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

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73 Grants found

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Precision Irrigation Scheduling for Specialty Crops 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,323,242

Location   Boulder, CO

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   The University of Arizona Yuma, Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, University of California, Western Growers Association

Grantee Institution   GeoVisual Analytics

Farmers growing specialty crops deal with a multitude of complexities such as lacking access to cost-effective irrigation guidance tools. Specialty crops are often over-irrigated which can jeopardize food security. GeoVisual Analytics researchers are improving irrigation guidance and grower adoption of precision irrigation technologies by analyzing data and field measurements.

Increasing Dietary Fiber in Wheat Crop 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $479,997

Total award amount   $959,997

Location   Davis, CA

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Bay State Milling, California Wheat Commission, Limagrain Cereal Seeds

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Diets lacking fiber can lead to life-threatening health concerns. The federal Dietary Guidelines recommends that women consume 25 grams of fiber daily and men consume 38 grams; yet Americans only consume 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. University of California, researchers are investigating ways to increase wheat dietary fiber using modified starch synthesis enzymes.

FFAR Grant Combats Climate Change Through Soil Health Practices 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $748,836

Total award amount   $1,513,612

Location   Washington, D.C.

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Hudson Carbon and Dagan

Grantee Institution   American Farmland Trust

Farmers and ranchers are facing increasing challenges from climate change, such as more frequent droughts and flooding, which can devastate crops. Extreme weather imposes drastic changes that ultimately threaten food security. The grant’s research team, led by AFT’s Climate Initiative Director, Dr. Jennifer Moore, is developing a data-driven decision platform that can be used at various capacities to analyze current global warming potential (GWP) for major agronomic systems with the ability to prioritize key areas within states or regions.

FFAR Grant Provides Technical Training to Enhance Soil Health 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $284,436

Total award amount   $569,037

Location   Columbia, MO

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Walton Family Foundation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, American Seed Trade Association

Grantee Institution   University of Missouri

Cover crops are essential to preserving nutrient-rich soils for cultivating health foods and improving overall soil health. Although there are various training programs for farmers on how to use cover crops, there is a dire need for technical training for industry agronomists and other farm advisors who influence farmers’ management decisions.

FFAR Grant Improves Soil Health Through Phosphorus Management 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $490,541

Total award amount   $990,541

Location   Manhattan, KS

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Kansas Soybean Commission, Kansas Department of Agriculture and Kansas Fertilizer Research Fund

Grantee Institution   Kansas State University

Phosphorus, a nutrient commonly found in manure and commercial fertilizers, is beneficial to plant growth. Despite phosphorus’ beneficial properties, there are only few studies on the effects of soil health practices on phosphorus. Kansas State University researchers are examining how cover crops and phosphorous management strategies interact to influence soil health.

Addressing future global dairy demand: Targeting the gut-liver axis to promote heat stress resilience in dairy cattle 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $736,392

Total award amount   $1,470,000

Location   Ithaca, NY

Matching Funders   AB Vista, Adisseo, Balchem Corporation, Berg + Schmidt, Elanco, Phibro Animal Health, Vetagro

Grantee Institution   Cornell University

Heat-stressed dairy cows cost the American dairy industry an alarming $1.5 billion annually. Dairy cows are unable to efficiently produce milk when their body temperatures rise above normal. Heat-stress is also associated with reduced fertility and increases in diseases. Cornell University researchers are identifying nutrition-based solutions that improves dairy cows’ ability to adapt to extreme heat.

Integration of Small Farmers into Technology-enabled, Rapid-response Fresh Food Supply Chains 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $963,513

Total award amount   $1,928,166

Location   Tempe, AZ

Matching Funders   Arizona State University and New Mexico State University

Grantee Institution   Arizona State University

Highly-perishable produce is usually shipped across long distances. Without information about current and future market demand, some farmers produce a surplus of food that is wasted. Producers need more efficient supply chains to ensure quality fresh food reaches consumers. Arizona State University and New Mexico State University researchers are developing market intelligence and supply chain planning tools that enable growers to predict consumer demand and sell directly to consumers. The tool helps farmers reach the right markets at the right time.

Employing Regional Produce Cooperatives to Enhance Household Nutrition and Reduce Food Insecurity 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $999,740

Total award amount   $2,027,981

Location   Chicago, IL

Matching Funders   Rachel Ray Foundation, Target, University of Illinois

Grantee Institution   Feeding America

Millions of Americans struggle with food insecurity. Feeding America established Regional Produce Cooperatives to direct a greater variety of produce to food banks at a lower cost. Feeding America is evaluating whether the decrease food waste, shorten the time between source and distribution and increase access to produce. Ultimately, the project aims to increase consumption of nutritious produce and decrease food insecurity.

Blackfeet Innovation Pathways to Food Sovereignty: Sustainability through Indigenous Applied Research Partnerships 

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $998,496

Total award amount   $1,998,146

Location   Bozeman, MT

Matching Funders   Montana Healthcare Foundation

Despite the Blackfeet Nation’s rich agricultural diversity, the Piikani people suffer from diet-related health disparities and persistent poverty. Blackfeet Nation and Montana State University researchers are helping ranchers and farmers make cost-effective management decisions, investigating regional food systems and identifying how tradition Indigenous foods influence Piikani health.

Improving Dairy Feed Efficiency, Sustainability and Profitability by Impacting Farmer’s Breeding and Culling Decisions 

Year Awarded  2018

FFAR award amount   $1,000,000

Total award amount   $1,999,999

Location   East Lansing, MI

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding

Grantee Institution   Michigan State University

Feeding dairy cows accounts for more than half of total dairy farm costs. Dairy farmers could significantly reduce feed costs by selecting cows that produce the same or more milk while consuming less feed. Michigan State University researchers are monitoring dairy cows’ body temperature, feeding behavior and locomotion, along with milk spectral data, to predict feed intake and gather data from thousands of cows to allow farmers to select the most efficient cows.