The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), today announced the three projects recommended for funding through the “Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs” (Innovation Challenge). The Innovation Challenge intends to fund Columbia University and the University of British Columbia $500,000 each and From the Land, LLC, $150,000 for their groundbreaking project ideas and potential impacts to transform agriculture.
This $1.15 million funding investment is part of USDA’s Innovation Challenge that is designed to spark high-risk, high-reward research through innovations at the intersection of nutrition security, equity and justice, and climate-smart agriculture.
More information about each of the three projects is below:
- Columbia University’s project, in partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, will support historically underserved producers in Puerto Rico in cultivating climate-resilient and heritage rice with sustainable management practices while creating new local market opportunities.
- University of British Columbia’s project, in collaboration with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), will develop a novel, nutrient-dense and climate-smart coating during the post-harvest process to increase access to and availability of highly perishable fresh produce.
- From the Land, LLC’s project will enrich mealworms to increase the quantity of essential fats in poultry feed, thereby increasing the quality of essential fats in poultry products including chicken and eggs.
With a focus on the next generation of researchers, USDA and FFAR recommend these three highly creative and promising projects for funding. The Innovation Challenge received 91 applications from academia, federal government, industry and commodity groups from across 10 countries.