Grants Archive

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

Japanese Encephalitis Virus Program Six Awards

Year Awarded 2024

FFAR award amount $661,355

Total award amount $1,322,710

Location Manhattan, KS

Program Japanese Encephalitis Virus Research Program

Matching Funders Swine Health Information Center

Epidemiology of JEV in Australian intensive piggeries
PI: Dr. Brendan Cowled, Ausvet Pty Lt

Vector competence and JEV pathogenesis and immunity in domestic pigs
PI: Dr. Angela Bosco-Lauth, Colorado State University

Understanding the threat of wild pigs and mosquitoes for JEV transmission to domestic swine farms
PI: Dr. Daniel Peach, University of Georgia

Building diagnostic capability for Japanese encephalitis virus in the US
PI: Katharine Bossart, Integrated Research Associates, LLC

Development of a pregnant sow model to study the pathogenesis of the emergent Japanese encephalitis virus genotype IV
PI: Dr. Jürgen A. Richt, Kansas State University

Translation of the highly safe, pure & potent IMOJEV® live, attenuated chimeric vaccine against JEV in humans to prevent infection & disease in swine
PI: Thomas Monath; Substipharm Biologics SA

Improving Fiber Hemp Quality Through Enhanced Retting Probiotics & Appropriate Harvest Timing

Year Awarded 2024

FFAR award amount $333,516

Total award amount $667,032

Location Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders Bast Fibre Technologies, Inc., IND HEMP, NC State University

Hemp growers strive to produce abundant, easily processed plant stems with high quality fibers, but little is known about the connection between harvest time, environment and fiber quality. Researchers led by NC State University are studying the impacts of harvesting time on fiber hemp and developing knowledge and technologies for fiber hemp processing.

Addressing On-Farm Bird Flu Outbreaks Linked to Wild Waterfowl

Year Awarded 2024

FFAR award amount $148,111

Total award amount $300,222

Location Davis, CA

Program Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders AgriNerds Inc.

Grantee Institution AgriNerds Inc.

The recent outbreak of H5N1 influenza, commonly called bird flu or avian influenza, originated in the wild bird population and jumped to farms, resulting in the loss of more than 100 million poultry and billions of dollars in the United States. AgriNerds Inc. researchers are identifying outbreak prevention strategies using the WaterFowl Alert Network (WFAN), the world’s first remote sensing tool designed to make daily predictions of where waterfowl roost.

Rapid Response to Novel Resistance-Breaking Strain of Pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum in Cultivated Strawberry

Year Awarded 2024

FFAR award amount $149,662

Total award amount $299,323

Location Davis, CA

Program Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders University of California, Davis

Grantee Institution University of California, Davis

Some 90% of the nation’s fresh strawberries are grown in California, but the crop is threatened by the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae (Fof) fungus, the rapid spread of which could harm both the availability of the popular fruit and growers’ livelihoods. With a ROAR grant, University of California, Davis researchers are conducting research to better understand and quickly combat the pathogen.

Grant Improves Stress Tolerance in Carrots

Year Awarded 2024

FFAR award amount $500,000

Total award amount $1,000,000

Location Davis, CA

Matching Funders Bayer, Bejo Zaden, Enza Zaden, Rijk Zwaan, Takii Seed Vilmorin Mikado

Grantee Institution University of California, Davis

Carrot growers face a variety of both climate and biological threats, including water access and diseases such as Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria), a disease that can reduce yield by 40-60%. Some cultivated carrots are partially resistant to Alternaria but still require frequent fungicide applications to fully protect crops from this disease. University of California, Davis researchers are tapping into the genetic diversity of wild carrots to breed Alternaria resistance and the ability to grow in water-deficient conditions into cultivated carrots.

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 Novel Cell-Surface-Receptor Strategy for Mitigating Mycotoxins

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $1,000,000

Total award amount $2,727,930

Location Evanston, IL

Program Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders 2Blades, Bayer Crop Science, Mars

Corn is one of the most consumed crops globally; however, crop diseases are a major threat to yield. A danger associated with corn consumption is mycotoxins - chemicals produced by certain fungi that grow within the corn plant that cause illness and death in humans and animals. 2Blades is using new genetic tools to develop corn that has strong, long-lasting resistance to these fungi

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

163 Grants found

Japanese Encephalitis Virus Program Six Awards

Improving Fiber Hemp Quality Through Enhanced Retting Probiotics & Appropriate Harvest Timing

Improving Hemp Quality Through Harvest Timing & Enhanced Processing

Addressing On-Farm Bird Flu Outbreaks Linked to Wild Waterfowl

Rapid Response to Novel Resistance-Breaking Strain of Pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum in Cultivated Strawberry

Grant Improves Stress Tolerance in Carrots

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

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 Novel Cell-Surface-Receptor Strategy for Mitigating Mycotoxins

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

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

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

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

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

FFAR Vet Fellows Fifth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Fourth Cohort

FFAR Vet Fellows Third Cohort

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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