FFAR Applauds President Trump and Congressional Leaders on Passage of 2018 Farm Bill

Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON (December 20, 2018) – The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) applauds Congressional leaders today on the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. The bipartisan bill includes $185 million for agricultural research through FFAR’s unique public-private partnerships.

I’m proud that FFAR has support on Capitol Hill and the confidence of our elected leaders. FFAR’s successful public-private partnership model will double the 2018 Farm Bill investment, providing at least $370 million in new agriculture research funding that benefits farmers, consumers and taxpayers. Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus

FFAR was created in the 2014 Farm Bill to build public-private partnerships that support innovative science addressing food and agriculture’s most intractable issues. Since then, FFAR has partnered with industry, nonprofit and academic institutions to fund research that benefits agricultural producers and consumers. Every dollar of FFAR’s funding is matched by non-federal funds.

The FFAR model has realized Congress’ original intent to leverage federal investment in agricultural research through public-private partnerships. FFAR is generating approximately $1.3 dollars for every tax dollar Congress allocates. Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus

Mississippi State University President and Chair of the FFAR Board of Directors Dr. Mark Keenum also added, “On behalf of the FFAR Board of Directors, we are thankful to have the federal government’s continued support for FFAR in the 2018 Farm Bill. We look forward to building on FFAR’s extraordinary progress to ensure that America remains the global leader in agriculture research.”

Since its creation, FFAR has awarded numerous grants to research efforts supporting various agriculture fields, including animal systems, health and nutrition, local food systems, next generation crops, soil health and water scarcity. Including FFAR in the Farm Bill will allow the organization to continue funding research that helps produce nutritious food, grown on thriving, profitable farms in an environmentally sustainable manner.

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Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.

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