President and FFAR Chairman Keenum travels to D.C. for ag research organization’s 10-year anniversary events
Mark E. Keenum
Mississippi State University President Mark E. KeenumMark E. Keenum — chairman of the board of directors for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research — visited Washington, D.C., last week to celebrate FFAR’s 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, Keenum participated in a House Roundtable Discussion and FFAR board meeting.
“FFAR 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,” 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.
“On average, FFAR matches each federal dollar with $1.40, and that’s a powerful return on taxpayer investment,” Keenum said.
At Mississippi State, innovative agriculture research also is among the university’s highest priorities. MSU 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 MSU graduate with degrees in agricultural economics, Keenum’s interest in international food security has strengthened the university’s contributions to global economic sustainability.
In addition to joining FFAR in 2014, he joined with other university presidents that same year to sign the Presidents’ 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. Keenum’s passion for international engagement and transformative research and service has positioned MSU 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.
“FFAR 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,” Keenum said.
Over the course of FFAR’s 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 FFAR’s bold food and agriculture research programs may be found at https://foundationfar.org/impact.
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Allison Matthews | Public Affairs
