Douglas and Maria Bayer New Initiatives Fund for Sustainable Agriculture
The Douglas and Maria Bayer New Initiatives Fund for Sustainable Agriculture was established in 2015 through a $1 million pledge from MSU alumni Doug and Maria Bayer.
As a result of the gift, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is able to provide seed funding to support collaborative research projects in sustainable agriculture and food systems. These projects bring researchers together from MSU and beyond to turn this seed funding into major external grant opportunities.
A request for proposals process is used to select projects for funding. Proposed projects directly support new discoveries and practical applications in sustainable agriculture and food systems in areas such as food security, sustainability and minimizing environmental degradation.
Doug Bayer is a retired software engineer who received a doctorate in nuclear physics from MSU, and Maria Bayer is a retired teacher who earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the university.
Funded Projects
2025
- Olivia Smith, Department of Horticulture (PI); Lauren Sullivan, Department of Plant Biology (co-PI); Elizabeth Schultheis (co-PI): Weed SEEDS: Weed Seed Entry and Establishment Dynamics Study.
- Andrea Glassmire, Department of Entomology (PI); David Douches, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences (co-PI); Zsofia Szendrei, Department of Entomology (co-PI); Tony Schilimiller (co-PI): Harnessing Odor Diversity for Sustainable Pest Control and Food Resilience.
2024
- James DeDecker, Director, MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center. Project focus: Studying reduced tillage methods in organic vegetable production, evaluating impacts on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. Collaboration includes Northern Michigan University and Full Plate Farm (a local U.P. vegetable farm).
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Ilce Medina Meza, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Project focus: Investigating how nanotechnology and the antimicrobial properties of grape pomace can be used to prevent sour rot in wine grapes. Aims to slow or stop the development of a poorly understood grape disease that affects fruit quality and production. Collaboration includes researchers from Michigan State University and Iowa State University.
2023
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Christine Sprunger, Associate Professor of Soil Health, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences. Project focus: Examining how prairie grass strips planted in agricultural fields affect pollinator populations and soil biodiversity.
- Cheryl Murphy, Professor, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Director, MSU Center for PFAS Research. Project focus: Raising awareness and building understanding of PFAS contamination in agricultural systems.
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Julianna Wilson, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Tree Fruit Entomology, Department of Entomology. Project focus: Addressing climate resilience and adaptation challenges in perennial fruit systems.
2022
- Emily Silver, Associate Professor, Department of Forestry. Project focus: Examining land management decisions made by people who own both farmland and woodland. Multi‑institutional team including researchers from MSU, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the U.S. Forest Service.
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