NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences

The NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences recognizes research by a mid-career scientist (defined as up to 20 years since completion of PhD) at a U.S. institution who has made an extraordinary contribution to agriculture or to the understanding of the biology of a species fundamentally important to agriculture or food production. For the purpose of the prize, areas of science with applications to agriculture include plant and animal sciences, microbiology, nutrition and food science, soil science, entomology, veterinary medicine, and agricultural economics. The recipient will be awarded a medal and a $100,000 prize.

James C. Schnable, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will receive the 2026 NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Science.

Schnable’s pioneering innovations in plant genomics, quantitative genetics, and phenotyping are reshaping how we understand, improve, and sustain the world’s major crops.

His research focuses on the quantitative genetics and breeding of corn, sorghum, and other related crops, integrating new technologies and capabilities from engineering, computer science, and statistics. Combining genomically informed crop varieties with in-plant sensors, his work provides farmers with real-time insights into crop health and improved varieties that thrive with less fertilizer and greater stress tolerance. These advances have further enhanced profitability, conserved natural resources, and made agriculture more resilient to a changing climate.

Schnable has also founded three companies in the fields of bioinformatics, climate-resilient agriculture, and precision agronomy, translating scientific discovery into real-world impact.

Watch him receive the award online during the 163rd NAS Annual Meeting on April 26th.