Grants Archive

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

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.

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

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount 300000

Total award amount 600000

Location Manhattan, KS

Matching Funders Animal Welfare Consulting and Research, Cargill, Deer Creek Feeding, LLC, Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC, Syracuse Dairy, Tyson Foods, Veterinary Research & Consulting Services, LLC

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. It is commonly controlled by treating entire groups of animals with antibiotics – including healthy ones – because it is difficult to determine which animals are infected. This research is evaluating the associations between feeding and management practices of beef-on-dairy cattle for which it is commonly believed the rate of liver abscesses is two to three times greater than beef cattle crossed with other beef cattle.

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

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $124,948

Total award amount $249,911

Location Manhattan, KS

Matching Funders Kansas State University, Beef Marketing Research, Cactus Research, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Hy-Plains Feedyard, Innovative Livestock Services, Veterinary Research & Consulting Services, Zoetis

Grantee Institution Kansas State University

The livestock industry is plagued by bovine respiratory disease (BRD), an infectious condition that can spread through a herd and comprises an estimated 80% of antibiotic treatments. Kansas State University researchers are collecting data to improve understanding of how feedlot cattle are classified based on BRD risk. The data can be used to comprehensively assess health risks and interventions, and as a result, optimize health management strategies for specific cattle populations, improve animal well-being and encourage more efficient antimicrobial use.

Acoustic Monitoring to Support Mass Cattle Treatment Decisions

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $50,000

Total award amount $104,128

Location Atlanta, GA

Matching Funders Cactus Research, Ergense, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, McDonald’s Corporation, Veterinary Research & Consulting Services

Grantee Institution Ergense Inc.

The livestock industry is plagued by bovine respiratory disease (BRD), an infectious condition that can spread through a herd and comprises an estimated 80% of antibiotic treatments. The standard procedure for cattle arriving at a feedlot is to isolate and observe them, after which workers decide if the entire pen should receive antibiotic treatment based on various animal health factors. To reduce treatment subjectivity, this research is developing an audio monitoring technique that uses machine learning to analyze acoustic signatures of animal vocalizations to inform the BRD treatment decision.

An International Collaboration for Combating Fusarium Wilt in Cotton

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $750,000

Total award amount $1,922,439

Location Clemson, SC

Matching Funders Clemson University, Cotton, Inc., Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

Grantee Institution Clemson University

Cotton farmers worldwide have long witnessed Fusarium wilt (FOV), a fungal disease that causes rapid wilting and sudden death of cotton plants in nearly all cotton growing regions of the world. FOV cannot be eradicated through biological or chemical treatments, threatening cotton production and farmers’ livelihoods. Clemson researchers are developing germplasm to combat Fusarium wilt, specifically wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum vasinfectum race 4 (FOV4), which infects Upland cotton. They are also collaborating with Australian scientists and using new breeding tools to determine if recently discovered FOV4 resistance genes in U.S. cotton can also provide resistance in Australian cotton.

Field trial of rice gene-edited rice for drought tolerance

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $25,000

Total award amount $50,000

Location Berkeley, CA

Matching Funders Good Ventures Foundation

Grantee Institution University of California Berkely

Rice is one of the world’s most important staple crops and some varieties are extremely water intensive. More frequent occurrences of severe drought threaten rice production as well as global nutritional security. University of California, Berkeley, researchers are conducting field trials of gene-edited rice lines—groups of similar plants—that in laboratory settings conserve more water more efficiently than non-edited, or wild-type, rice.

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.

Integrating Genomics, Milk Spectrometry & Microbial Manipulations to Mitigate Enteric Methane Emissions from Dairy Cattle

Year Awarded 2023

FFAR award amount $2,301,499

Total award amount $3,301,496

Location Madison, WI

Matching Funders Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, ADM, the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), Elanco, Genus plc, JBS USA, the National Dairy Herd Information Association, Nestlé and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC)

Grantee Institution University of Wisconsin–Madison

Cows and other ruminant animals produce enteric methane as part of their natural digestive process. This methane is the single largest source of direct greenhouse gases in the dairy sector. University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers are combining interventions addressing breeding, data on milk composition and rumen microbes to selectively breed U.S. dairy cattle with lower emissions.

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

160 Grants found

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 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

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

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