Mizzou Wins Biggest Grant in the History of the School

Yesterday, the University of Missouri received the largest federal research, education and extension grant ever awarded to MU – $25 million – from the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program.

The five-year project is aimed at helping farmers, up to 500,000 acres of Missouri farmland, adopt climate-smart practices that will ultimately help improve the resiliency of their crops and livestock in the midst of growing threats from climate change.

Participants will receive financial incentives for climate-smart practice adoption, technical support, and training and improved marketing opportunities.

One of the main goals of the grant is to get more carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil, with an expected reduction of 1 million metric tons in carbon dioxide equivalents – comparable to offsetting the emissions of more than 200,000 cars in Missouri.

The grant will also support development of new markets for climate-smart practices, including the bioenergy sector and with Missouri grass-fed beef.