Grants Archive

Awarded Grants
Below is a listing of our awarded grants that tackle big food and agriculture challenges.

Integrating genomics, milk spectrometry & microbial manipulations to mitigate enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $1,556,634

Total award amount $3,301,496

Location Madison, WI

Matching Funders Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, ADM, the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), Elanco, Genus plc, JBS USA, the National Dairy Herd Information Association, Nestlé and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC)

Grantee Institution University of Wisconsin–Madison

Cows and other ruminant animals produce enteric methane as part of their natural digestive process. This methane is the single largest source of direct greenhouse gases in the beef and dairy sectors. This research is combining interventions that address selective breeding, data on milk composition, and rumen microbes to gain the necessary knowledge to inform the selective breeding of U.S. dairy cattle with lower emissions.

Hydrogen production and hydrogen utilization in the rumen of beef & dairy cattle: Key rumen microbiome measurements to understand mechanisms controlling methanogenesis & mitigating enteric methane emissions

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $1,066,820

Total award amount $3,221,254

Location Champaign, IL

Matching Funders Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, ADM, the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), Elanco, Genus plc, JBS USA, the National Dairy Herd Information Association, Nestlé, the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grantee Institution University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Cows and other ruminant animals produce enteric methane as part of their natural digestive process. Microorganisms in the rumen use hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce large volumes of methane. This methane is the single largest source of direct greenhouse gases in the beef and dairy sectors. This project studies how diets and different additives affect hydrogen production and utilization in the rumen of both beef and dairy cattle and how these changes in hydrogen dynamics affect the amount of enteric methane produced.

Using sensors & psychological profile to increase compliance of wean to market barn biosecurity

Year Awarded 2023

Total award amount $125,930

Location St-Hyacinthe, QC

Program Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center & Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution University of Montreal

One of the biggest farm biosecurity challenges is the enforcement of safe and hygienic behaviors from barn workers and visitors. To better understand biosecurity compliance, this research is using social and behavioral sciences to adapt interventions and establish improved biosecurity behaviors.

Development of an effective & practical biosecurity entrance system

Year Awarded 2023

Total award amount $179,933

Location Columbia, MO

Program Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center & Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution University of Missouri

A common practice to minimize the introduction of disease in swine barns is for everyone entering a swine facility to use a shower-in and shower-out system. However, it is a challenge to enforce the use of these systems across all farm workers and personnel. This research is evaluating the effectiveness of an innovative, easy-to-use biosecurity-effective entry system for commercial pig farms to replace the laborious shower-in and shower-out system to provide a simplified, effective alternative for barn entry and exit.

Self-vaccinating pigs to save labor, improve efficacy & enhance biosecurity: Mhp, IAV, Ileitis & Erysipelas evaluations

Year Awarded 2023

Total award amount $119,018

Location Lubbock, TX

Program Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center & Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution Texas Tech University

Pigs commonly receive vaccines by intramuscular injection, which requires significant skilled labor that is in short supply and costly to producers. This research is developing and testing the efficacy of an automated, self-administering, needle-free vaccination system for four common pathogens, which has the potential to offer producers a faster, less labor intensive and more effective way to vaccinate swine and improve overall barn biosecurity.

Comparison of a rail-mounted automated power washer to a commercial manual power washing crew in terms of cleanliness, manpower & water usage efficiency

Year Awarded 2023

Total award amount $61,100

Location Pipestone, MN

Program Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center & Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution Pipestone

Barn washing is a critical biosecurity measure. However, the traditional use of commercial power washing crews who move their washing equipment from one farm to another can transfer pathogens from barn to barn, presenting a biosecurity risk. To establish improved barn washing protocols that could be managed onsite by producers, this research is testing a robotic washing system that reduces the labor needed from outsourced washing crews and, thereby, the risk of disease transmission.

Determining the economical & epidemiological benefit of cleaning & disinfecting market haul trailers within the U.S. swine industry

Year Awarded 2023

Total award amount $28,875

Location Mahomet, IL

Program Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center & Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution Lowe Consulting, Ltd.

Trailers hauling pigs to market have the potential to transmit diseases. Yet, transportation vehicles are not always cleaned and disinfected to prevent contamination, thereby threatening wean-to-market biosecurity. This study is using modeling to determine the minimum number of transport vehicles that need to be decontaminated to stop specific pathogens from spreading.

Scaling Quantified and Verified Soil Health, Climate and Natural Resources Outcomes from U.S. Agriculture in an Innovative Ecosystem Services Market Program

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $5,150,000

Total award amount $10,300,000

Location Falls Church, VA

Matching Funders Ecosystem Services Market Consortium

Grantee Institution Ecosystem Services Market Consortium

The agriculture sector contributes about 11% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, which impacts climate change. FFAR invested in the Ecosystem Services Market Research Consortium for research that creates sound social, economic and environmental outcomes to benefit producers, local communities, supply chain companies and consumers through the expansion of Eco-Harvest, an ecosystem services market program.

A holistic approach to improving keel bone health of breeders and commercial layer hens

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $1,499,686

Total award amount $2,999,372

Location Davis, CA

Program Layer Hen Keel Bone Health Program

Matching Funders Hy-Line International; Open Philanthropy

Grantee Institution University of California, Davis

This research is bringing an interdisciplinary approach to the complex, multi-faceted challenge of keel bone damage. The research team is aiming to decrease the occurrence of keel bone damage by examining the birds’ housing environments and assessing the key relation and role of genetics. The researchers are identifying genetic markers associated with keel bone damage in breeding flocks raised under different housing environments and improving genetic selection to promote resistance to keel bone fractures. They are also evaluating the effects of housing design interventions on the development, type and prevalence of keel bone damage. Finally, the researchers are exploring alternative housing designs and conducting economic analyses to determine the costs and gains from the proposed adjustments to breeding and housing designs.

Using the power of functional genomics and genetics to reduce keel bone damage

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $1,489,326

Total award amount $3,991,105

Location Edinburgh, UK

Program Layer Hen Keel Bone Health Program

Matching Funders Hy-Line International; Lohmann Breeders GmbH; Open Philanthropy; Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Universidad de Granada; University of Alberta

Grantee Institution University of Edinburgh

The research consortium is using genetic selection to address keel damage. The team is using x-ray images and machine learning to refine and validate the measurements of bone quality and keel damage in living hens to inform the selection of hens to reduce keel bone damage. This work is also examining if breeding programs for improved keel health need to vary depending upon poultry housing design. The consortium’s work also is exploring the relationship of age at puberty on bone strength by manipulating diet and light to delay puberty and measuring the resulting effects on bone quality. Finally, they are determining whether a diet that produces lower homocysteine, an amino acid, increases collagen strength and improves keel quality.

Awarded GrantsBelow is a listing of our awarded grants that tackle big food and agriculture challenges.

341 Grants found

Integrating genomics, milk spectrometry & microbial manipulations to mitigate enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle

Hydrogen production and hydrogen utilization in the rumen of beef & dairy cattle: Key rumen microbiome measurements to understand mechanisms controlling methanogenesis & mitigating enteric methane emissions

Using sensors & psychological profile to increase compliance of wean to market barn biosecurity

Development of an effective & practical biosecurity entrance system

Self-vaccinating pigs to save labor, improve efficacy & enhance biosecurity: Mhp, IAV, Ileitis & Erysipelas evaluations

Comparison of a rail-mounted automated power washer to a commercial manual power washing crew in terms of cleanliness, manpower & water usage efficiency

ICASA Grant Analyzes Antimicrobial Data on Farms

Determining the economical & epidemiological benefit of cleaning & disinfecting market haul trailers within the U.S. swine industry

Scaling Quantified and Verified Soil Health, Climate and Natural Resources Outcomes from U.S. Agriculture in an Innovative Ecosystem Services Market Program

A holistic approach to improving keel bone health of breeders and commercial layer hens

National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food & Agriculture Research: Huaijun Zhou

Using the power of functional genomics and genetics to reduce keel bone damage

Development of Novel Methanogenesis Inhibitors in Ruminants

Investigating Natural Nitro-Compounds as a Viable Strategy to Reduce Enteric Methane Emission from Ruminants

Grant Investigates Naturally Occurring Compound to Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions

Kirchner Food Fellowship HBCU 2023-2024 Cohort

Kirchner Food Fellowship Inaugural HBCU Cohort (2021-22)

FFAR Grant Develops Premium Strawberry Flavors for Indoor Growing Environments

FFAR Vet Fellows Fifth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Fourth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Third Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Second Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Inaugural Cohort

FFAR Program Aims to Catalyze Development of Underutilized Crops, India

FFAR Program Aims to Catalyze Development of Underutilized Crops, Davao del Sur, Philippines

FFAR Program Aims to Catalyze Development of Underutilized Crops, UK

Food Waste Challenge, Oregon

Food Waste Challenge, Ohio

AgMission™ Funds Global Producers’ Consultation to Improve Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption

Food Waste Challenge, Florida

FFAR, NPB Seek to Improve Air Quality on Pig Farms, Indiana

FFAR, NPB Seek to Improve Air Quality on Pig Farms, South Dakota

Protecting Florida Corn from Tar Spot Outbreak

Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program Round One Projects

Iowa State University Organic Agriculture Program (ISU OAP)

Grant Aims to Close Biosecurity Gap in U.S. Swine Production

FFAR Awards $2 Million Grant to Improve Sustainability in Corn Production

Impact of Prairie on Reducing Interacting Stressors on Pollinator Health

FFAR & WUR Launch Nature-Based Future Challenge

New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award

Periodic Table of Food Initiative

ICASA Awards Grants to Develop Animal-Health Monitoring and Diagnostic Technologies

Determining Environmental and Biological Conditions Influencing Lettuce Discoloration, Yield and Leaf Quality

Advancing DEI in Sharing Carbon & Ecosystems Services Information

Enhancing Tools to Model Climate and Environmental Impacts in Organic Agriculture Systems

University of Wisconsin-Madison Organic Grain Resource and Information Network

Identifying Proteins Required for Immunity to ASFV

Analyzing the Efficacy of Live-vectored Prototype ASFV Subunit Vaccines

Fast Tracking Climate Solutions from Global Germplasm Banks

Accelerating Genetic Gains in Maize & Wheat for Improved Livelihoods

Harnessing Translational Research Across a Global Wheat Improvement Network for Climate Resilience

Assessment of the Available Literature and Gap Analysis on the Use of Industrial Hemp as an Animal Feed

Understanding the roots of soil health

FlockFocus Camera-Based Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare

Audio-Based Monitoring Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare

OPTICFLOCK Camera/Computer System Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare

Integration of Agroforestry as a Transformative Solution to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Organic Farms

University of Tennessee Receives FFAR Grant to Help Address Food Waste Challenges

FFAR Grant Addresses Food Waste Reduction Challenges

Oregon Tilth

Rethinking seafood by-product: A path to provide sustainable nutrition and improve resource utilization

Pollinator Health Extension and Metrics in the Pacific Northwest

Invasive Weeds, Fire, and Livestock Grazing – Understanding the Impact of Interacting Stressors on Native Pollinator Health in Range and Pasturelands

OATS (Organic Agronomy Training Service)

Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Reinvestment

FFAR Grant Advances Equitable Food Access

The Ohio State University Study Examines Soil Organic Carbon-Enhancing Practices

FFAR Grant Combats Disease in Lettuce Crops

Development of new alphaamylase immunoassays to preserve wheat grain value and accelerate breeding for climate resilience

Urban farming at the Water, Food, Energy Nexus: soil health practices with agrivoltaic impacts on crops, soils, carbon, and water

UC Davis Receives FFAR Grant to Help Improve Vineyard Soil Health

Advancing Water Policy for Agricultural Sustainability

Accelerating Breeding Technology to Develop New Crops

Leveraging landrace genomics to rapidly engineer thermotolerant cassava

Using novel genes from wild germplasm to boost protein content in cultivated chickpea

FFAR Awards Grant to Reduce Water Waste in Crop Irrigation

Genetic and microbial determinants of nitrogen fixation in a Sierra Mixe landrace of maize

Increasing Dietary Fiber in Wheat Crop

Awarded Grants
Below is a listing of our awarded grants that tackle big food and agriculture challenges.