Ryan Dowdy, a previous food scientist at NASA, secured an innovative research grant from the USDA to help enhance a meal replacement bar aimed at first responders. This grant is currently on hold, along with others, awaiting review.
Ryan Dowdy
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Ryan Dowdy
On January 13, Ryan Dowdy was excited to receive the news that he’d been awarded a high-profile grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research program was an ideal match for Dowdy’s emerging company, ReadyBAR.
A former NASA scientist who oversaw the food system on the International Space Station between 2018 and 2021, Dowdy aimed to utilize space-based technology to assist personnel in high-pressure situations here on Earth.
He had created a meal replacement bar tailored for first responders, whose nutritional needs he believed were comparable to those of astronauts. He intended to utilize the USDA grant to enhance the bar’s taste and texture while securing a two-year shelf life.
However, just two weeks after being informed that his proposal was “meritorious,” the Trump administration imposed a halt on all federal financial assistance, including grants.
Despite judicial orders to release the funds, Dowdy has yet to receive any emails or documentation he was led to expect to finalize his funding.
“I am completely anxious that I might never receive this financial aid,” he states.
Disruption felt nationwide
Across all 50 states, the impact of the Trump administration’s decisions is resonating among Americans.
Numerous individuals — potentially tens of thousands — have lost their jobs, both in the federal government and among contractors. Research funded by the federal government is halted. Farmers involved in foreign aid programs are unable to sell their grain.
Even though courts have mandated the Trump administration to release the funds, plenty of initiatives remain at a standstill.
“The only update I’ve received from the USDA is that all the funds are frozen, across every program indefinitely,” shares Dowdy.
A childhood passion evolves into a role at NASA
Growing up in Alabama, Dowdy had a lifelong fascination with science.
While other children operated lemonade stands, he concocted mixtures of oil and vinegar with drops of food coloring, selling it as “chemicals” for a dime each.
“I bet people thought, ‘What’s up with this odd kid?'” he reflects.
Eventually, while pursuing his PhD in food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, a professor inquired about his career aspirations after graduation.
“And I replied, ‘How cool would it be to create food for astronauts?’ And he said, ‘Funny enough, I know someone at NASA,'” Dowdy remembers.
This connection led to several internships at NASA and a permanent position managing the food systems on the International Space Station.
Adapting space food for Earth usage
According to Dowdy, astronauts consume three primary types of food in space. First, there’s thermostabilized food, akin to canned goods that can be opened and eaten with utensils, such as chili and grits.
Next is freeze-dried food, like the freeze-dried ice cream available in space museum gift shops.
“Trust me, that stuff never made it to the International Space Station,” Dowdy chuckles.
Ultimately, there are also so-called “intermediate moisture products,” which retain some moisture but not enough for bacteria to thrive.
This technology stayed with Dowdy even after he departed from NASA and relocated to California to be nearer to family. He started considering how this technology could serve a specific group that could significantly benefit from it: first responders.
Dowdy’s product ReadyBAR is a meal replacement bar for first responders that employs the same technology used to make food for astronauts on the International Space Station.
Ryan Dowdy
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Ryan Dowdy
Much like astronauts, first responders frequently do not have the luxury of time to enjoy a meal. They need products with a prolonged shelf life suitable for their emergency packs, ensuring they avoid experiencing a sugar crash.
A highly sought-after and competitive grant
Dowdy launched his enterprise last year with initial funding, brought together a small advisory group, and began experiments to create a meal replacement bar that could replace the prevalent sugary options in the market.
He anticipated that the USDA grant would assist his startup in navigating “the valley of death” — the challenging phase between conceptualization and market launch.
The grants are notably competitive and attractive, according to Dowdy, due to their favorable terms for small enterprises.
“The government isn’t asking for equity in return, unlike many investors. They also do not require repayment of the funds,” he explains.
The USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research program’s website articulates its goal of supporting “high-quality research on significant agricultural challenges and prospects that can yield substantial public advantages.”
“It’s about financing valuable science that addresses issues to feed people more effectively,” Dowdy adds.
“So across the aisle” — yet still halted
Though his funds were not set to disburse until later this year, Dowdy was eager for the USDA’s press release unveiling this year’s new grantees. Such exposure could be crucial for attracting interest from investors and the general populace.
Instead, on January 27, the White House Office of Management and Budget declared a funding freeze. The Trump administration claimed it needed time to evaluate all grants to ensure alignment with the president’s executive orders or policy objectives.
On that day, Dowdy was fortuitously in conversation with a potential investor who inquired about whether he believed his USDA grant might be suspended.
“I confidently replied, ‘Not a chance. We’re an American small business. We’re enabling first responders in emergencies. This is a cause that garners bipartisan support; it’s impossible for this funding to be halted,'” recalls Dowdy.
It turns out he was mistaken. His initiative was paused along with all others.
Business and personal plans currently on hold
Subsequently, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release the federal funding, including for pending awards, but Dowdy has not received any updates regarding his grant.
A USDA representative informed NPR that grantees would be given further information once the newly appointed agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, has had a chance to assess the reviews. Rollins was confirmed by the Senate last week.
Dowdy had set ambitious plans for the year, intending to recruit a research technician as his first employee and scale production to reduce costs. He and his wife also planned to start a family.
“This uncertainty renders the grant situation particularly challenging and frustrating,” he says. “It’s been incredibly frustrating and eerily silent.”
