The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is stepping up its efforts to safeguard US farming from disease outbreaks, playing a pivotal role in mobilizing rapid responses to agricultural threats. Lauren Hershey, FFAR’s director of strategic partnerships, highlighted the organization’s ability to swiftly allocate funds, often within just two to three months, to drive innovative, high-risk research. This agility is crucial in the face of unexpected agricultural challenges.
One of FFAR’s key tools for rapid response is the Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) program. ROAR is designed to enable swift action against emerging threats like H5N1 (bird flu) and African swine fever virus (ASFv). Both diseases are highly contagious and pose significant risks to farm productivity and profitability. Through ROAR, FFAR has funded several critical projects. For instance, a grant was awarded to the USDA and Kansas State University to develop safe, quickly deployable vaccines against ASFv. Another grant supported Agrinerds Inc in creating a tool that provides real-time data to producers about nearby waterfowl activity, helping to mitigate exposure risk to bird flu.
In Florida, FFAR funded a University of Florida project to combat the corn tar spot pathogen, which threatens both sweet and field corn. The research identified the cause of the disease and provided valuable insights for breeding tar spot-resistant corn varieties and effective disease management practices.
FFAR’s initiatives extend beyond disease control to enhance US competitiveness in the global agricultural market. By collaborating with the private sector, academic institutions, and farmers, FFAR aims to lower production costs and reduce prices for consumers. This is particularly important as countries like China and Brazil heavily invest in agricultural R&D.
Recent partnerships include a collaboration with the Swine Health Information Center and the Pork Checkoff to fund the H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program. Additionally, FFAR and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges launched the FFAR Veterinary Student Research Fellowship to address the US shortage of veterinarians specializing in livestock and poultry. This shortage poses threats to public health, food safety, and the economic vitality of US agricultural communities.
In another initiative, FFAR and McDonald’s Corporation co-invested in two SMART Broiler research projects aimed at enhancing broiler chicken welfare using precision monitoring technologies. A study published in March 2025 demonstrated that low-cost cameras and AI can automatically estimate the weight of broiler chickens, aiding in monitoring bird health and welfare. This technology has the potential to replace manual weighing methods, reducing labor costs and minimizing stress on the birds.
The SMART Broiler program, launched in 2019, is a $4 million public-private partnership supporting research into objective, tech-driven methods for assessing chicken welfare. In its second phase, the program is funding solutions for broader commercial implementation. Two notable awardees include Marian Dawkins of the University of Oxford, who is testing OPTICFLOCK, a real-time monitoring system, and Niamh O’Connell of Queen’s University Belfast, who is adapting intelligent surveillance tools for real-time tracking of individual birds.
FFAR is also investing in data infrastructure through the Better Deal for Data project, led by Jim Fruchterman of Tech Matters. This initiative seeks to create tools for improved data access and sharing among farmers, addressing the current issue of agriculture data being locked in incompatible silos. By funding this project, FFAR aims to support broader access to data, benefiting both farmers and the larger agricultural community.
