Ļć½¶Ö±²„President and FFAR Chairman Keenum travels to D.C. for ag research organizationās 10-year anniversary events
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĻć½¶Ö±²„ President Mark E. Keenumāchairman of the board of directors for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Researchātravels to Washington, D.C., this week to celebrate FFARās 10-year anniversary, and a decade of impact and achievement.
After FFAR was established with bipartisan support as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, Keenum was appointed that same year to serve on the FFAR board by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who at that time was serving during the administration of President Barack Obama. Keenum was unanimously elected to chair the FFAR board in 2017.
In addition to celebrating the milestone anniversary this week, Keenum will take part in a House Roundtable Discussion and FFAR board meeting.
āFFAR was created to supplement the incredible research carried out by the United States Department of Agriculture, and we have a very strong relationship with USDA and many other partners to grow agricultural research to address critical problems in a timely manner,ā said Keenum, a former USDA Under Secretary.
FFAR utilizes a public-private partnership model to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to identify research opportunities and help farmers adapt to agriculture challenges such as extreme weather, diminishing natural resources and growing global demand.
āOn average, FFAR matches each federal dollar with $1.40, and thatās a powerful return on taxpayer investment,ā Keenum said.
At Mississippi State, innovative agriculture research also is among the universityās highest priorities. Ļć½¶Ö±²„is ranked by the National Science Foundation as a Top 100 research institution, and its annual research and development expenditures have exceeded $320 million. An Ļć½¶Ö±²„graduate with degrees in agricultural economics, Keenumās interest in international food security has strengthened the universityās contributions to global economic sustainability.
In addition to joining FFAR in 2014, he joined with other university presidents that same year to sign the Presidentsā Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security at the United Nations in New York City, which marked the first time universities around the world began to share a collective focus on ending food insecurity. Keenumās passion for international engagement and transformative research and service has positioned Ļć½¶Ö±²„as a leader in addressing global food security and poverty, among other critical issues. He twice has been invited to speak at the U.N. about the crucial roles public research universities play as the global community works to address critical challenges. He also is immediate past chairman and former member of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development, or BIFAD.
āFFAR has been successful because we can work with anyone and be successful. That includes Democratic administrations and a Republican administration because the opportunities and benefits associated with agriculture innovation impact us all and require us to work together across political, geographical, and ideological boundaries to support thriving farms that meet the needs of consumers,ā Keenum said.
Over the course of FFARās first 10 years, the organization has awarded nearly 400 grants and $775 million in funding. It has worked with more than 550 funding partners. More highlights of FFARās bold food and agriculture research programs may be found at .
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