FFAR matches Clif Bar grant to fund organic research at Tuskegee University

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research has awarded $1 million for organic research to Tuskegee University in Alabama.

The grant matches a $1 million investment by organic energy food company Clif Bar & Company, resulting in a total of $2 million bestowed on Tuskegee’s College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences.

“Investing in an organic and equitable future for U.S. farming and agriculture is imperative to advancing our food systems and ensuring broader access to organic food for all,” Dr. Joe K. Kpomblekou, research professor of plant and soil science at Tuskegee University, said in the release. “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.”

FFAR, an organization formed in the 2014 Farm Bill, works to increase public agriculture research investments and to match federal funding from Congress with private funding. Clif Bar & Company chose Tuskegee University because of its leadership in organic agricultures in the Southeastern U.S., which includes partnerships with other historically Black colleges and universities to advance organic practices, according to a news release.

“At Clif, our purpose is to redesign the business of food for the benefit of health, equity and Earth, and supporting Tuskegee’s work to make organic more accessible and equitable is a meaningful way to deliver on that promise,” Roma McCaig, senior vice president of impact and communications at Clif Bar & Company, said in the release. “We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and are proud to support Tuskegee's work that will help create a more inclusive future for organic farming."

The latest U.S. Census of Agriculture indicates that of the 30,909 certified organic farms in the U.S., only 5% are Black-owned farms. Through financial inequality and a lack of representation, farmers in the Southeastern U.S. have lacked access to organic agriculture research that could increase production and improve soil health, according to the release.

The award to Tuskegee University will fund future opportunities and activities that increase the adoption of organic farming practices in the Southeast and increase equity in organic farming. It will support the work of Kpomblekou in developing a network of organic research among Southeast academic institutions, with a focus on historically Black colleges and universities.

“Organic farming research can assist producers in implementing sustainable soil health management practices, increase resilience to climate change and strengthen our food systems,” Dr. LaKisha Odom, FFAR scientific program director and Tuskegee alumna, said in the release. “FFAR is proud to partner with Clif Bar to maximize investment in the advancement of organic agriculture and support equity in farming through this endowment to Tuskegee University.”