The U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) Board of Directors has approved $13.2 million in funding for its 2026 research and fellowship programs. This marks the highest funding amount awarded in the last 20 years, supporting collaborative agricultural research between U.S. and Israeli scientists. This year’s program includes research projects, fellowships, and workshops that continue to strengthen binational collaboration and scientific exchange.
“This year, BARD received 144 research proposals, almost doubled from the previous year. We approved $13.2 million research and fellowship programs for 2026, approximately 40% higher than a typical year,” said Prof. Yoram Kapulnik, Executive Director of BARD. “We could not support more than 26 of them though there were more excellent proposals that couldn’t be funded. Most of this year’s proposals were submitted under the Pioneer track, which demands a higher level of interdisciplinary collaboration and focuses on projects that lead to practical, near-term implementation in the field.”
“These grants are not just financial investments, they represent our unwavering trust in the power of collaborative science to solve the most pressing challenges in agriculture,” said Prof. Wendy Powers, Chairwoman of the BARD Board. “By empowering top-tier researchers to break academic silos and focus on high-impact solutions, we are successfully bridging the gap between discovery and market-ready applications.”
Highlights of Funded Research Areas
The 2026 portfolio reflects a broad and balanced investment across key agricultural disciplines:
Agricultural Innovation & Engineering projects address advanced agricultural technologies, including satellite-derived precision mapping for weed management and the development of spectrally selective agrivoltaic systems to support the water–food–energy nexus.
Animal Health & Production research focuses on improving animal health, diagnostics, and productivity. Projects include advances in disease surveillance for bovine leptospirosis, molecular approaches to address stress in honey bees, and innovative strategies to enhance reproductive efficiency and livestock management.
Aquaculture projects address disease prevention and resilience in aquatic systems, including vaccination and diagnostic strategies for fish diseases and research on stress responses in commercially important marine species.
Crop Health & Protection studies investigate plant health and protection through biological and molecular approaches, including biocontrol strategies for invasive pests, analysis of plant reproductive processes linked to disease resistance, and innovations to support plant microbiome stability.
Crop Production & Breeding projects aim to improve crop productivity and resilience through advanced breeding, genome editing, and stress tolerance research. Areas include improving water-use efficiency, developing desert-adapted crops, and enhancing tolerance to environmental stresses such as heat.
Environment, Water, and Renewable Resources research focuses on sustainable resource management, including soil microbiome optimization and nutrient-use efficiency, with the goal of improving agricultural sustainability and environmental performance.
Food Quality & Postharvest Research studies target improvements in food quality, shelf life, and safety through integrated genetic, biochemical, and technological approaches, including work on fruit quality, flavor enhancement, and postharvest disease control.
Building U.S.-Israel Scientific Collaboration: The funded projects bring together leading scientists from the United States and Israel to address shared agricultural challenges. By combining complementary expertise, these collaborations contribute to innovation in food production, environmental sustainability, and agricultural resilience.
Looking Ahead
As BARD celebrates this historic milestone, the 2026 cohort signals a visionary shift toward a new paradigm where collaborative science directly serves the broader community. By channeling all funding into the Pioneer Track, the fund prioritizes deep interdisciplinary research that accelerates the transition from laboratory breakthroughs to practical, near-term solutions. This strategic direction ensures that binational innovation support farmers in the field, but at the same time addresses urgent challenges stemming from volatile weather disruptions and global food security, delivering tangible, life-enhancing impacts for society at large.
