The nonprofit Seattle Jobs Initiative will receive a $3.6 million grant to set up and operate a Center of Excellence to help states hone the employment and training programs offered through the food stamp program, the USDA announced. The center is part of an initiative in the 2014 farm law to help poor people find jobs and move up the employment ladder. Abt Associates, a consulting company, will be a partner in the two-year project. The USDA said the center will serve as a hub to collect and share information about successful elements of jobs programs. In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack cited estimates that in the near future two-thirds of jobs will require education above the high school level.