The FFAR Board of Directors includes 19 voting members, and five ex-officio members designated by Congress. FFAR’s non-voting ex officio members are the stewards of the Foundation's close partnerships with the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Specifically, these members provide insight into the federal research enterprise and ensure that FFAR’s work complements USDA and NSF research.
Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum chairs the FFAR board, which includes the current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
The voting members on FFAR’s inaugural board were selected from lists of nominees provided by industry and the National Academy of Sciences.
Appointed Members
Dr. Doug Buhler
Director, MSU AgBioResearch and Assistant Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies
Dr. Doug Cameron
Managing Director
Dr. Nancy Creamer
Distinguished Professor of Horticulture and Sustainable and Community-Based Food Systems
Dr. Debby Delmer
Professor Emeritus
Dr. Rob Horsch
Deputy Director, Agricultural Research and Development
Dr. Mehmood Khan
Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Global R&D
Dr. Michael Ladisch
Director of the Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering
Dr. Chris Mallett
Retired Corporate Vice President, Research and Development
Dr. Pam Marrone
Founder and CEO
Dr. Terry McElwain
Regents Professor Emeritus, Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health
Dr. Stanley Prusiner
Professor of Neurology and Director of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dr. Yehia "Mo" Saif
Professor Emeritus of the Food Animal Health Research Program of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
Mr. Bob Stallman
Past President
Dr. Alton Thompson
Executive Director
Ex Officio Board Members
Sonny Perdue
Secretary of Agriculture
Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young
Administrator, Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Thomas Shanower
Acting Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
