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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><img width=141 height=36 style='width:1.4652in;height:.375in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DD3C60.245F5F60"></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear USWBSI Community,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI) is pleased to announce a special request to update and build upon its <a href="https://scabusa.org/pdfs/AAE774.pdf"><span style='color:#467886'>2017 Economic Impact of USWBSI’s Scab Initiative to Reduce FHB study</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>USWBSI’s research investments in small grain production have led to new Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) resistant varieties, quantified the effectiveness of fungicides, and established integrated disease management strategies. To ensure these advancements continue to drive adoption and demonstrate value, an updated economic analysis is required to quantify the current real-world financial losses prevented by USWBSI-funded mitigation efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We encourage you to consider this opportunity as well as to share with your ag economist colleagues who you think may be interested. Proposals submitted under this special request should refine the financial impact metrics of FHB and mitigation efforts using current yield, price, and management cost data, including a full Return-on-Investment (ROI) analysis. Full proposal requirements, <b>submission instructions and proposal templates are available on the <a href="https://scabusa.org/request_research_funding"><span style='color:#467886'>USWBSI Research Funding Opportunities</span></a></b> page. Please keep in mind, this is being established as a special request and will be facilitated as a subaward with a short notice and submission window. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Please submit all proposal materials to the NFO via the </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://forms.gle/3XHVMvAe2QWjbLTH7"><b><span style='color:#467886'>USWBSI Economic Impact Submission Form</span></b></a><b> by September 18, 2026.</b> For questions regarding submission guidelines or scope, contact the NFO directly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Key Deadlines & Submission Timeline<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>September 18, 2026 Proposal & Supporting Document Submission<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>September 21–30, 2026* Proposal Review & Funding Determinations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Early October, 2026* PI Notification of Decisions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Eary October – April 30, 2027 Period of Subaward<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>*Review and notification dates are projected and subject to change. The USWBSI Networking & Facilitation Office (NFO) will notify all submitters of final timing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='color:#0E2841'>______</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0E2841;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='color:#0E2841'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='color:#0E2841'>Michelle Bjerkness<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Director of Operations</span></i><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><a name="m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663"><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#0E2841'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#0E2841'>U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Networking & Facilitation Office (NFO)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>495 Borlaug Hall | 1991 Upper Buford Circle | St. Paul, MN 55108</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><br></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:m_2463604685091156584__Hlk74295663'></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#222222'><a href="mailto:nfo@scabusa.org" target="_blank"><span style='color:#1155CC'>nfo@scabusa.org</span></a> | 517.290.5023 | </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#414141'><a href="https://scabusa.org/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#1155CC'>https://scabusa.org</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Twitter </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#156082'><a href="https://twitter.com/USWBSI"><span style='color:#156082'>@USWBSI</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> | Linkedin </span><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#156082'><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/uswbsi"><span style='color:#156082'>#uswbsi</span></a></span></u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#156082'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>