Washington produces over 300 different crops and livestock over a similarly diverse landscape with numerous environments

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Washington State University $5.751 million under the Hatch Act formula grant program (CFDA 10.203) on October 1, 2025.

The award funds genomic research for livestock and aquaculture improvement, including breeding for disease resistance and increased fertility, and advances in growth and muscle development to increase production efficiency and reduce environmental footprint. The funding supports honeybee health research through collection and use of novel germplasm from endemic Old World honeybee populations to assist crop and fruit production through improved pollination. WSU develops improved varieties of wheat, barley, apples, cherries, and potatoes adapted to diverse Washington environments with traits including enhanced nitrogen and water use efficiencies, drought resistance, heat resistance, pest and disease resistance, improved end-use quality, increased nutritional quality, and increased or sustained yields under adverse conditions. The award funds development of improved crop practices that prevent soil loss, improve soil health, and prevent pesticide and nutrient contamination of groundwater and waterways. Precision agriculture developments include environmental sensing technologies and AI approaches developed through collaboration between computer scientists, mechanical engineers, agronomists, and horticulturalists. Work applies AI and robotics to improve human-machine interactions and reduce labor for pruning and harvesting.

Performance occurs at Pullman, Washington. The period of performance runs through September 30, 2027.

Genomic research for animal improvement by breeding for resistance to disease and increased fertility through a reduction of embryonic and fetal loss is ongoing. Additional livestock and aquaculture research involves advancing knowledge in growth and muscle development, increasing production efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of production. To assist crop and fruit production through pollination, genetic research efforts in honeybee health include collection and use of novel germplasm from endemic old world honeybee populations. WSU continues to develop improved varieties of wheat, barley, apples, cherries, and potatoes that are adapted to the diverse washington environments and carry traits such as enhanced nitrogen and water use efficiencies, drought resistance, heat resistance, increased soil microbe interactions that support nutrient uptake from the soil, pest and disease resistance, improved end-use quality, increased nutritional quality, and increased yields or sustained yields under adverse conditions. Improved crop practices that prevent soil loss and improve soil health, prevent pesticide and nutrient contamination of groundwater and waterways, and optimize applications of inputs such as water and nutrients by developing precision techniques continue to be developed. Precision agriculture developments include environmental sensing technologies and computational/machine-based artificial intelligence (AI) approaches developed with collaborations between computer scientists and mechanical engineers working with agronomists and horticulturalists in various cropping systems. Development of environmental sensing techniques are being used to improve resilience to high temperatures. AI and advances in robotics are being applied to improve human-machine interactions to reduce labor needed for pruning and harvesting of labor-intensive crops like tree fruit, grapes, and berries. Integrated approaches using pest biological modeling, biologic AL control strategies, rapid molecular diagnostics, resistance monitoring, and soil microbiome manipulation are being used to slow pest adaptation and develop new management practices in cropping systems. Pre- and post-harvest management techniques of crops are being used to reduce spoilage and extend storage and shelf life and ability of packers and shippers to deliver high quality, safe food to consumers. Development of post-harvest management techniques for specialized packaging and advancing microwave sterilization/pasteurization to help processors and retailers deliver safe, high-quality produce and meat continues. Other areas of intense technology development include the identification and manipulation of valuable metabolites in plants, like specialty oils, the conversion of biomass, crop residues, and manure to biofuels and more valuable bioproducts and biomaterials, and methods to sequester carbon from biomass in soils.