Pioneering the Next Frontier of Food & Agriculture Research

FFAR's Research Strategy

FFAR unveiled a new Research Strategy in late 2023. We are transitioning from Challenge Areas to focus on four overarching Research Priorities that foster greater collaboration across disciplines.

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Food & Agriculture Thought Leaders Share Their Insights

Insights provide an opportunity to share important views, perspectives, research and opinions about current food and agriculture topics.

FFAR Benefits American Farmers FFAR Benefits American Farmers

Benefitting American
Farmers

Understand how FFAR is leveraging federal investment and helping ensure U.S. competitiveness.

    FFAR unveils a research strategy. Read more.

    Our Research Addresses Critical Priority Areas

    Our bold research in each Priority Area advances solutions to complex agriculture issues and challenges that farmers currently face.

    • Agroecosystems
      Our Agroecosystems research deepens our understanding of how agriculture system interactions with surrounding environment.
    • Food Systems
      Our Food Systems research promotes the availability of nutritious foods, improves human health, develops novel food processes and products and advances the U.S. food system’s functionality.
    • Production Systems
      Our Production Systems research supports animal and crop systems by increasing productivity, combating pest and disease, supporting animal welfare and safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods.
    • Scientific Workforce

    Our Impact

    We invest in research that produces actionable results, which benefit farmers, consumers and the environment. Our research results are publicly available.

    • 360+ grants awarded
    • 1:1.4 ratio of FFAR funding to matching funds
    • 550+ funding partners

    Results That Go FFAR

    Our Breakthroughs outline findings and successes resulting from FFAR-funded research.

    See all breakthroughs

    Documenting Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing’s Benefits

    Breakthrough for Quantifying the Advantages of Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing Compared to Conventional Continuous Grazing in the U.S. Southeast & Northern Great Plains

    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

    A new Cornell-led study funded by a Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) Seeding Solutions grant has found a nutrition-based solution to restore milk production in heat-stressed cows, while also pinpointing the cause of the decline. This study’s breakthroughs will inform further research that could reveal how different feed additives or changes to the staple diet of cows across the U.S. can sustainably increase milk production, even as temperatures continue to climb. Currently, sprinklers and fans are the primary ways used to mitigate heat stress on cows, but these strategies consume water, burn fossil fuels and only restore about 60% of milk production.

    Diagnosing Coffee Leaf Rust & Slowing Its Spread

    Breakthrough for Protecting Coffee from Leaf Rust Disease

    The Latest

    Insights

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

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    Closing the Loop

    Madeline Desjardins, FFAR Fellow

    Washington State University

    Importance of Bacteria in Identifying Bovine Respiratory Disease

    Ruth Eunice Centeno Martinez

    FFAR Fellow, Purdue University

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

    Krysta Harden headshot

    Krysta Harden

    President and CEOUS Dairy Export Council

    The Innovation Dilemma: Why Adoption Rates for Agricultural Technologies Lag Behind

    Enrique Pena Martinez Headshot

    Enrique Pena Martinez, FFAR Fellow

    Raleigh, North Carolina

    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, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

    Champaign, IL

    Finding a New Way to Control Weeds in Cotton.

    Sarah Chu

    Sarah Chu

    FFAR Fellow, Texas A&M University

    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

    The Algae-rithm of Sustainable Agriculture: Can Algae Replace Harmful Pesticides and Fertilizers?

    Mira Conyers

    Protecting the Vidalia Onion

    Sujan Paudel

    FFAR Fellow

    Irrigation’s Role in Ensuring Global Food Security

    Luke Reynolds

    Irrigation Association

    A Biomass Carol: Bioenergy for The Future

    Ekramul Ehite

    FFAR Fellow, University of Tennessee-Knoxville

    Illuminating Pest Management with the Help of the Washington State Wine Commission

    Alexa McDaniel

    FFAR Fellow, Washington State University

    Global Agriculture Leaders See How Maryland Farmers Use Land-based Tools to Benefit Waterways

    Ernie Shea

    President, Solutions from the Land

    FFAR Vet Student Fellow Research Spotlight

    Anna Schaubeck

    2021 FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellow

    Celebrating Innovation on National Egg Day

    Paul Montgomery

    Paul Montgomery

    Director of Communications, United Egg Producers

    Organic Ag Podcast Features Innovative Industry Topics

    Kathleen Delate

    Professor, Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University 

    Going Nuts: Nut Crops as Climate Resilient Protein Alternatives for the Future

    Matt Davis

    University of California, Davis

    News

    The latest news and updates from FFAR.

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    FFAR Awards Savanna Institute a Grant to Inform Agroforestry Adoption

    FFAR & The Organic Center Invest $632,000 into the Future of Organic Farming

    Greener Cattle Initiative Opens Call for Enteric Methane Emission Research

    FFAR Grant Addresses Emerging Pine Needle Diseases

    FFAR Accepting Pre-Proposals for 2024 Seeding Solutions

    FFAR Grant Provides Data on Nitrogen Management Practices in the Great Plains

    FFAR & AAVMC Open Applications for 2024 FFAR Vet Fellows

    Japanese Encephalitis Virus Research Protects US Swine

    Dr. Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra Awarded the 2024 NAS Prize in Food & Agriculture Sciences

    FFAR Grant Reduces Nitrogen Inputs, Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    FFAR Seeks Nominations for 2024 New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award

    FFAR Grant Develops Mitigation Tactics for Cocoa Frosty Pod Rot

    Grant Transforms Wastewater to Crop Fertilizer

    FFAR Unveils New Research Strategy

    FFAR & Open Philanthropy Announce Egg-Tech Prize Finalists

    ICASA Grants Seek to Address Liver Abscess Formation in Cattle

    Climate-Smart Agriculture: Key Findings from WFO and AgMission™ Producers’ Consultation

    Developing Smart Breeding Methods to Increase Crop Resilience

    $16 Million Grant Increases Crop Yields, Improves Sustainability & Profitability

    ICASA Awards Grants to Address Antimicrobial Resistance in Cattle & Swine

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