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

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158 Grants found

Decreasing Pulmonary-Associated Mortality in Feedlot Cattle Using Refined Case Definitions & Predictive Analytics, Emphasizing Acute Interstitial Pneumonia & Late Day BRD

Metabolomic analysis of blood plasma to identify unique biomarkers indicative of liver abscesses

Associations between feeding & management practices of beef-on-dairy cattle from birth to harvest with liver abscesses

Promoting antimicrobial stewardship through improved understanding of how feedlot cattle are classified based on BRD risk

Antimicrobial Use Monitoring & Benchmarking in U.S. Feedyards

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Investigating waterless decontamination and application potential in transportation biosecurity

What is the cost of disease for grow-finish producers?

FFAR Vet Fellows Sixth Cohort

A multiplexed chemical sensor system to automate non-invasive, in-ovo sex determination for the poultry industry

Leveraging landrace genomics to rapidly engineer thermotolerant cassava

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

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

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High-throughput in-ovo sexing of chicken eggs using hyperspectral imaging & Raman spectroscopy

Project Ella

Modeling for genomic, blood & microbiological markers for liver abscesses in fed beef cattle

Understanding liver abscess pathogenesis & risk-factors of feedlot cattle reared in conventional beef versus dairy management systems

ICASA: Defining the contribution of acidosis to the liver abscess complex using novel challenge model to delineate impacts of diet composition and feeding management on liver abscess pathogenesis

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Acoustic Monitoring to Support Mass Cattle Treatment Decisions

An International Collaboration for Combating Fusarium Wilt in Cotton

Field trial of rice gene-edited rice for drought tolerance

Elucidating the genetic basis for sub-tropical flowering in hemp

Breeding and Characterizing New Cultivars of Grain and Fiber Hemp

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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

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

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

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

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

Developing Tomato Lines Resistant to Broomrape, a Critical World-wide Pest

Enabling African Scientists: The African Plant Breeding Academy CRISPR Course

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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

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Grant Improves Stress Tolerance in Carrots

FFAR Vet Fellows Fifth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Fourth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Third Cohort

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Validation of Efficacy of a Protective DIVA-Compatible Prototype African Swine Fever Virus Vaccine

Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program Round One Projects

Plant-XR: A New Generation of Breeding Tools for Extra-Resilient Crops

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

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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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FlockFocus Camera-Based Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare 

FFAR Grant Promotes Sorghum Health Benefits

ICASA: Antimicrobial Use Monitoring and Benchmarking in U.S. Feedyards

ICASA: Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle; further delineation of the etiology and pathogenesis

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ICASA: Fecal microbiota transplant to reduce post-weaning diarrhea and antibiotic use

ICASA: Novel Strategies to Improve Understanding of Liver Abscess Formation and Mitigation in Beef Cattle

ICASA: Pathogen-host interaction during the development of liver abscesses; local and systemic immune and metabolic responses during Fusobacterium necrophorum challenges

Novel Strategies to Improve the Understanding of Liver Abscess Formation in Beef Cattle

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ICASA: Improving the efficacy of vaccination against mycoplasma hyosynoviae by identifying optimal application times

Improving the Efficacy of Vaccination Against Mycoplasma Hyosynoviae by Identifying Optimal Application Times

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ICASA: Risk Factors for Lameness in Finishing Pigs

ICASA: Development of a non-invasive model to induce liver abscess formation in cattle

Genomic foundation for neodomestication and breeding of a halophytic grain crop, Distichlis palmeri

Fecal Microbiota Transplant to Reduce Post Weaning Diarrhea & Antibiotic Use

Risk Factors for Lameness in Finishing Pigs

Pathogen-Host Interaction During the Development of Liver Abscesses; Local & Systemic Immune & Metabolic Responses During Fusobacterium Necrophorum Challenges

Defining the Contribution of Acidosis to the Liver Abscess Complex Using a Novel Challenge Model to Delineate Impacts of Diet Composition & Feeding Management on Liver Abscess Pathogenesis

Further Delineation of the Etiology and Pathogenesis of Liver Abscesses in Feedlot Cattle

Development of a Non-Invasive Model to Induce Liver Abscess Formation in Beef Cattle

High protein aquatic plants for controlled environment indoor farms

Mitigating antibiotic use in aquaculture through vaccination

More Beans (MB): A Next Generation Legume for Healthy Urban Food

High dimensional phenomics and automation to transform cost and timeframe of early stage domestication of wild plants

Creating Science-Based Strategies for Gene Editing Communications

FFAR Awards Cornell University a Grant to Treat Udder Infection in Dairy Cattle

Scalable breeding for plant growth to address the challenges of climate change

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Improving Protein Content & Quality in Peas

Grant Supports Production of Sustainable, Cost-Effective Feed Supplements

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Scaling Crops for Sustainable Water Management: Building Supply Chains

Capitalizing on the Unique Viscoelastic Properties of Corn Zein for A New Commercial Plant-Based Protein

Consumer Understanding of Advances in Animal Welfare

Addressing keel bone fractures in laying hens housed in cage-free aviary systems using nutrition and management interventions

A Multi-Scale Approach to Unearth the Root of Plant Disease Resistance

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Rapid Response to Coffee Leaf Rust

Breeding drought & heat tolerant wheat

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

FFAR Grant to Develop Vaccine for Tilapia Lake Virus

Precision Bred Adaptation of Elite Taurine Breeds of Beef & Dairy Cattle

Genome Editing Wheat for Durable & Sustainable Disease Resistance

Accelerated Development of Crops of the Future

Biological Control of Cattle Fever Ticks in South Texas

Noninvasive Wellness Monitoring of Broiler Growout Using Continuous Audio Analytics

Development of an Automated Broiler Gait Score and Flock Activity Assessment System

Smart Monitoring of Broiler Welfare using Camera Technology and Machine Learning

Innovative On-Farm Broiler Welfare Assessment Using Imaging Techniques

Flockfocus – Developing Automated Surveillance Tools to Safeguard Chicken Welfare

OpticFlock: Automated Monitoring of Broiler Chicken Behavior That Prioritizes Animal Welfare

National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food & Agriculture Research: Zachary Lippman

FFAR Grant Supports Climate Smart Beef and Dairy Production

Metagenomic Probes for the Rapid Identification of the Microbiome Community in A Wheat Rhizospheremodel System

A Systematic Approach to Improve Heifer Selection and the Sustainability of Beef Production.

Improving the Nutritional Quality of Tomatoes

Tools to Detect and Understand Spread of African Swine Fever Virus

A Microchip-based Chemical Sensor For Early-Stage in Ovo Sex Determination of Layer Chicks

Innovative Techniques for Fast in Ovo Sexing in Poultry By Detection of Gender Specific Volatiles

Multidimensional Spectral Mapping for Sex Determination of Avian Eggs

Orbem.ai: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Meets Artificial Intelligence for Automated and Non-invasive in Ovo Sex Determination

Rapid and Non-invasive Egg Sex Indentification Using Artficially Intelligent Platform

Spatializing the Environmental Impacts of U.S. Dairy Supply Chains

Development of Prevention, Detection and Response Strategies for the Asian Lognhorned Tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis)

Evaluation of feed additives to mitigate the risk of viral-contaminated feed to pigs

Addressing future global dairy demand: Targeting the gut-liver axis to promote heat stress resilience in dairy cattle

National Academy of Sciences Prize in Food and Agriculture Research: Elizabeth Ainsworth

Feed the Future Fall Armyworm Tech Prize

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Crops of the Future: Corn Drought Resistance

Effects of Asymptomatic Listeriosis on Dairy Cattle Fecal Microbiota

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Crops in Silico 3.0

Renewal: RIPE: Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency for Sustainable Increases in Crop Yield

Crops in Silico 1.0

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FFAR Awards $1.4 Million to Purdue University, University of California, Davis and University of Edinburgh Researchers to Improve Health and Productivity of Egg-Laying Hens

Stopping A New Threat to The Lettuce Industry in Florida: Fusarium Wilt

Improving Dairy Feed Efficiency, Sustainability and Profitability by Impacting Farmer’s Breeding and Culling Decisions

Toward Responsible Pacific Bluefin Tuna Mariculture in the United States: Captive Reproduction, Hatchery Research and Product

Sustainable Control Tactics for Spotted Wing Drosophila in Tart Cherry

Red Seaweed

Maine Scallop Aquaculture Initiative

Maximizing the Delivery of Water-Soluble Substances While Minimizing the Impact of the Carrier Particles on Fish Larvae

Development of Environmental Conditioning Practices to Decrease Impacts of Climate Change on Shellfish Aquaculture

An Integrated Approach to Improve Whole Herd Pig Survivability

Automated Computer Vision System for Tracking Individual Pig Activity and Locomotion in Nursery/Finisher Group Housing

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Protein-Based Thermotolerance Markers for Sustainable Legume Protein Production

Automated Individual Poultry Vaccination to Aid in Antibiotic Removal

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Harnessing Endophytes to Improve Crop Efficiency and Production

Ecology and Evolution of Bacterial Leaf Streak of Maize

Crops of the Future Initial Project: Leafy Greens

Impacts of the Rearing Environment on Keel Bone Integrity, Spatial Awareness Abilities of Laying Hens

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Developing CRISPR-Cpf1 Genome Editing Technologies for Crop Improvement

Development of a Farmer-Focused Disease Prevention and Preparedness Tool

Identifying Short-term Solutions for Managing Allium Leafminer in Allium

The Validation of a Novel qPCR Assay for the Detection of Brucella suis

Shielding U.S. Palm Industries from the South American Palm Weevil Invasion

Stolen Kiss – an advanced breeding solution for the animal welfare trait of genetic castration

Enhancing Animal Protein through Crops and Cattle

A Practical Phenotypic Solution to Reduce Keel & Skeletal Bone Damage in Laying Hens

Plant-Nanoparticle Hybrids: Optimize Crop Engineering and Nutrient Delivery

Mitigation of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus in Kansas and U.S. High Plains

Developing Massively Parallel Sequence for Agricultural Surveillance

A Novel Bioassay for Culturing and Characterizing Fastidious Phytopathogens

Enhancing Crop Pollination, Pest Control and Yield in Urban Agriculture

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Decreasing Pulmonary-Associated Mortality in Feedlot Cattle Using Refined Case Definitions & Predictive Analytics, Emphasizing Acute Interstitial Pneumonia & Late Day BRD

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $1,223,474

Total award amount   $2,446,948

Location   Manhattan, KS

Matching Funders   Colorado State University, Innovative Livestock Services, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding K-State Mississippi State University, Nanostring, Texas A&M University and Veterinary Research & Consulting Services

Grantee Institution   Kansas State University

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), commonly called “shipping fever,” is a serious animal welfare concern and costs U.S. ranchers about $900 million annually. BRD infected cattle generally die from late day pulmonary disease triggered by secondary bacterial diseases, like acute interstitial pneumonia. A multi-disciplinary team is researching how to prevent late day pulmonary disease from developing in these cattle to provide veterinarians and producers with information to make informed prevention and treatment decisions and help the beef industry use antibiotics more judiciously.

Investigating waterless decontamination and application potential in transportation biosecurity

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   $102,283

Location   St. Peter, MN

Program   Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders   Swine Health Information Center and the Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution   Swine Vet Center

This project investigates the efficacy of a new waterless technology for the mobile application of heat and hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in trailers and provide an alternative method for achieving necessary transport sanitation.

What is the cost of disease for grow-finish producers?

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   $171,985

Location   Pipestone, MN

Program   Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders   Swine Health Information Center and the Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution   Pipestone Research

This project seeks to understand the cost of common diseases detected in grow-finish hogs through quantification of disease outcome indicators, such as mortality and weight gain. Costs of disease will be compared to costs required for implementation of different biosecurity practices to provide producers an objective understanding of the potential opportunity cost forfeited through poor biosecurity.

FFAR Vet Fellows Sixth Cohort

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   $10,000 per student

Location   Washington, D.C.

Matching Funders   American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) announced the 15 recipients of the 2024 Veterinary Student Research Fellowships (Vet Fellows) in partnership with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). This fellowship creates opportunities for veterinary students to pursue research on global food security and sustainable animal production.

A multiplexed chemical sensor system to automate non-invasive, in-ovo sex determination for the poultry industry

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $494,956

Location   Davis, CA

Program   Egg-Tech Prize

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy

Grantee Institution   SenseIT Ventures, Inc.

Commercially, chicks can only be sexed after they hatch, requiring producers to devote time and resources to incubating male chicks, only to cull them. Yearly, over six billion male layer chicks are culled when hatched because there is no commercial use for them. This research team is continuing development of an innovative microchip-based chemical sensor that captures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from individual eggs as early as eight days into incubation. Machine learning can interpret the VOCs to classify eggs by gender. This research is supporting the integration of microchip sensors with a custom automated egg handling machine that sorts the sexed eggs.

High-throughput in-ovo sexing of chicken eggs using hyperspectral imaging & Raman spectroscopy

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $499,331

Location   De Klomp, The Netherlands

Program   Egg-Tech Prize

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy

Grantee Institution   HatchTech Group

Commercially, chicks can only be sexed after they hatch, requiring producers to devote time and resources to incubating male chicks, only to cull them. Yearly, over six billion male layer chicks are culled when hatched because there is no commercial use for them. This research team is using hyperspectral imaging and Raman spectroscopy to develop a commercially applicable optical technique for sexing hatching eggs by extracting and analyzing small droplets of the embryos’ allantoic fluid at the eighth day of incubation.

Project Ella

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $495,990

Location   Leiden, The Netherlands

Program   Egg-Tech Prize

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy

Grantee Institution   In Ovo

Commercially, chicks can only be sexed after they hatch, requiring producers to devote time and resources to incubating male chicks, only to cull them. Yearly, over six billion male layer chicks are culled when hatched because there is no commercial use for them. This research is further developing and scaling in-ovo sexing technology that measures a naturally occurring biomarker within the embryos’ waste fluid. This fluid differs between the sexes, allowing sorting the eggs by sex on the ninth day of development with high accuracy.

Modeling for genomic, blood & microbiological markers for liver abscesses in fed beef cattle

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $633,462

Location   Lubbock, TX

Matching Funders   Genus ABS, Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC, Texas Tech University, Veterinary Research & Consulting Services, LLC

Grantee Institution   Texas Tech University

Liver abscesses in cattle are a significant problem for beef and dairy cow producers, jeopardizing animals’ health and costing producers approximately $30 million annually. The condition occurs when bacteria cross from an animal’s gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and accumulate in the liver. This research is investigating genetic markers and biomarkers that contribute to the formation of liver abscesses to allow producers to make more informed breeding and management decisions to reduce susceptibility in cattle and reduce reliance on antimicrobial treatments.

Understanding liver abscess pathogenesis & risk-factors of feedlot cattle reared in conventional beef versus dairy management systems

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $600,340

Location   Canyon, TX

Matching Funders   West Texas A&M University

Grantee Institution   West Texas A&M University

Liver abscesses in cattle are a significant problem for beef and dairy cow producers, jeopardizing animals’ health and costing producers approximately $30 million annually. The condition occurs when bacteria cross from an animal’s gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and accumulate in the liver. This research is evaluating liver abscess development in feedlot cattle reared in conventional beef versus dairy management systems to provide insight into liver abscess pathogenesis and identify biomarkers that assess the risk of liver abscessation.

Metabolomic analysis of blood plasma to identify unique biomarkers indicative of liver abscesses

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $248,641

Total award amount   $497,282

Location   Manhattan, KS

Matching Funders   Cargill, Kansas State University, Tyson Foods, United Animal Health

Grantee Institution   Kansas State University

Liver abscesses in cattle are a significant problem for beef and dairy cow producers, jeopardizing animals’ health and costing producers approximately $30 million annually. The condition occurs when bacteria cross from an animal’s gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and accumulate in the liver. This research is evaluating a comprehensive ‘biochemical fingerprinting’ in blood plasma collected from beef cattle with and without abscesses in the liver. Unique biomolecules in the blood of cattle with liver abscesses can help detect the onset and progression of liver abscesses and can aid evaluating antibiotic alternatives for prevention.