WSU granted 19 million to support creation of Center for Health, Environment, Food and Farming

Washington State University has been awarded a $19 million grant to encourage whole grain consumption. The grant includes a $10 million BioInnovation Grant from the Washington Research Foundation, supplemented by over $3 million from the Washington Grain Commission and other organizations. This five-year initiative will lead to the establishment of the Center for Health, Environment, Food and Farming at WSU. Researchers will focus on developing new crop varieties while enhancing the commercial infrastructure for storing, transporting, and milling whole grains. Additionally, a commercial kitchen will be set up at the University of Washington to assist entrepreneurs in marketing whole grain products.

Kevin Murphy, director of the WSU Breadlab, stated that establishing a complete market supply chain is vital for supporting local farmers and increasing accessibility to whole grain foods. This grant is the largest ever awarded by the Washington Research Foundation to WSU and addresses the global health issue of insufficient whole grains in diets. The initiative is expected to benefit both local farmers and consumers interested in healthy food options.