Funding by Congressional District
  • Policies & Links
    • FOIA
    • Information Quality
    • Our Performance
    • Google Translate Disclaimer
  • USDA.gov
    • Report Fraud on USDA Contracts
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Plain Writing
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Open Government
    • Privacy Policy
    • Non-Discrimination Statement
    • WhiteHouse.gov
    • USA.gov
    • No Fear Act Data
  • Search
    • Visit NIFA
    • Capacity Grants
    • Organization Chart
    • Glossary
    • Land-Grant University Website Directory
    • Sitemap
    • Tools
    • Career Opportunities
    • Newsroom
    • Resources
      • Archive
Stay informed!
Subscribe Now
USDA (link is external)
United States Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Twitter Facebook GovDelivery
Flickr Youtube USDA RSS
LinkedIn