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

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426 Grants found

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Next-Generation Carbon Capture for Agricultural Crop Applications

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $450,000

Location   La Jolla, CA

Grantee Institution   The Scripps Research Institute

The enzyme RuBisCo plays a key role in photosynthesis as it binds directly to carbon dioxide. Dr. Ahmed Badran’s lab developed RuBisCo alternatives that improve photosynthetic efficiency, and the research team is aiming to apply these alternative enzymes to a variety of crops. By increasing photosynthetic efficiency, the researcher hopes to increase crops’ growth rate, yield and tolerance to high temperatures and drought.

Orthogonal Nano-Engineering (ONE) for Rational Design of Food Contact Surfaces

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $448,141

Total award amount   $541,173

Location   Blacksburg, VA

Matching Funders   Virginia Tech

Grantee Institution   Virginia Tech

In food processing and packaging environments, food contact surfaces often harbor microbes, compromising food safety and quality. Dr. Yifan Cheng is advancing nanoengineering and enhancing knowledge of these interactions to develop surfaces with nanostructures that disrupt bacterial cell walls upon contact, effectively killing bacteria without using biocides or sanitizers.

Establishing Viable Organic Orchard Crop Systems for the Northeast U.S.

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $449,841

Location   Kutztown, PA

Grantee Institution   Rodale Institute

In many temperate, humid climates, perennial crop production has focused on fruits such as apples and peaches, which are increasingly at risk from climate change, pests and pathogens. Dr. Leigh Archer is examining the viability of alternative, low-input perennials for the Northeast, such as hazelnuts, which can better withstand climate and pest threats and provide diversity to Northeastern U.S. agriculture.

FFAR, NPB Seek to Improve Air Quality on Pig Farms, Indiana

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,000,000

Location   West Lafayette, IN

Grantee Institution   Purdue University

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), in partnership with the National Pork Board (NPB), launched the Improving Swine Production Air Quality Program in 2022 to advance technology that can reliably and objectively measure the level of particles in the air so advancements can be made to remove them to improve air quality.

FFAR, NPB Seek to Improve Air Quality on Pig Farms, South Dakota

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,000,000

Location   Brooklings, SD

Grantee Institution   South Dakota State University

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), in partnership with the National Pork Board (NPB), launched the Improving Swine Production Air Quality Program in 2022 to advance technology that can reliably and objectively measure the level of particles in the air so advancements can be made to remove them to improve air quality.

Protecting Florida Corn from Tar Spot Outbreak

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $120,509

Total award amount   $241,537

Location   Gainesville, FL

Matching Funders   University of Florida

Grantee Institution   University of Florida

Tar spot is a rapidly spreading fungal disease caused primarily by Phyllachora maydis, a plant pathogen that infects corn and damages leaves. Tar spot reduces corn grain yield and overall crop quality and could become a severe epidemic on sweet corn. University of Florida researchers are identifying management strategies by developing an effective chemical control program and analyzing sweet corn hybrids that are resistant to tar spot. The research team is examining the genetic diversity of tar spot samples from Florida and comparing to those from the Midwest.

Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program Round One Projects

Year Awarded  2023

Location   Ames, IA

Program   Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program

Matching Funders   Swine Health Information Center and the Pork Checkoff

Grantee Institution   Iowa State University

Ten research projects have been funded as part of Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program. Each project is designed to achieve the objectives of cost-effective, innovative solutions for a significant biosecurity gap in U.S. swine production. Institutions receiving awards in this first round of funding are Iowa State University, Carthage Veterinary Service, North Carolina State University, the University of Minnesota, and Swine Vet Center.

FFAR & WUR Launch Nature-Based Future Challenge

Year Awarded  2023

FFAR award amount   $255,001

Total award amount   $689,190

Location   Washington, D.C.

Matching Funders   Wageningen University & Research (WUR)and the University Fund Wageningen

The Nature-based Future Student Challenges program trains students to develop nature-based solutions as a way to mitigate climate change effects in delta regions.

A Deeper Dive: Linking Below-Ground Soil & Water Quality with Above-Ground Productivity in Organic Systems to Enhance Economic Viability & Ecosystem Resiliency

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $195,124

Location   Ames, IA

Matching Funders   The Organic Center

Grantee Institution   Iowa State University

Dr. Kathleen Delate is quantifying the optimal combinations of soil, greenhouse gas emissions and economic modeling for ecosystem health. She is comparing agricultural system management, manure management and alternative cropping systems. Delate plans to share her results with the farming community to encourage farmer participation in data collection and practice adoption. She is also training multi-cultural farmers on the identified practices to spur adoption of her research recommendations.

Investigating the re-integration of organic food crops & animal production on above & belowground diversity, soil health, farm resilience & food safety.

Year Awarded  2023

Total award amount   $199,256

Location   West Lafayette, IN

Matching Funders   The Organic Center

Grantee Institution   Purdue University

Dr. Moriah Bilenky is investigating how integrated cropping systems on organic fields can reduce input costs and enhance biodiversity above and below ground. Specifically, Bilenky and her team are investigating the impacts of adding small ruminants to an integrated cropping system on soil health, microbiome health and presence of food pathogens on vegetable farms. The researchers aim to identify integrated cropping system best practices and plan to disseminate educational materials to increase adoption of these practices.