The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) held its first open board meeting this week, chaired by former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman. Authorized by Congress as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the foundation will operate as a non-profit corporation seeking and accepting private donations in order to fund research activities that focus on problems of national and international significance.

Congress also provided $200 million for the foundation, which must be matched by non-federal funds as the foundation identifies and approves projects. The American Soybean Association (ASA) strongly supported the creation of FFAR, because it will increase the scientific and technological research, innovation and partnerships that are so critical to keeping America’s agricultural economy moving forward.

The agenda was open to pre-registered speakers. Speakers commented mostly on why their sector needs additional research. About half of the speakers were from livestock trade and science associations. Also presenting was Ed Anderson, representing the North Central Soybean Research Program.

Glickman introduced Dr. Sally Rockey, the new FFAR executive director. Rockey spent 19 years at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where she oversaw the competitive research component of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, which is today's National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Before coming to FFAR, she was leading the largest extramural research operation in the world at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Rockey announced that FFAR is launching two programs now and will announce two more by the end of the year. The first is the “New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award,” which will be awarded to scientists in the early stages of their careers with the goal of keeping them on the path of agriculture science for their whole career. The second is the “Rapid Response Program,” where FFAR will collaborate with USDA in identifying emerging issues in an effort to identify threats early and mitigate through critical research.