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

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458 Grants found

Outcome-Based Identification of Best Agronomic Practices to Reduce N Footprint in Agroecosystems

International Lettuce Genomics Consortium 4: Pre-competitive Foundational Research for Lettuce Breeding

Reducing the Carbon Footprint of U.S. Beef Cattle Production – a Texas Pilot Program

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Grant Improves Stress Tolerance in Carrots 

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,000,000

Location   Davis, CA

Matching Funders   Bayer, Bejo Zaden, Enza Zaden, Rijk Zwaan, Takii Seed Vilmorin Mikado

Grantee Institution   University of California, Davis

Carrot growers face a variety of both climate and biological threats, including water access and diseases such as Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria), a disease that can reduce yield by 40-60%. Some cultivated carrots are partially resistant to Alternaria but still require frequent fungicide applications to fully protect crops from this disease. University of California, Davis researchers are tapping into the genetic diversity of wild carrots to breed Alternaria resistance and the ability to grow in water-deficient conditions into cultivated carrots.

Determinants of Persistent Cover Crop Adoption and Dis-Adoption to Inform More Effective Farmer Incentives for Durable Adoption 

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $138,888

Total award amount   $277,777

Location   Arlington, VA

Program   AgMission

Matching Funders   The Nature Conservancy

Grantee Institution   The Nature Conservancy

This AgMission grant is evaluating cover crop adoption and identifying the factors leading to their successful, long-term use in the Midwestern United States.

International Lettuce Genomics Consortium 4: Pre-competitive Foundational Research for Lettuce Breeding

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $280,503

Total award amount   $561,006

Location   Davis, CA

Matching Funders   Bayer, Bejo Zaden, Enza Zaden, Nunhems Netherlands, Rijk Zwaan, Sakata Seed, Syngenta, Tanimura and Antle, Vilmorin

Grantee Institution   University of California, Davis

Lettuce downy mildew and INSV are the two most destructive foliar diseases of lettuce. The fourth iteration of the International Lettuce Genomics Consortium project will analyze phenotypic and genomic data of lettuce and these two pathogens, including natural variants that confer greater pathogen virulence, to develop resources for enhancing the durability of disease resistance in lettuce. The project will also participate in assembling the lettuce pangenome, a comprehensive dataset that captures genetic variation within wild and cultivated lettuce species and is available for lettuce improvement.

Decreasing Pulmonary-Associated Mortality in Feedlot Cattle Using Refined Case Definitions & Predictive Analytics, Emphasizing Acute Interstitial Pneumonia & Late Day BRD 

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $1,223,474

Total award amount   $2,446,948

Location   Manhattan, KS

Matching Funders   Colorado State University, Innovative Livestock Services, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding K-State Mississippi State University, Nanostring, Texas A&M University and Veterinary Research & Consulting Services

Grantee Institution   Kansas State University

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), commonly called “shipping fever,” is a serious animal welfare concern and costs U.S. ranchers about $900 million annually. BRD infected cattle generally die from late day pulmonary disease triggered by secondary bacterial diseases, like acute interstitial pneumonia. A multi-disciplinary team is researching how to prevent late day pulmonary disease from developing in these cattle to provide veterinarians and producers with information to make informed prevention and treatment decisions and help the beef industry use antibiotics more judiciously.

FoodShot Global Challenge #4 Water GroundBreaker Prize (United Kingdom) 

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   80,000

Location   London, United Kingdom

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   Builders Initiative, FoodShot Global, The Rockefeller Foundation

Grantee Institution   ThinkAqua

FoodShot Global is a collaboration between venture funds, banks, corporations, universities and foundations to improve our food system. This research creates networked clusters around locally owned hubs that provide farmers with market access, inputs and technical support. The initiative addresses small-scale farmers’ needs by ensuring a ready market for tilapia, producing high-quality seed fish and reducing production costs by using fish feed from Black Soldier Fly larvae, which also serve as organic fertilizer.

FoodShot Global Challenge #4 Water GroundBreaker Prize (Indiana) 

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   150,000

Location   Indianapolis, IN

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   Builders Initiative, FoodShot Global, The Rockefeller Foundation

Grantee Institution   Atarraya

Dr. Daniel Russek’s transformative Shrimpbox technology reduces water usage by over 98% compared to traditional methods and eliminates discharges. This innovation promotes efficient water management and mitigates the environmental impact of shrimp production. Dr. Russek’s initiative integrates regenerative agriculture with sustainable aquaculture by enhancing soil health and crop productivity at Atarraya’s Smart Biotech shrimp farm in Oaxaca, Mexico, and providing a scalable model for global adaptation.

FoodShot Global Challenge #4 Water GroundBreaker Prize (Arizona) 

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   $250,000

Location   Tucson, AZ

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   Builders Initiative, FoodShot Global, The Rockefeller Foundation

Grantee Institution   University of Arizona, Hydro Futures

Dr. Laura Condon developed the only national platform that simulates watershed dynamics from bedrock to treetops across the United States, providing producers with cost-effective predictions and improving irrigation and crop choices at only a fraction of the cost of traditional models. Dr. Condon aims to develop new capabilities to evaluate irrigation and crop scenarios and accelerate the commercial adoption of these innovative tools.

FFAR Vet Fellows Sixth Cohort 

Year Awarded  2024

Total award amount   $10,000 per student

Location   Washington, D.C.

Matching Funders   American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) announced the 15 recipients of the 2024 Veterinary Student Research Fellowships (Vet Fellows) in partnership with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). This fellowship creates opportunities for veterinary students to pursue research on global food security and sustainable animal production.

Reducing the Carbon Footprint of U.S. Beef Cattle Production – a Texas Pilot Program

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $713,115

Total award amount   $1,426,230

Location   Amarillo, TX

Program   AgMission

Matching Funders   McDonald's USA and Golden State Foods

Grantee Institution   Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 

Though various beef sustainability measures currently exist, it is a challenge to provide producers with comprehensive and specific guidance on how to adopt emissions reductions strategies in their unique operations or incentivize adoption by identifying the associated economic benefits. This research is tracking and promoting the adoption of more sustainable beef cattle production practices in Texas, which produces nearly 15% of the nation’s beef cattle.

Fast-Track On-Farm Impact from the Cool Soil Initiative to Enhance the Climate Resilience of Australia’s Grain Producers 

Year Awarded  2024

FFAR award amount   $748,394

Total award amount   $3,783,598

Location   Bathurst, Australia

Program   AgMission

Matching Funders   PepsiCo, Cool Soil Initiative

Grantee Institution   Charles Stuart University

Charles Stuart University is examining agriculture practices in cropping to enhance the efficiency of local Australian grain producers, which can also be applied to benefit U.S. farmers. This research builds on the Cool Soil Initiative, a partnership that has built and implemented a scientifically credible framework to support farmers in practices that reduce environmental impact and increase soil health.