Project Grant 20266701545963
- This $874,335 federal Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program aims to develop an integrated Cyber-Physical System (CPS) to optimize bird welfare and productivity in poultry production. The project will utilize robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced sensing technologies to continuously monitor environmental conditions and bird health indicators within poultry houses. The data collected will...
- This federal Project Grant award, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), provides $125,665 to Iowa State University to develop an integrated cyber-physical system (CPS) to optimize bird welfare and productivity in poultry production. The CPS will combine robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced sensing technologies to continuously monitor...
- Federal Project Grant Award Summary The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. received a $298,174 project grant from the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Program (CFDA 10.310), awarded on February 1, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2028. The project delivers a non-destructive egg screening system that combines advanced imaging technology with artificial intelligence to identify fertile versus infertile...
- The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. (UGA Research Foundation) was awarded a $749,434 Project Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program. The grant, which runs from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2027, supports three research and extension objectives focused on pastured poultry farming systems: 1) analyzing chickens' diets and impacts on pests, beneficial insects, and weeds through molecular...
- Federal Grant Award Summary The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. received a $299,991 project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310). Awarded on March 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2029, this grant supports research to assist the poultry industry in meeting regulatory requirements established by the USDA Food Safety and...
- This Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides $434,629 to develop smart robotic systems for poultry production through January 2027. Funded under NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the award supports the design and integration of novel multimodal sensor-guided robotic chicken handling techniques. Specifically, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture will implement visual and tactile...
- The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. was awarded a three-year, $612,800 Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative federal grant program (AFRI, CFDA #10.310). The grant will fund research examining the role of gut microbiota in driving behavioral and welfare changes in laying hens during stressful scenarios. Specifically, the university will determine the effects...
- This $309,259 project grant from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund the design and integration of smart robotic systems for poultry production through January 2027. Specifically, the University of Arkansas will develop novel multimodal sensor-guided robotic techniques for autonomous chicken handling, including grasping and rehanging. The award supports applied research aligned with the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Auburn University received a $300,000 project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) program, awarded February 1, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. The research project addresses declining fertility and hatchability rates in broiler breeder chickens—the parent stock for meat bird production—which have fallen below 80% in...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) received a $635,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), effective February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2030. The award funds a four-year research initiative to validate and evaluate objective biomarkers as outcome-based indicators of animal welfare in...
Grant Award Summary The University of Georgia Research Foundation received a $635,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), awarded March 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2029. The project will develop artificial intelligence (AI)-driven computer vision systems and algorithms to automatically detect and track behavioral indicators of individual broiler chickens in group housing settings. The deliverables include: (1) advanced AI algorithms capable of classifying behavior metrics for broilers in commercial production environments; (2) validated correlations between AI-detected behavioral indicators and measurable welfare outcomes, production metrics, physiological responses, and genetic factors; and (3) evidence-based evaluations of how stocking density and environmental enrichment interact to influence chicken welfare, health, and productivity. The research will generate objective, AI-driven behavior metrics that provide automated welfare assessments to replace manual, labor-intensive evaluation methods currently subject to observation errors. These metrics will establish novel welfare indicators and endophenotypes suitable for incorporation into selective breeding programs to enhance animal well-being. The resulting tools will enable broiler producers to comprehensively evaluate management strategies and implement science-based improvements to animal welfare and production efficiency while addressing industry pressure to provide larger living spaces and environmental enrichments in housing systems.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $635.0k | 2/11/26 |