FFAR is Making an Impact

Ben Klick is a fifth-generation crop farmer in Northeast Ohio. He was involved with the FFAR-funded Soil Carbon Project with Dr. Lal at The Ohio State University. The research looked at ways to increase carbon sequestration on farm lands, providing tools and data to help farmers across the United States and around the world, reach their full potential as a carbon sink.

Eric Ziehm is the owner of High Meadows of Hoosick dairy farm, located near Hoosick Falls, New York. Since 2017, he has been a direct organic dairy supplier to Stonyfield Organic. His farm participates with OpenTEAM, the first open-source technology ecosystem in the world to address soil health and mitigate climate change through providing research and decision-making tools while demonstrating a collaborative approach to agriculture challenges.

Jeff Lakner operates Lakner Farms, a 4500 acre diversified crop and livestock farm in east central South Dakota. He has served on FFAR’s Advisory Council related to crop research since 2017 . Comprised of farmers like Jeff, scientists and industry experts, FFAR’s Advisory Council focusing on crop research has evaluated new food, forage and fiber crop research proposals that are adaptable and economically viable

Joe Del Bosque is primarily an organic melon farmer, but he also grows almonds, cherries and processing tomatoes in the Central Valley of California. He joined to FFAR Board of Directors in order to bring a west coast perspective to the emerging climate, pest and disease risks that farmers in California face.

Kyle Bridgeforth is the owner of a fifth-generation row-crop agribusiness, Bridgeforth Farms, in Tanner, Alabama. There, they use modern technology and agronomics to grow high quality agriculture products and use modern traceability and revenue management efficiencies.

Dr. Mandadi is an Associate Professor and Principal Investigator in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center. Candidatus Liberibacter spp. Are pathogens that contribute to billions of dollars in crop losses annually, but could not be grown in a lab environment…yet. Equipped with a FFAR grant, Dr. Mandadi and his team set to change that course. They developed a way to grow the bacteria in a laboratory setting, which allowed them to test and evaluate new treatments. Learn more about Dr. Mandadi’s breakthroughs here.

Dr. McFadden is an associate professor of Dairy Cattle Biology and animal science at Cornell University. His research group leads the development of Cornell’s Accelerating Livestock Innovations for Sustainability program. Their focus is on animal health, performance, nutrition and the environmental impact. With a FFAR Seeding Solutions grant, Dr. McFadden and his team are able to investigate causes and remedies for milk decrease in dairy cows during hot weather. An especially important breakthrough with emerging climate change. Learn more about Dr. Mcfadden’s breakthrough here.

This study has immediate application. If we can understand the nutrient requirements that a cow has during a heat-stress event, we could revolutionize the dairy cattle industry by ensuring she’s getting what she needs to maintain optimum health and performance.

With a FFAR grant, Peter Byck is leading a research team with on-farm research documenting whether adaptive, multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is better for the environment, as well as being more profitable for farmers. In addition to the scientific findings, Byck is directing a four-part documentary highlighting their results and the experiences of farmers using them, called “Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there)” - which will be available May 28 for streaming, at rootssodeep.org. Learn more about Byck’s breakthroughs here.

Dr. Archer is the Perennial Systems Specialist at the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania. She received a 2023 FFAR NIA grant to assist in her research into exploring low-input fruit and nut tree species in organic systems throughout the Northeast United States. These breakthroughs in species selection will maximize ecosystem health while being economically viable for organic farmers.

Erika Ibarra-Garibay is a doctoral student at Iowa State University and a 2023 FFAR Fellow. Her research looks into environmental and pesticidal stressors on native bumble bees which are crucial crop pollinators. She chose to apply for the FFAR Fellows program to take advantage of the holistic training provided to strengthen her research skills and professional development. Learn more about Ibarra-Garibay and her research here: