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


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272 Grants found

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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


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


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


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


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


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.

FlockFocus Camera-Based Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare 

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $1,000,000

Location   Belfast, Northern Ireland

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation


This project is one of three selected from the six research projects funded in Phase I to receive a total of $1.625 million in Phase II of the SMART Broiler program. In this phase, researchers will optimize hardware and software configurations, advance data management and processing tools for measuring key welfare indicators and justify commercial investment in these new welfare monitoring tools. The technologies will be tested at two broiler producing barns, Tyson Foods Broiler Research Barn in Arkansas and Master Good in Kisvárda, Hungary. 

Audio-Based Monitoring Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare 

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   Atlanta, GA

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation


This project is one of three selected from the six research projects funded in Phase I to receive a total of $1.625 million in Phase II of the SMART Broiler program. In this phase, researchers will optimize hardware and software configurations, advance data management and processing tools for measuring key welfare indicators and justify commercial investment in these new welfare monitoring tools. The technologies will be tested at two broiler producing barns, Tyson Foods Broiler Research Barn in Arkansas and Master Good in Kisvárda, Hungary.

OPTICFLOCK Camera/Computer System Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare 

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $325,000

Location   Oxford, United Kingdom

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation


This project is one of three selected from the six research projects funded in Phase I to receive a total of $1.625 million in Phase II of the SMART Broiler program. In this phase, researchers will optimize hardware and software configurations, advance data management and processing tools for measuring key welfare indicators and justify commercial investment in these new welfare monitoring tools. The technologies will be tested at two broiler producing barns, Tyson Foods Broiler Research Barn in Arkansas and Master Good in Kisvárda, Hungary. 

FFAR and The Organic Center Fund Six Projects to Advance Organic Agriculture

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $200,000

Location   Knoxville, TN

Matching Funders   The Organic Center


The 2022 Organic Center-FFAR joint Organic Research Program awards up to $200,000 per project focused on organic techniques for improving mitigation and resiliency to climate change, with a priority on systems-based approaches and a commitment to cross-sector partnerships. TOC and FFAR selected projects in regions typically underrepresented in organic research and with plans to expand their results to the greater organic farming industry by making their data open and accessible to the public.

FFAR & The Organic Center Advance Organic Agriculture

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $50,000

Location   Corvallis, OR

Matching Funders   The Organic Center


The $350,000 Organic Training for Agricultural Professionals Prize recognizes extraordinary contributions to training farmers, agriculture professionals and community organizations in organic production. In selecting the 2022 prize winners, The Organic Center and FFAR prioritized farmer-led projects with the potential for expansion and multi-regional impact. Organizations were also selected based on their project’s ability to increase diversity, equity and inclusion among participants and on the extent to which they included measurable, in-person and online knowledge exchange between farmers and organic agriculture professionals. Applicants were required to match the award amounts.

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