Cultivating Thriving Production Systems

Our Production Systems research supports animal and crop systems by increasing productivity, combating pests and diseases, supporting animal welfare and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods.
Our Production Systems research supports animal and crop systems by increasing productivity, combating pests and diseases, supporting animal welfare and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods.

Contact Information:

science@foundationfar.org

Partnerships & Development Contact:

Lauren Hershey
lhershey@foundationfar.org

Open Opportunities

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Prioritizing Production Systems Research

The global demand for affordable, nutritious food continues to increase, as do the challenges for farmers and ranchers to produce it. To overcome these challenges, the U.S. agriculture system must maintain productivity in the face of climate change, diseases and pests; improve animal health and welfare including the judicious use of antibiotics; ensure access to healthy affordable food, all while minimizing environmental impacts.

FFAR-funded research develops scientific solutions to these challenges. To safeguard food supplies, we also fund research directed at new and emerging food production threats. We focus on research that advances animal health and welfare; economic, social and environmental benefits; accelerated plant breeding and seed production; and producers’ ability to make informed decisions.

Our Production Systems Priority Area supports animal, crop and integrated crop-animal research.

Animal Systems Research 

FFAR supports research to enhance dairy, beef, egg and poultry, swine and aquaculture production. We focus on rigorous scientific research that addresses the urgent problems producers face and develop science-based solutions to improve animal health and welfare, advance environmental sustainability, bolster producer profitability and sustain our food supply.

Crop Systems Research 

FFAR supports crop production research to provide producers with resilient, nutritious, sustainable and productive crops and cropping systems. We focus on pioneering scientific research that advances breeding and seed production technologies, improves crop resilience and productivity and creates economic security and opportunities for farmers while offering environmental benefits and increasing food security.

Production Systems Research Themes:

Crop Resilience & Productivity

This theme advances research that delivers crop productivity and resilience against biotic and abiotic stress.
Angus cows on green pasture

Integrated Animal Health, Welfare & Productivity

This theme supports research that improves animal health and welfare while maintaining or increasing productivity.

Economically Viable Systems

This theme supports research that designs and assesses adaptive, resilient production systems to advance farmers’ and ranchers’ profitability now and into the future.
Chicken in a green pasture

Environmental Sustainability

This theme advances research to cultivate efficient animal and crop systems that protect and regenerate natural resources.

Production Systems Consortia

Crops of the Future Collaborative

Crops of the Future, a public-private collaborative, expands our knowledge of the traits that give rise to characteristics crops need to adapt to a changing future.

Greener Cattle Initiative

The Greener Cattle Initiative is a consortium of stakeholders who share knowledge, leverage investments and accelerate research to identify, develop and/or validate scientifically sound, commercially feasible and socially responsible practices and technologies that reduce enteric methane emissions from dairy and beef cattle to slow the effects of climate change.

Hemp Research Consortium

The Hemp Research Consortium fosters a deeper understanding of the relationship between genes, physiology and the environment to optimize industrial hemp production.

International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA)

The International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) advances research on antimicrobial stewardship in animal agriculture. This public-private partnership promotes the judicious use of antibiotics and improves animal welfare.

Production Systems Grant Programs

Accelerated crop research banner.

Accelerated Crop Breeding

This research increases the transferability of advanced breeding methods to accelerate the development of diverse crop species suited to sustainable agriculture and improved human nutrition.

EggTech program banner.

Egg-Tech Prize

The Egg-Tech Prize seeks to revolutionize global egg production by offering up to $6 million in prizes to develop a technology that determines an egg’s sex before it hatches.

Woman in white lab coat and protective eyewear in a research lab at a computer with a virus on the screen

H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program

Proactively enhancing prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response capabilities for H5N1 influenza in the U.S. swine herd.

Cage-free layer hen

Layer Hen Keel Bone Health Program

Bone fractures, which cause pain and decrease egg production, are one known challenge to raising hens in cage-free housing systems and are particularly prevalent in the keel, or breastbone. To address this issue, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and Open Philanthropy are launching the Keel Bone Health program to decrease the occurrence of keel bone injuries and improve welfare in commercial laying hens.

Hands in a pile of red lentils.

Plant Protein Enhancement Project

Our Crops of the Future Consortium’s Plant Protein Enhancement Project is creating the necessary tools to feed the growing demand for plant-based proteins.

Veterinarian examining pigs.

Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

The ROAR program supports research and outreach in response to emerging threats to the nation’s food supply or agricultural systems.

Man planting a seed in a field

Seeding Solutions

Seeding Solutions is our annual grant program that funds research pioneering science in each of our Research Priorities. We specifically support projects that convene unique partners from across the food and agriculture sector to solve bold challenges.

SMART Broiler program banner.

SMART Broiler

The SMART Broiler research initiative is offering multiple grants to develop technologies that objectively assess broiler chickens’ welfare in commercial facilities.

Two scientists analyzing vegetables

USDA-FFAR Innovation Challenge

The “Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs” Innovation Challenge funds early-career scientists to lead collaborative, interdisciplinary teams on groundbreaking research that addresses nutrition security.

Former Programs

Farmer with pigs in a pen.

Accelerating Advances in Animal Welfare

The Accelerating Advances in Animal Welfare program supports the development of innovative solutions to keel bone fractures in cage-free layer hens and alternatives to swine castration.

Program Closed
 Close-up Tender First Sprouts of soybean in the open field.

Enhancing Soybean Nutrition While Increasing Yield

The Soybean Nutrition Enhancement Project funds research to increase and improve soybean protein and amino acid composition. Projects funded through this program support soybean farmers, the U.S. soybean industry and the U.S. economy.

Program Closed
 Corn leaf damaged by fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda.Corn leaves attacked by worms in maize field.

Fall Armyworm Tech Prize

The Fall Armyworm Tech Prize funds digital solutions to stop the spread of fall armyworm in Africa - a pest that is demolishing millions of acres worth of crops across the continent and threatening food security. The tools funded by this prize allow smallholder farmers to identify, track and prevent fall armyworm infestations.

Program Closed
 Rice farmer dealing with drought conditions.

Increasing Climate Resilience in Crops

Our Increasing Climate Resilience in Crops Program is developing solutions to increase crops’ tolerance for higher temperatures.

Program Closed
 Close up of one white pig seated behind and standing in front, against blurred background of ground, staring at viewer

Japanese Encephalitis Virus Research Program

Proactively protecting the health of the U.S. swine herd by enhancing the prevention, preparedness and response capabilities for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a transboundary disease risk for U.S. introduction.

Program Closed
 Shutterstock image of a field.

Pollinator Health Fund

We developed the Pollinator Health Fund to combat the economic and environmental impacts of declining pollinator populations in the U.S. and aid in pollinator recovery.

Program Closed
 Throwing capsules.

Sustainable American Aquaculture

The Sustainable American Aquaculture Program advances bold research supporting sustainable American fish and shellfish production.

Program Closed
 Many white piglets coming down a concrete aisle in a commercial setting

Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Proactively enhancing wean-to-harvest biosecurity will help control the next emerging disease in the U.S. pork industry and improve U.S. swine herd health.

Program Closed

Production Systems Grants

FFAR Rapid Funding Develops Pest Management Program for Sweet Corn

Year Awarded  2025

FFAR award amount   $146,243

Total award amount   $351,670

Location   Olathe, CO

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   AgBiTech, Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Colorado State University, Colorado West Sweet Corn Administrative Committee, Lepidext, Mountain Fresh, Mountain Quality Marketing, Soil Health Services, Tuxedo Corn Company

Grantee Institution   Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

Flockfocus – Developing Automated Surveillance Tools to Safeguard Chicken Welfare

Year Awarded  2025

FFAR award amount   $399,616

Location   Belfast, Northern Ireland

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation

Grantee Institution   Queen’s University Belfast

OpticFlock: Automated Monitoring of Chicken Behavior That Prioritizes Animal Welfare – Part II

Year Awarded  2025

FFAR award amount   $271,865

Location   Oxford, United Kingdom

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation

Grantee Institution   University of Oxford

See all Production Systems Awarded Grants

The Latest

Insights

Our Insights highlight unique perspectives from across the food and agriculture community.

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Smarter Pest Management for Soybean 

Taynara Possebom

2024-2027 FFAR Fellows

H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program 

Drs. Jasmine Bruno & Megan Niederwerder

The Aim For Healthy, Productive & Environmentally Friendly, Southeastern Beef Calves 

Federico Tarnonsky

FFAR Fellow (2022-2025), University of Florida

Time Teaches Biosecurity Importance 

Kevin Schulz

Kevin Schulz

Editor, The Farmer/Farm Progress

Greener Cattle Initiative is Game Changer for Dairy’s Future 

Dr. Juan Tricarico

Dr. Juan Tricarico

Senior Vice President, Environmental Research, Dairy Management Inc.

Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions from Dairy Cattle 

Francisco Penagaricano headshot

Dr. Francisco Peñagaricano and Dr. Guillermo Martinez Boggio

Let’s Raise a Glass on National Milk Day to the Power of Agriculture Research 

Krysta Harden headshot

Krysta Harden

President and CEO U.S. Dairy Export Council

Building Team Chemistry: The Bigger Picture Behind Cows & Climate 

Conor McCabe headshot

Conor McCabe

Animal Biology Graduate Student, UC Davis

Insight on Livestock Methane Mitigation 

Dr. Rod Mackie

Dr. Rod Mackie, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Champaign, IL

Indigenous Farmers are Leading a “New Green Revolution” Focused on Hemp 

James DeDecker, Director, Michigan State University – Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center Mary Donner, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians – Ziibimijwang Farm Executive Director and Tribal Citizen

FFAR Vet Student Fellow Research Spotlight 

Agricultural study in progress.

Anna Schaubeck

2021 FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellow

Celebrating Innovation on National Egg Day 

Paul Montgomery

Paul Montgomery

Director of Communications, United Egg Producers

Going Nuts: Nut Crops as Tasty Protein Alternatives for the Future 

Matt Davis

University of California, Davis

How Heat Stress Impacts Swine Health 

Portrait of Lauren Anderson.

FFAR Fellow, Lauren Anderson

North Carolina State University

Building Tools for Plant Genome Editing 

Portrait of Simon Sretenovic.

FFAR Fellow, Simon Sretenovic

University of Maryland, College Park

Tackling Malnutrition with Biofortification 

Portrait of Aicha Waziri.

Aichatou Djibo Waziri

Washington State University

Wheat: already delicious and now nutritious 

Portrait of Addy Carroll.

Addison Carroll

FFAR Fellow

Dusting the Soil for Fungus-Prints: Spinach Seed Production and One of its Greatest Threats 

Portrait of Batson.

Alex Batson

Washington State University

A day on the Battlefield: Searching for Perennial defenses in wild places 

Portrait of Kelsey Peterson.

Kelsey Peterson

2019-2022 FFAR Fellow

News

The latest news and updates from FFAR.

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FFAR Rapid Funding Develops Pest Management Program for Sweet Corn 

FFAR & McDonald’s Invest to Revolutionize Chicken Welfare & Production 

FFAR Rapid Research Builds Diagnostic Tools & Vaccine for Avian Metapneumovirus 

FFAR Research to Protect Vegetable Crops from Invasive Pest 

FFAR Rapid Research Develops H5N1 Waste Stream Surveillance Tool 

FFAR & AAVMC Open Applications for 2025 FFAR Vet Fellows 

FFAR Grant Seeks to Decrease Corn Inputs, Increases Climate Resiliency 

Seeding Solutions Grant Helps Develop Corn Resistant to Fungal Disease 

SHIC/FFAR Fund Six Japanese Encephalitis Virus Research Projects 

Grant Improves Hemp Fiber Processing & Quality 

FFAR Research Addresses On-Farm Bird Flu Outbreaks Linked to Wild Waterfowl 

SHIC, FFAR & Pork Checkoff Announce H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program & RFP 

ROAR Funding Protects Strawberries from Dangerous Pathogen 

FFAR Aims to Help Farmers Manage Manure More Sustainably & Profitably 

Hemp Research Consortium Grant Examines Biopesticides for Hemp Treatment 

Seeding Solutions Grant Developing Tomato Resistance to Parasitic Weed 

Crops of the Future Grant Improves Stress Tolerance in Carrots 

ICASA Award Addresses Antimicrobial Stewardship for Bovine Respiratory Disease 

Swine Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program Funds Additional Research 

FFAR Names Sixth Cohort of Veterinary Fellows 

Breakthroughs

Tools, technologies and strategies from the research we fund.

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Unlocking Genetic Heat Tolerance in Cattle 

Breakthrough for Precision Bred Adaptation of Elite Taurine Breeds of Beef & Dairy Cattle

Accelerating Crop Development with Improved Haploid Fertility 

Breakthrough for Accelerated Development of Crops of the Future

Radiography could transform poultry breeding 

Breakthrough for FFAR Awards $1.4 Million to Purdue University, University of California, Davis and University of Edinburgh Researchers to Improve Health and Productivity of Egg-Laying Hens

Research Pinpoints Why Dairy Cows Produce Less Milk in Warm Weather and Develops Nutrition-Based Solution 

Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Helps Heat-Stressed Dairy Cows Weather Increasing Temperatures

Getting to the Root of the Problem: Fastidious Pathogens 

Breakthrough for A Novel Bioassay for Culturing and Characterizing Fastidious Phytopathogens

Feed Additives Stop Viral Disease Spread, Researchers Find 

Breakthrough for FFAR-Funded Research Finds Feed Additives Stop the Spread of Viral Diseases

Initial Successes in Ending Surgical Castration of Swine 

Breakthrough for FFAR Awards $500,000 Grant to Improve Swine Health and Well-Being

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