At a pivotal moment for farming and community health, Washington University in St. Louis is initiating the Food and Agriculture Research Mission (FARM), a visionary project aimed at tackling obstacles in agricultural production, food distribution, and access to healthy foods by creating effective, scalable solutions for worldwide benefit.
“The significance of this moment cannot be exaggerated,” remarked WashU Chancellor Andrew D. Martin, a long-time supporter of this initiative. “Hunger, malnutrition, and environmental decline are not remote dangers — they are immediate crises requiring prompt, coordinated efforts.”
“We have the chance to interrupt these repercussions by implementing innovative solutions to seemingly insurmountable issues,” he continued. “Collectively, along with our collaborators in St. Louis and beyond, we will redefine how we cultivate food, sustain communities, and protect the environment — because the well-being of regional, national, and global populations relies on it.”
Climate change endangers food security as severe weather, increasing temperatures, and new pests reduce crop output. Water scarcity — exacerbated by droughts, overexploitation, and contamination — threatens irrigation and livestock farming. Workforce shortages hinder the collection of fruits and vegetables, while supply chain weaknesses highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to challenge food distribution.
With the worldwide population expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, farmers must produce more food on diminished land while cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Hunger and malnutrition are set to influence society for the next 25 years and beyond, making sustainable food systems critical for a secure future.
Significantly, FARM will be situated within WashU’s newly formed School of Public Health. “Establishing FARM in the School of Public Health emphasizes the inseparable connection between agriculture and human health,” stated Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the first Margaret C. Ryan Dean and Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health. “Food security and nutrition form the foundation of public health, influencing everything from childhood growth to the prevention of chronic diseases.”
A strategic positioning
WashU is strategically located at the center of U.S. agriculture, with more than half of the nation’s food output within a 500-mile radius. St. Louis hosts over 1,000 plant scientists, more than 400 biotech firms, and esteemed institutions, including the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Missouri Botanical Garden. The 200-acre Cortex Innovation District — which includes BioSTL and BioGenerator — enhances St. Louis’ agricultural innovation ecosystem, offering space and resources to help startups and entrepreneurs succeed. FARM will further solidify these collaborations to unleash new opportunities.
FARM will leverage the university’s expertise across various fields, including public health, biology, genetics, engineering, supply-chain management, and implementation science. The university is already at the forefront of research in pest and drought resilience, genetic crop advancements, microbiome science, global malnutrition, carbon-sequestering plants, environmentally friendly fertilizers, and next-generation medicines inspired by nature.
Through research networks, WashU will connect a wide array of specialists — for instance, pairing an artificial intelligence (AI) expert modeling climate impacts with a scientist investigating plant metabolism — to achieve breakthroughs neither could realize alone.
FARM will also implement AI and other sophisticated tools to predict and alleviate climate-induced agricultural challenges.
Global agricultural leader appointed to FARM
Morven A. McLean, an agricultural expert with over 25 years of global experience, has been appointed as the inaugural director of FARM, executive director of networks and innovation at the School of Public Health, and a professor of practice. McLean will direct the formation of interdisciplinary research networks based at the School of Public Health. FARM will be the first network launched, serving as a prototype for the future development of networks addressing essential societal issues.
Before this, McLean was the director of global strategy, regulatory, and public affairs at Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One), a branch of the Gates Foundation. Her career includes extensive collaboration with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to enhance agricultural innovation, food security, and the regulation of new technologies. She has acted as a technical expert on policy and risk assessment for organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Program, along with national governments throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and South America.
McLean’s initial steps in her new position will involve a comprehensive assessment to pinpoint collaboration prospects across WashU’s schools and beyond. Engaging directly with farmers will also be vital.
“Being situated in St. Louis provides unique access to numerous farming organizations that can serve as critical partners, linking small, medium, and large-scale farmers to the research community,” McLean stated. “Farmer feedback is crucial. We must listen first and co-create with humility. We’re dedicated to establishing meaningful connections with farmers, industry leaders, and civil entities to ensure our initiatives are scalable and impactful.”
Many agricultural concerns in the Midwest reflect global challenges, she noted. “Climate change poses shared difficulties for farmers everywhere. Farmers face immediate pressures to manage their expenses today, but it is equally important to look to the future — assessing how climate, policy shifts, and demographic trends will influence the agriculture landscape,” McLean emphasized.
Food, farming, and public health
FARM is intentionally integrated into WashU’s School of Public Health. An essential part of the “Here and Next” strategic plan, the school was established to position the university and St. Louis as global frontrunners in addressing society’s most pressing issues.
“Universities exist to confront the world’s most challenging problems, and at WashU, we are reaffirming that mission,” stated Provost Beverly Wendland. “With the inception of our School of Public Health and FARM, we have the chance to unite the finest scientists with partners in industry, government, and philanthropy to effect meaningful change and enhance human health.”
FARM will also benefit from partnerships with leading WashU Medicine, which is recognized for biomedical research and innovation, further intertwining agriculture, nutrition, and public health.
By embedding FARM into
In the realm of public health, WashU is reevaluating how agriculture and human well-being interrelate, ensuring that research not only promotes food safety but also tackles issues like nutritional inadequacy, which arises when individuals get sufficient calories but are deficient in vital nutrients, McLean emphasized.
In the United States, almost half of the funding for agricultural research and development is allocated to corn, mainly for ethanol and livestock feed. This limited emphasis creates considerable gaps in the research concerning crops and diets that could aid in fighting chronic diseases, obesity, and malnutrition. FARM intends to transform agricultural priorities, harmonizing food production with public health requirements.
“By uniting agricultural researchers, public health advocates, and community collaborators, we can address pressing challenges such as malnutrition and sustainable food systems in a comprehensive manner,” Galea remarked. “This strategy not only confronts the obstacles faced by farmers and communities today but also guarantees fair access to nourishing food for generations to come.”
Innovative minds, significant concepts
To propel FARM’s objectives, WashU will involve forward-thinking faculty, including two endowed Lauren and Lee Fixel Distinguished Professors: Lora Iannotti, a specialist in maternal and child nutrition at the Brown School at WashU, and Feng Jiao, a chemical engineer at the university’s McKelvey School of Engineering focusing on energy storage, chemical production, and food generation.
To promote daring ideas, FARM will initiate competitive grant programs that circumvent conventional academic funding obstacles, which often prefer established scholars over innovative, high-risk initiatives. The Catalyst Award Competition will allocate $1 million in funding, with recipients chosen by the provost and a committee of academic, governmental, and industry advisors.
Furthermore, WashU will establish the FARM Incubator Fund, providing up to $250,000 in initial funding to interdisciplinary teams. Also in 2025, the university will unveil the FARM Transformative Ideas Competition, a long-term project to foster and expand groundbreaking innovations. An annual event will feature FARM’s accomplishments.
The article WashU launches FARM to drive food system transformation first appeared on The Source.