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

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8 Grants found

Elucidating the genetic basis for sub-tropical flowering in hemp

Breeding and Characterizing New Cultivars of Grain and Fiber Hemp

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Evaluation of the Efficacy, Agronomic Fit & Environmental Fate of Biopesticides for Management of Economically Important Diseases & Arthropod Pests of Hemp

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

Multistate characterization of agronomic performance of hemp cultivars, including sterility of new triploid cultivars

Impact of spectra and intensity of LED supplemental lighting on morphology, growth, flower yield, and phytochemical content of Cannabis Sativa

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Breeding and Genetics of Disease Resistance, Flowering Time, and Cannabinoid Content in Hemp

Analysis of Terpenes and Neutral Cannabinoids Using Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry and Genotyping of Hemp Using the SureSelect System

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Elucidating the genetic basis for sub-tropical flowering in hemp

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $840,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Hemp growers have been largely limited to varieties of hemp cultivated in Canada or Europe, but these crops do not thrive in all growing regions of the U.S. Cornell University researchers aim to understand the genetic basis of photoperiod threshold, which is the amount of light a plant needs to achieve flowering and other types of development. Researchers will also use whole genome sequencing to understand the genetic basis for flowering time variation and develop molecular markers to speed breeding for southern-adapted cultivars. These selections will be further bred to produce cultivars with a photoperiod matched to North Carolina, Florida and similar locations.

Breeding and Characterizing New Cultivars of Grain and Fiber Hemp

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $750,000

Total award amount   $1,500,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   International Hemp

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Hemp growers have been largely limited to varieties of hemp cultivated in Canada or Europe, but these crops do not thrive in all growing regions of the U.S. Cornell University researchers are also developing varieties of hemp that will deliver higher yields, especially at lower latitudes in the U.S. The research team is developing new hemp cultivars using marker-assisted selection that show promise in southern latitudes and have specific desirable traits. Cornell breeders are selecting for late-flowering individuals grown in trials in New York, North Carolina and Florida that also produce high yields of CBD, which has never been achieved before.

Evaluation of the Efficacy, Agronomic Fit & Environmental Fate of Biopesticides for Management of Economically Important Diseases & Arthropod Pests of Hemp

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $210,000

Total award amount   $420,000

Location   Geneva, NY

Matching Funders   BioWorks

Because federal laws restricted hemp cultivation and research until recently, commercial hemp production lacks best practices, including effectively and safely managing pests and diseases. Academic and industry partners are collaborating to identify biopesticides – biologically derived crop protection products – that can control hemp’s major pest and disease threats. Researchers are studying the effectiveness of biopesticides, their compatibility with other crop protection products and the ability of hemp plants to tolerate biopesticide applications.

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

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $6,972

Total award amount   $13,944

Location   Lexington, KY

Matching Funders   International Hemp, University of Kentucky Research Foundation

Grantee Institution   University of Kentucky

Hemp grain and fiber have a favorable amino acid profile compared to other grains and excellent omega-3 fatty acid compounds, giving them potential as a feed additive for both companion pets and livestock. However, under current Food and Drug Administration and Center for Veterinary Medicine guidelines, hemp is prohibited for inclusion in the diets of livestock, primarily due to safety concerns of possible THC and other chemical transference to the animals or to humans through meat consumption. University of Kentucky researchers are identifying and organizing previous scientific studies using hemp as animal feed to find knowledge gaps that could identify future research opportunities and develop research goals that could more rapidly lead to federal approval of hemp grain and fiber as feed additives.

Multistate characterization of agronomic performance of hemp cultivars, including sterility of new triploid cultivars

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $51,627

Total award amount   $103,254

Location   Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders   NC State University, Oregon CBD

Grantee Institution   NC State University

Increased field production of grain and fiber hemp results in significant amounts of wind-dispersed pollen. Pollination of floral hemp grown for cannabinoids can result in reduced yield and unmarketable quality due to the presence of seeds, which is unacceptable in smokable flower. Consequently, farmers growing floral hemp require tools to minimize the threat of pollination. NC State University researchers are studying sterile varieties of hemp for their potential to retain sterility over multiple growing seasons, and gathering data on these varieties’ flowering and harvest, seed production, floral biomass and cannabinoid concentrations.

Breeding and Genetics of Disease Resistance, Flowering Time, and Cannabinoid Content in Hemp

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $150,000

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   Cornell University, The Scotts Company LLC

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Cornell researchers are focusing on breeding for traits that help adapt hemp to different regions and growing environments, including outdoor and controlled environments. Top priorities include understanding the genes controlling flowering time, mildew resistance and minor cannabinoid production in hemp. The researchers aim to develop molecular markers for the genes controlling these traits to facilitate breeding.

Analysis of Terpenes and Neutral Cannabinoids Using Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry and Genotyping of Hemp Using the SureSelect System

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $251,000

Total award amount   $502,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   Agilent Technologies, Cornell University

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Cannabis can produce high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, which help defend against pests and have potential economic, pharmacological and societal value. Mapping the genes in hemp that control the production of these compounds is a critical first step in developing genetic markers that can be used in breeding programs. Cornell researchers are using an Agilent Technologies mass spectrometry platform to examine the diversity of cannabinoids and terpenes produced by hemp, ultimately assisting breeding for defense against herbivores and for compounds with pharmacological and wellness value.

Impact of spectra and intensity of LED supplemental lighting on morphology, growth, flower yield, and phytochemical content of Cannabis Sativa

Year Awarded  2022

FFAR award amount   $100,000

Total award amount   $200,000

Location   Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders   The Scotts Company LLC

Grantee Institution   NC State University

The electricity for lighting cannabis grown in controlled environments in the U.S. is estimated at $896 million annually. Energy-efficient LED adoption could result in 34 percent energy savings, but there is a lack of scientifically validated information on light intensity and quality for optimal yield and phytochemical—CBD and related cannabinoids—content. NC State researchers are focusing on the impact of UV, blue, green, red and far-red light and their interaction for nursery yield, flower yield, phytochemical concentration and profitability. This project will also reveal cannabis’ response to light intensity and provide information on how additional light affects yield and revenue.