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

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432 Grants found

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Cover Crop Germplasm & Breeding in Support of New Cultivar Development 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $2,200,000

Total award amount   $6,600,000

Location   Ardmore, OK

Matching Funders   The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.

Grantee Institution   Noble Research Institute

Cover crops can play a major role mitigating soil erosion and improving soil fertility and water infiltration. The choice of cover crop depends on the intended purpose, specific location, and time of establishment. This project is identifying cover crop species with the greatest potential to improve soil health and evaluate such species over a broad geography. Engaging both producers and industry, researchers are seeking to identify and introduce key traits that can improve crop performance and soil enhancement. Additionally, researchers are using advanced breeding techniques – which have traditionally been limited in application to high-value, row crops – to bring new and value-added characteristics to cover crops.

Evaluating Food Access Strategies in Austin, Texas 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $996,560

Total award amount   $2,114,226

Location   Austin, TX

Program   Tipping Points

Matching Funders   Austin Public Health

Grantee Institution   Sustainable Food Center

In Austin, Texas, the city funded Fresh for Less farm stands, mobile markets and healthy corner stores to increase access to healthy foods. Sustainable Food Center, Inc. is examining the effects of Fresh for Less food access points on fruit and vegetable purchasing and consumption, food security and obesity. The results will inform the best ways to implement and expand the Fresh for Less program.

Identifying Short-term Solutions for Managing Allium Leafminer in Allium 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $65,000

Total award amount   $130,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   New York Farm Viability Institute

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

The Allium Leafminer (ALM), an invasive fly species, threatens Allium crops such as onions, garlic, leeks, scallions and chives. The emerging pest has the capacity to devastate entire fields. Cornell University researchers are identifying effective insecticides and tactics for controlling pest in Allium crops for both organic and conventional Allium production. The project is also developing best practices for predicting and scouting for ALM and arming growers with the latest information to prevent crop damage.

Addressing keel bone fractures in laying hens housed in cage-free aviary systems using nutrition and management interventions 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $490,093

Total award amount   $490,093

Location   West Lafayette, IN

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy Project

Grantee Institution   Purdue University

Keel, or breastbone fractures are painful and decrease egg production and are a common concern for cage-free hens. Purdue University researchers are assessing the impact of nutritional interventions on the gut microbiome and testing management interventions to reduce keel bone fractures in laying hens housed in cage-free systems.

Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing Research in the U.S. Southeast 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $1,250,000

Total award amount   $2,500,000

Location   Tempe, AZ

Matching Funders   McDonalds

Grantee Institution   Arizona State University

Researchers are investigating whether Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing, in relation to widespread continuous grazing practices, contributes to measurable differences in overall soil health, environmental sustainability and farmer profitability within the U.S. Southeast.

A Practical Phenotypic Solution to Reduce Keel & Skeletal Bone Damage in Laying Hens 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $243,296

Total award amount   $486,594

Location   Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy Project

Grantee Institution   University of Edinburgh

Keel, or breastbone fractures, which cause pain and decrease egg production, are a challenge to raising hens in cage-free housing systems. To improve the health and productivity of egg-laying hens and prevent these fractures, University of Edinburgh researchers are developing an x-ray-based measurement system for on-farm use to breed hens with stronger bones.  

A novel desiccant system enables energy-efficient drying to reduce postharvest loss of agricultural commodities and foods 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $790,407

Total award amount   $1,580,814

Location   Davis, CA

Matching Funders   UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Moisture must be removed from agricultural products to preserve them for processing. Inadequately dried commodities account for about 60 percent of postharvest food loss worldwide. Insufficient drying can lead to fungi and negative health outcomes in animals and humans. Current drying methods are also highly energy intensive. University of California, Davis researchers are testing Drying Beads, which absorb water without heat. This technology could reduce energy usage by up to 50 percent and lower costs as the beads are reusable.

A Novel Bioassay for Culturing and Characterizing Fastidious Phytopathogens 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $299,993

Total award amount   $599,986

Location   College Station, TX

Matching Funders   Southern Garden Citrus

Grantee Institution   Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center

Fastidious pathogens, bacteria that only grow in specific conditions, cause huge agricultural losses and cost farmers billions of dollars annually. Candidatus Liberibacter spp. are fastidious pathogens that cause the potato zebra chip and Citrus greening diseases. Complicating matters, these pathogens are will not grow in laboratory conditions, making it difficult to understand them. To support citrus growers and help other producers manage diseases, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center researchers are testing a method of screening for disease resistance genes and chemicals that can combat the pathogens causing citrus greening and potato zebra chip diseases. The research will be translated into disease management strategies that help growers and prevent billions of dollars in annual losses.

Automated Individual Poultry Vaccination to Aid in Antibiotic Removal 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $800,000

Total award amount   $1,600,292

Location   Raleigh, NC

Matching Funders   Merck Animal Health

Grantee Institution   Applied LifeSciences & Systems (ALS-S)

Commercial hatcheries often spray vaccines on chicks to prevent disease. This method is imprecise and leaves about 5-20 percent of chicks vulnerable to disease. When disease breaks out, producers must then use antibiotics to treat secondary infections, which reduces overall productivity. By using imaging and robotics technology, Applied Lifesciences & Systems Poultry Inc. is developing a device for vaccinating newly hatched chickens, enhancing bird health, increasing poultry production and reducing the need for antibiotics.

Assessing and Expanding Soil Health for Production, Economic and Environmental Benefits 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $9,942,268

Total award amount   $21,051,546

Location   Morrisville, NC

Matching Funders   General Mills Foundation Walmart Foundation

Grantee Institution   Soil Health Institute

Soil health is a critical component of productive agriculture systems, yet there is no standard soil health measurement in the U.S.. Instead, several sets of measurements and methods are used and they often conflict, confusing farmers and conservationists. Researchers are helping the industry adopt standardized measurements to evaluate and improve soil health, while expanding education and tools for farmers, agronomists and landowners.