FFAR Awards $9.4 Million to Spur Next Leap in Agriculture: Improved Soil Health to Optimize Economic and Environmental Results for U.S. Farmers
Wayne Honeycutt
President and CEO of the Soil Health Institute
Year Awarded 2017
FFAR award amount $9,400,000
Total award amount $20,000,000
Location Morrisville, NC
Matching Funders General Mills, the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust, Midwest Row Crop Collaborative, Monsanto (Bayer), Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Walmart Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and individual donors
Grantee Institution Soil Health Institute
There is no standardized measurement for soil health in the United States; instead, different sets of measurements and methods can conflict and confuse farmers and field conservationists. Furthermore, many landowners of rented farmland are not aware of the benefits soil health improvements can deliver. This project will help the industry adopt standardized measurements to evaluate and improve soil health while expanding education and tools for local farmers, agronomists and landowners.
The needs for advancing soil health are far greater than any single organization can provide – public or private. That’s why this project is so important. It leverages public funds authorized by Congress through the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research with resources provided by other foundations and corporations through the combined capacities of the Soil Health Institute, Soil Health Partnership and The Nature Conservancy. This kind of partnership creates a way to advance soil health for the benefit of all who need safe, high-quality products from agriculture, natural resources to sustain human and all other life, thriving communities and a strong economy. In other words, it benefits everyone.
Wayne Honeycutt
President and CEO of the Soil Health Institute
Why this research is important
Soil health is a critical component of a productive and sustainable agricultural system. Farming practices that improve soil health can increase profitability while protecting natural resources like air and water for communities. The goal of this project is to support collaborative research and education that accelerates adoption and benefits of soil health management systems nationally.
If we can unlock the potential of healthy soil, we can move closer to a sustainable agricultural system for everyone. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research is pleased to harness the power of collaboration by supporting three leading organizations in this space for the long-term benefit of our nation’s farmers and food system.
Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus
Details About this Research
Collaborators will take an integrated, three-pronged approach. The Soil Health Institute will develop and test soil health measurements; the Soil Health Partnership will implement and evaluate soil health promoting practices on working farms; and The Nature Conservancy will work with non-operator landowners to encourage use of science-based soil health practices. The partners believe significant engagement with farmers and landowners will catalyze greater adoption of soil health promoting practices that benefit productivity, farmer livelihoods and the environment.
How This Research Contributes to Our Missions
FFAR supports pioneering science to provide everyone access to affordable, nutritious food grown on thriving farms. This research will catalyze greater adoption of soil health promoting practices that benefit productivity, farmer livelihoods and the environment.
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Insights
Our Insights highlight unique perspectives from across the food and agriculture community.
See all Insights
Advancing Ecosystem Service Markets for Sustainable Farming
A Place for Everyone in Agriculture
Dr. LaKisha Odom & Jocelyn Hittle
Finding a New Way to Control Weeds in Cotton.
Sarah Chu
FFAR Fellow, Texas A&M University
The “Good Soil Discount” — A Game Changer for U.S. Agriculture
Harley Cross
Land Core Co-founder & Director of Strategy
Organic Ag Podcast Features Innovative Industry Topics
Kathleen Delate
Professor, Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University
Building Bridges Between Academics & Farmers
FFAR Fellow, Elizabeth Ellis
Manure – Waste or Resource?
Manny Sabbagh
University of Minnesota
Diversifying the Future of Venture Capital
The first cohort of the HBCU Kirchner Fellows are Bryana Pittman, Kwame Jackson and Martin Adu-Boahene who co-wrote this Insights piece to share the value of this fellowship and its potential impact.
Can Adding Carbon to the Soil Help us Manage Weeds?
Maria Gannett
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Taking Science Beyond the Bench: Critical Reflections for Change-Oriented Research
Krista Marshall
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Soil is Not Dirt
Aaron Prairie
2020-2023 FFAR Fellow
Fine-tuning photosynthesis
Dhruv Patel
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Can biochar help adapt agriculture to a hotter, dryer climate?
Shelby Hoglund
2018-2021 FFAR Fellow
Milkweeds: Medicine for Monarchs?
Annie Krueger
2018-2021 FFAR Fellow
The Time is RIPE for Agricultural Innovation
Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus
News
The latest news and updates from FFAR.
See all News
FFAR & FoodShot Global Announce GroundBreaker Prize Winners in Water Research
FFAR & The Organic Center Invest $632,000 into the Future of Organic Farming
FFAR Grant Reduces Nitrogen Inputs, Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Grant Transforms Wastewater to Crop Fertilizer
GroundBreaker Prize to Fund Critical Water Research
FFAR Renews ESMC Partnership to Grow Ecosystem Services Market Program
Mitigating Farm Risk Through Improved Soil Health
FFAR & OCP North America Announce Fertilizer Fellowship Awardees & 2023 Opportunities
FFAR and The Organic Center Announce $2.4 Million in Funding for Organic Outreach and Research
RIPE research proves potential for measuring root biomass throughout growing season
Producers and Researchers Agree, Scale Up of a Sustainable Biochar Industry is Critical to Meet Climate Targets, and Build Agricultural Resilience and Soil Health
FFAR and FoodShot Global Announce GroundBreaker Prize Winners
Advancing DEI in Sharing Carbon & Ecosystems Services Information
FFAR Announces $1 Million for Organic Research to Tuskegee University
FFAR & The Organic Center Advance Organic Agriculture
RIPE Researchers Report Faster Screening of Photoprotection in Crops
RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time
RIPE Shows Potential for Improved Water-Use Efficiency in Field-Grown Plants
UC Davis Receives FFAR Grant to Help Improve Vineyard Soil Health
FFAR and OFRF Announce Six Organic Farming Research Project Awardees
Breakthroughs
Tools, technologies and strategies from the research we fund.
See all Breakthroughs
New Study Shows AI & Supercomputing Can Quantify Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Individual Farms
Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Quantifies Organic Carbon to Improve Agricultural Productivity
Building Collaborations for Technology-Driven Solutions in Agriculture
Breakthrough for Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM)
Documenting Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing’s Benefits
Breakthrough for Quantifying the Advantages of Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing in the U.S. Southeast & Northern Great Plains
RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time
Breakthrough for Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Reinvestment