CSU awarded $10M USDA grant

Central State University (CSU) received a $10 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for a sustainable agriculture systems project.

The project, Sustainable Use of a Safe Hemp Ingredient, called SUSHI, will research the use of hemp as an aquaculture feed, training aquaculture producers and increasing the production of healthy fish in the Menominee Nation, said Brandy E. Phipps, a CSU research assistant professor who wrote the grant and will serve as the project’s lead investigator.

“It is further designed to also provide workforce training to increase the Native American and African American graduates in agriculture,” Phipps said. “The partnership with College of Menominee Nation will create cross-cultural learning opportunities and experiential learning experiences for students from both institutions.”

The five-year project will be led by the College of Engineering, Science, Agriculture, and Technology. It partners different Land-Grant Institutions to increase diversity in the agricultural workforce and develop economically and environmentally sustainable hemp and aquaculture systems, Phipps said.

Aquaculture involves breeding, raising and harvesting of fish, shrimp and other waterbased products.

The project includes partnerships with the College of Menominee Nation, Kentucky State University, University of Delaware, University of Kentucky and Mississippi State University.

Central State is the only Ohio university and Historically Black College or University to receive an SAS project, according to its release.