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

Refine Results
Priority Areas
Consortia
    See more
Program
    See more
Country
    See more
Location
    See more
Year
    See more
Order

425 Grants found

Hide map

Protein-Based Thermotolerance Markers for Sustainable Legume Protein Production

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $941,689

Total award amount   $1,890,189

Location   Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders   Benson Hill Biosystems, North Carolina Soybean Producers, Golden Leaf Foundation, United Soybean Board, VIB

Grantee Institution   USDA-ARS

Extreme weather devastates soybean crop yields and nutritional content. USDA researchers are leveraging the natural genetic diversity of soybean plants to improve the sustainability, nutrition and flavor profiles of crops in response to climate change.

Prairie Strips for Healthy Soils and Thriving Farms

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $746,204

Total award amount   $1,492,409

Location   Ames, IA

Matching Funders   Iowa State University, Roeslein Alternative Energy, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Walton Family Foundation

Grantee Institution   Iowa State University

Midwestern farms produce a quarter of the world’s corn and soybeans, yet this bounty drains nutrients from the soil, reducing future yields and undermining profitability. Iowa State University researchers are identifying integration practices that restore soil health.

Plant-Soil-Water Nexus: Agricultural Systems Research on Tribal Lands

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $299,607

Total award amount   $599,215

Location   Fayetteville, AR

Matching Funders   Indigenous Food & Agriculture Initiative, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Grantee Institution   USDA-ARS

Tribal Reservations only have basic information about soil and limited access to conservation programs that are available to other producers in the U.S.. These communities also have the highest incidence of diabetes, obesity and heart disease, which are linked to food insecurity. USDA-ARS researchers are closing agricultural technology and data gaps, particularly for basic soil information to improve agricultural productivity on Tribal Lands. This project leverages an innovative digital soil mapping process to provide first-ever soil maps and interpretations on Native America tribal lands to promote water and nutrient-smart agriculture.

Optimizing Water Use in Agriculture by Stacking Conservation Practices

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $600,001

Location   Logan, UT

Matching Funders   USU CAES, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, E&I Conservation District, Unitah Conservation District, North Cache Conservation District, Senninger Irrigation, Central Iron County Water Conservancy District, USU RGS

Grantee Institution   Utah State University

Concerns about water scarcity are mounting due to rapid urban growth, depleting groundwater supplies and water shortages from climate trends. Utah State University researchers are assessing the combined effectiveness of several methods of water optimization in agriculture, including more efficient water application and management and advanced crop genetics.

Neglected Honey Bee Interactions: Neonicotinoids, Varroa Destructor and Best Management

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $282,709

Total award amount   $615,351

Location   Auburn, AL

Matching Funders   Auburn University, Swiss National Science Foundation, University of Georgia, California State Beekeepers’ Association

Grantee Institution   Auburn University

Pesticides and Varroa mites, a parasite that attack honey bees, both have been shown to negatively impact honey bee reproduction. Auburn University researchers are investigating whether beekeepers can take advantage of honey bees’ multiple partner mating behavior to increase intra-colony diversity and improve resistance to pesticides

Reducing Food Waste by Reshaping Consumer Behavior Using Data-Informed, Dynamic Economic Incentives

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $590,000

Total award amount   $1,564,276

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   Department of Food Science at Cornell University, New York State Dairy Promotion Order, Chobani

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Consumers often mistakenly interpret “best-by” labels as an expiration date and prematurely discard food that is safe for consumption. Cornell University researchers are developing models that predict milk spoilage and shelf life, as well as the effectiveness of interventions that predict when food spoils and how to prevent consumers from disposing of items that are still safe.

Red Seaweed

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $50,000

Total award amount   $291,000

Location   New York, NY

Matching Funders   Elm Innovations, Schmidt Family Foundation/The 11th Hour Project, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Skaaren Trust, Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

During digestion, cattle emit methane, which contributes to climate change. University of California, Davis researchers are evaluating whether feeding cows red seaweed reduces methane emissions and if the additive impacts milk production and quality.

Sustainable Control Tactics for Spotted Wing Drosophila in Tart Cherry

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $150,000

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   East Lansing, MI

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   Michigan State University Project GREEN, Michigan State University Ag Bio Research

Grantee Institution   Michigan State University

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an invasive pest that attacks a wide range of fruits, including blueberries, cherries and raspberries. Michigan State University researchers are optimizing insecticide programs against SWD, evaluating other control tactics, refining monitoring tools and developing a real-time reporting system of trapping efforts.

Towards Production of Residue-Free Healthy Fruit Crops

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $600,000

Location   Prosser, WA

Matching Funders   WSU-Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, WSU- College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS), WSU-CAHNRS Biological Systems Engineering Department, WSU Graduate School

Grantee Institution   Washington State University

Timely insect pest management is critical for quality tree fruit and wine grape production. However, consumers are increasingly alarmed by synthetic pesticide, which leave residues on produce and contaminates the environment. Washington State University researchers are developing and evaluating alternative pest management technologies that aid conventional and organic growers in reducing their reliance on broad spectrum pesticides.

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

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $945,735

Total award amount   $2,978,942

Location   West Des Moines, IA

Matching Funders   Ichthus Unlimited, LLC, Texas A&M, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Illinois Soybean Foundation, San Diego Port

Grantee Institution   Ichthus Unlimited LLC

At only three percent of its original population, Pacific Bluefin Tuna are on the verge of being placed on the endangered species list. Ichthus Unlimited, LLC is cultivating Pacific Bluefin Tuna eggs to grow juvenile fish, which can then mature on tuna farms. Acquiring tuna eggs from hatcheries, rather than the wild, would reduce overfishing and help stabilize the wild population.