Innovative Agrifood research wins big

Oct 01, 2024
By Farms.com

USDA and FFAR grant $1.15M for agrifood breakthroughs

The USDA, together with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), has recently unveiled funding recipients under the “Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs” Innovation Challenge. This initiative supports pioneering research to revitalize global agriculture through innovative and sustainable practices.

The challenge awarded $500,000 each to Columbia University and the University of British Columbia, and $150,000 to From the Land, LLC.

Each project introduces a unique approach to advancing agricultural methods while addressing the urgent needs of climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security.

Columbia University is focusing on empowering farmers in Puerto Rico by introducing sustainable rice cultivation practices that are both climate-resilient and profitable. The University of British Columbia aims to reduce food waste and enhance food accessibility through a new climate-smart coating for fresh produce.

From the Land, LLC is innovating in animal feed by increasing the nutritional content of poultry products through enhanced mealworm diets. These initiatives are expected to create significant environmental and economic benefits, enhancing both food quality and availability.

The funding initiative highlights the USDA and FFAR’s commitment to supporting the next generation of food and agriculture scientists.

The collaborative effort between these entities and numerous research institutions worldwide is setting the stage for transformative impacts on global agriculture and food systems, ensuring a sustainable future for all.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.