WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2007 - Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced today more than $14 million in food safety grants to researchers and educators at 17 universities throughout the United States. The USDA grants will focus on improving food safety nationwide, while reducing the incidence of food borne illness among children, adults and older Americans.

"USDA places a high importance on ensuring Americans have access to a safe food supply," Conner said. "These research projects will address food safety issues across a broad range of topics that include on-farm production, post-harvest processing, shipping, storage, food buying, food preparation and food consumption."

Each year, USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) awards National Integrated Food Safety Initiative (NIFSI) grant funds so that sound, practical, science-based knowledge can be shared among teachers, scientists, health professionals, researchers, farmers, food processors, food service workers and all who impact the safety of the U.S. food supply. NIFSI grant funds are frequently used to develop education and outreach programs for consumers.

The University of Georgia, for example, received $2.5 million to study the growth and survival of E. coli bacteria in soil and water and develop strategies to minimize E. coli contamination of leafy green vegetables grown in the United States.

Total Fiscal Year 2007 grants of $304,150 to $2.5 million were awarded to:

* Cornell University, $599,984

* Iowa State University, $509,252

* Kansas State University, $599,265

* Michigan State University, $578,681

* New Mexico State University, $599,691

* Ohio State University, $2.5 million

* Oregon State University, $596,440

* Purdue University, $599,972

* Tennessee State University, $599,814

* Texas Tech University, $597,652

* Texas Woman's University, $456,606

* University of California-Davis, $599,997

* University of Georgia, $2.5 million

* University of Georgia, $304,157

* University of Idaho, $598,926

* University of Missouri, $598,914

* University of Rhode Island, $480,264

* Utah State University, $596,396

CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education and extension program in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. For more information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.