Manjit Misra
Ames, IA (April 24, 2023) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has named Manjit K. Misra as its new director.
USDA announced the appointment today. Misra will assume his new role on May 8, with a swearing-in ceremony in Washington, DC.
“Dr. Misra is an esteemed scientist and educator whose devotion to studying and sharing his knowledge of seeds with the world will benefit society and inspire generations to come,” saysUSDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I am confident he will bring strong leadership and expertise to USDA as we continue our work to invest in and grow initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and food systems.”
As he takes on this national leadership position, Misra will retire from Iowa State University after a nearly 45-year career as a faculty member in agricultural and biosystems engineering and 32 years as director of the university’s Seed Science Center.
“NIFA’s role is to catalyze transformative discoveries, education and engagement so that we are able to address our most pressing agricultural challenges — food security, climate variability and change, water resources, sustainable bioenergy, childhood obesity prevention and food safety,” Misra says. “I am excited and, at the same time, humbled by the opportunity to take on these challenges at the national level and to bring the benefits of transformational research to all agriculture, all farmers and consumers.”
“Dr. Manjit Misra is a visionary who has dedicated his career toward the goal of seeding a food-secure future,” says Daniel J. Robison, holder of the endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State. “USDA’s selection of Dr. Misra as its next NIFA director represents an incredible opportunity for Dr. Misra to make a difference nationally and is a testament to his unparalleled service and skills as a leader, researcher, educator and communicator. We will miss Manjit, but we look forward to working with him in this new role, for which he is uniquely qualified.”
Misra joined Iowa State in 1979 to initiate a seed extension program and in 1991, became director of the Seed Science Center. Since then, the SSC has grown from a campus unit that served local needs, to a globally recognized center of excellence with approximately 190 affiliated faculty, staff and graduate students conducting programs in 79 countries.
The center operates the largest, most comprehensive public seed laboratory in the world, testing samples from 300 seed species annually and for 350 pathogens. In 2001, the USDA designated the SSC as administrator of the National Seed Health System, charged with ensuring that seeds exported from the U.S. are disease-free. The center also houses the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products, which Misra founded in 2003 to provide unbiased information on biosafety issues for genetically modified agricultural products.
As a researcher, Misra is the principal or co-investigator in numerous externally funded research projects, the author or co-author of 137 publications and an innovator with 10 technology patents.
As an educator, Misra has made a significant impact on supporting and mentoring future seed industry leaders. This includes his leadership to develop Iowa State’s Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business, launched in 2007. Delivered globally via distance education, the program has had students from 21 states and 14 countries.
Misra is also known as a skilled communicator. His commitment to conveying the beauty of seeds and their importance in the fight against hunger to new audiences led to the development of the documentary film series “Seeds! Diversity of Wonder,” which has received numerous distinctions, including two prestigious Telly awards.
Misra chaired the USDA National Genetic Resources Advisory Council (NGRAC) from 2012-2017. He has also served on many local, national and international boards and committees, including the Steering Committee for the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) International Conference on Biotechnology and the Scientific Advisory Council of the American Seed Research Foundation.
His awards for leadership include the Distinguished Service Award from the American Seed Trade Association, a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the Global Agricultural Leadership Award from the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture, the Sukup Global Food Security award and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ AE50 Award for product innovation.
Misra grew up near the Bay of Bengal in India, where he helped oversee rice and sugarcane harvesting on his family’s sharecrop operation. He received his bachelor’s degree in soil and water conservation engineering from Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India, and earned both a master’s degree in agricultural engineering and a doctorate in food and process engineering from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
An interim director for the Seed Science Center will be named soon, with a search to follow.
Related Article: Lulu Rodriguez Appointed Interim Director of Seed Science Center at Iowa State University 5/04
ASTA Applauds Appointment of Dr. Manjit Misra as NIFA Director
Alexandria, VA (April 26, 2023) — The American Seed Trade Association commends USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack for his appointment of Dr. Manjit Misra as the new director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
“Dr. Misra is a world renowned leader in the plant sciences and breeding community," says Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of ASTA. “Under his 30-year leadership of the Iowa State University Seed Science Center, he has shown his unique ability to drive solutions for seed related challenges at the national and international levels. He has developed the center into a global resource for excellence in seed science, technology and systems.
"We look forward to working with Dr. Misra in his new role with NIFA as he strives to achieve the goals of the institute.”
USDA Names Key Leader At National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Madison, WI (April 28, 2023) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of Manjit K. Misra as the new Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The NIFA Director leads the agency’s work in advancing agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges.
Misra will start his new role on Monday, May 8.
"We are excited to add Dr. Misra's leadership and expertise to our team as we continue to transform our nation’s food and agricultural system,” says Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Research, Education, and Economics Under Secretary. “NIFA, with its unique research, education, and Extension partnerships, and the current unprecedented investments we have toward building the next generation of ag professionals, is well positioned to address the complex challenges we face in agriculture.”
Prior to joining USDA, Misra served as a Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. For more than 30 years, he was Director of the university’s Seed Science Center. The center has administered the National Seed Health System, authorized by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, since 2001. Misra also was founding Director of the Iowa State’s Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products.
In 2012, Misra was appointed Chair of the USDA National Genetic Resources Advisory Council (NGRAC), a position he held until 2017. Misra has served on more than 60 local, national, and international boards and committees. These include the Steering Committee for the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) International Conference on Biotechnology, the Scientific Advisory Council of the American Seed Research Foundation, the Board of Directors of the Iowa Seed Association, the Iowa Crop Improvement Association, and the First the Seed Foundation.
On behalf of ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, we congratulate Misra on his new role and look forward to working with him to advance agronomic, crop, and soil sciences.
About the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences aimed at enhancing the food supply, natural resources and human sciences. The public agency was created by Congress through the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).
About the Seed Science Center
The Seed Science Center at Iowa State University is recognized as a global center of excellence in seed science, technology and systems. The center engages more than 190 faculty, affiliated faculty, staff and students in cutting edge research, education, training and global programs. It houses the Seed Laboratory, which has provided accurate, professional seed testing services to the seed industry for more than 100 years. SSC’s mission is to improve production, quality assurance, marketing, utilization and regulatory environment of seed through research, testing, teaching, outreach and international programs.
About the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University is one of the world’s leading institutions of agriculture, with more than 160 years of leadership in research, education and extension. The college has more than 300 tenured and tenure eligible faculty, 105 term faculty, 450 professional and scientific staff and 47 merit staff in 14 departments, eight of which are co-administered with another college.
About the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA)
Founded in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) represents over 700 companies involved in seed production, plant breeding and related industries in North America. ASTA is the leading voice of action in all matters concerning the development, marketing and movement of seed, associated products and services throughout the world. The association's broad membership offers varieties from alfalfa to zucchini and all production types including conventional, organic and biotech. ASTA promotes the development of better seed to produce better crops for a better quality of life.