FFAR

Government of Canada becomes a founding member of the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 31, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that the Government of Canada will become a founding member of the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium (EFC).

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 31, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that the Government of Canada will become a founding member of the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium (EFC).
  • This partnership represents a commitment of approximately $1.3 million CAD over four years from the Government of Canada.
  • As a founding member of the Consortium, Canada will influence the strategic direction and research of the EFC.
  • -  The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    "FFAR is thrilled to welcome the Government of Canada as a member of the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium.

130 Leading Corporations, Startups, Universities, Non-profits, and Research Stakeholders Unite in Support of a $750 Million Investment for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 19, 2023

FFAR, established in the Agriculture Act of 2014, has demonstrated its indispensable role in addressing vital food and agriculture research needs.

Key Points: 
  • FFAR, established in the Agriculture Act of 2014, has demonstrated its indispensable role in addressing vital food and agriculture research needs.
  • From 2002 to 2019, U.S. public investment in agricultural research declined 30%, and international competitors like China, Brazil, and India have surpassed the U.S in research funding.
  • “FFAR is a vital source of funding for climate-smart research and development in food and agriculture,” says Daniel Blaustein-Rejto, Director of Food and Agriculture of The Breakthrough Institute.
  • The proposed $750 million would ensure the food supply chain remains sustainable, innovative, and robust enough to support an ever-growing global population.

AeroFarms AgX, Grand Opening in Abu Dhabi, UAE: Debut of The World's Largest R&D Indoor Vertical Farm

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 15, 2023

At 65,000 square feet, AeroFarms AgX is the largest indoor vertical farm of its kind for research and development in the world.

Key Points: 
  • At 65,000 square feet, AeroFarms AgX is the largest indoor vertical farm of its kind for research and development in the world.
  • AeroFarms®, a Certified B Corporation and world leader in indoor vertical farming, officially unveiled AeroFarms AgX, its newest cutting-edge indoor vertical farm, focused on bringing innovative Research and Development (R&D) to the UAE and the Middle East.
  • AeroFarms AgX is advancing sustainable controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and indoor vertical farming to help address broader global agriculture supply chain challenge.
  • The world's premier, state-of-the art R&D indoor vertical farm is focused on the latest developments for indoor vertical farming, innovation, and AgTech.

Crop One and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Receive FFAR Grant to Advance Research and Development of New Plant-Based Protein

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 19, 2022

“Plant-based proteins are poised to significantly reduce agricultural carbon emissions,” adds CSHL Professor and HHMI investigator Rob Martienssen, principal investigator on the FFAR grant.

Key Points: 
  • “Plant-based proteins are poised to significantly reduce agricultural carbon emissions,” adds CSHL Professor and HHMI investigator Rob Martienssen, principal investigator on the FFAR grant.
  • Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology.
  • 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 USDA’s research agenda.

New Breakthrough Institute Report Highlights Massive R&D Funding Gap for Agricultural Climate Action

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 12, 2022

The report, titled “From Lab to Farm,” presents the first detailed and systematic analysis of funding from federal R&D agencies for agricultural climate mitigation.

Key Points: 
  • The report, titled “From Lab to Farm,” presents the first detailed and systematic analysis of funding from federal R&D agencies for agricultural climate mitigation.
  • The findings reveal the misalignment between the distribution of R&D funding, the sources of agricultural GHG emissions, and the potential to mitigate those emissions, identifying key funding gaps.
  • Unfortunately, climate mitigation and adaptation is not a statutory priority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which hampers the administration's ability to meet its decarbonization and climate goals.
  • “Despite its importance, research on climate mitigation and adaptation in agriculture is poorly funded and coordinated, leaving many critical areas starved of funding.

Clif Bar & Company Announces $1 Million Organic Research Endowment to Tuskegee University

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Today, Clif Bar & Company announced a $1 million endowment to Tuskegee University to support the advancement of organic agriculture and farming practices through the Universitys College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS).

Key Points: 
  • Today, Clif Bar & Company announced a $1 million endowment to Tuskegee University to support the advancement of organic agriculture and farming practices through the Universitys College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS).
  • With this investment, Tuskegee University becomes the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to receive a Clif Bar endowment and is the fifth recipient in the companys $10 million program to support organic research at land-grant universities.
  • We are grateful to Clif Bar for their industry leadership and commitment to organic research and education which will ultimately benefit not just Tuskegee University but inspire more Black leaders in organic farming.
  • For 30 years, Clif Bar & Company has crafted nutritious and organic food for CLIF, CLIF Kid, and LUNA brands.

Extensive Research Study Examines Enhanced Soil Carbon Farming as a Climate Solution

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 25, 2022

Dr. Rattan Lal , a distinguished university professor of soil science and director of OSUs College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration, will chair the study, Enhanced Soil Carbon Farming as a Climate Solution.

Key Points: 
  • Dr. Rattan Lal , a distinguished university professor of soil science and director of OSUs College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration, will chair the study, Enhanced Soil Carbon Farming as a Climate Solution.
  • Carbon farming optimizes carbon capture by implementing practices that are known to improve the rate at which carbon dioxideis removed from the atmosphere and stored in plant material or soil organic matter.
  • Current knowledge on carbon farming is primarily based either on simulation modelling or on data from a limited number of field experiments.
  • Furthermore, knowledge gaps exist on how projected climate extremes will impact SOC sequestration, crop productivity, agricultural GHG emissions and soil health across diverse landscapes.

Soil Health Institute Announces Recommended Measurements for Evaluating Soil Health

Retrieved on: 
Friday, August 12, 2022

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The Soil Health Institute (SHI) today announced its recommended measurements for assessing soil health.

Key Points: 
  • MORRISVILLE, N.C., Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The Soil Health Institute (SHI) today announced its recommended measurements for assessing soil health.
  • 1 question about soil health that farmers, ranchers, and their advisers have been asking since the soil health movement began.
  • Soil health can be improved through management, but farmers need practical, effective measurements for assessing the current status of their soil and evaluating progress at improving its health.
  • The Soil Health Institute found that many measurements are effective for assessing soil health from a research perspective.

The Nature Conservancy Joins Groundbreaking Effort to Mobilize Agriculture to Fight Climate Change

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

FFAR and The Nature Conservancy have jointly worked on conservation agriculture and climate issues since 2018.

Key Points: 
  • FFAR and The Nature Conservancy have jointly worked on conservation agriculture and climate issues since 2018.
  • The Nature Conservancys partnership with AgMission represents the next step in advancing their collaborative efforts to achieve the mutual goal of driving climate solutions in agriculture.
  • While many scientists around the globe are advancing our understanding of agriculture, theres no central force to mobilize this work to address climate change with farmers and ranchers until now.
  • Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time, said Kris Johnson , director of agriculture for The Nature Conservancy in North America.

$19 Million Research Project Seeks to Understand How Management Impacts Soil Health, Farmer Well-being

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 7, 2021

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research awarded Noble Research Institute a $9.5 million grant to lead this critical research that is improving soil health on grazing lands.

Key Points: 
  • The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research awarded Noble Research Institute a $9.5 million grant to lead this critical research that is improving soil health on grazing lands.
  • Noble Research Institute is providing $7.5 million to this project with additional financial contributions by Greenacres Foundation , The Jones Family Foundation and ButcherBox .
  • As soil health decreases, the land loses its viability to grow healthy plants, maintain flood- and drought-resilience or filter water.
  • The project is exploring why some producers adopt soil health building principles, such as adaptive grazing management, while others do not.