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A statewide endeavor to incorporate more nutritious, environmentally-friendly grains onto people’s plates has received a $19 million enhancement, which will support each phase of constructing a network from the field to the table.

This initiative, a collaboration between public and private sectors spearheaded by Washington State University with backing from the University of Washington, has been awarded a $10 million BioInnovation Grant from the Washington Research Foundation along with matching resources from various other organizations, including over $3 million from the Washington Grain Commission.

The focus is on a global health concern: the scarcity of whole grains in individuals’ diets, which contributes to widespread health issues.

The financing will enable WSU researchers to persist in creating new crop types for farmers. It will invigorate initiatives to introduce more whole grains to the community, particularly in school lunchrooms, and will enhance Washington state’s commercial framework for storing, shipping, milling, and promoting whole grains. This funding will also facilitate the establishment of a commercial kitchen at the UW to assist entrepreneurs in marketing whole-grain food products.

“This effort is about ensuring that nutritious grains access those who require them,” stated Jennifer Otten, a professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at UW. “By comprehending the policies, systems, and human choices that mold food production and the supply chain for school meals, we can help connect innovation to impact.”

Two groups of UW researchers will aid this initiative.

Juming Tang, professor of industrial & systems engineering and mechanical engineering at UW, will assist in the development of ready-to-eat meals and will support private entities using UW resources to create sample meals for school breakfasts and lunches.

The UW’s implementation science team, which includes Otten, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences Sarah Collier, and assistant professor of epidemiology Marie Spiker, will investigate how advancements in grain breeding and food product creation can be effectively embraced in educational environments. They will analyze what policies, budget considerations, and social elements aid in ensuring that new whole grain and legume varieties are accepted across the supply chain, and ultimately, by school-age children who depend on them for essential nutrition to grow and thrive.

This team will also manage study-away programs, allowing students to explore new whole grains and legumes in both urban and rural regions of Washington state. The curriculum from these five-week summer initiatives will be made publicly accessible.

“The timing of this grant is impeccable,” remarked Kevin Murphy, a WSU professor of international seed and cropping systems and director of the WSU Breadlab, who will oversee the grant initiative. “We’re currently at a pivotal point where we’ve established a critical mass of interdisciplinary research, encompassing a variety of agricultural, food, and health sciences. Now we can begin commercialization, getting these crop varieties to farmers, and placing whole grains on our tables and in schools.”

The grant funding will be supplemented by contributions from the Washington Grain Commission, the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, the American Heart Association, The Land Institute, and food and technology companies.

“This represents a truly historic investment for farmers in Washington,” stated Casey Chumrau, CEO of the Washington Grain Commission.

Derived from a press release by Washington State University. For additional information or to contact the project team, reach out to Alden Woods at [email protected] or WSU’s Shawn Vestal at [email protected].

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