The Bellwether Foundation: Leading the Way in Plant Science Innovation
With a mission to enhance quality of life in St. Louis through bold, future-focused philanthropy, The Bellwether Foundation has become a catalytic force in plant science innovation at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. The Foundation’s visionary support has powered critical advances in phenotyping—a field that uses imaging and AI to observe how plants grow, adapt, and respond to stress.
In 2012, Bellwether helped launch the Bellwether Foundation Phenotyping Facility, one of the first high-throughput, automated plant phenotyping platforms in the nation. This indoor phenotyping system remains a core strength of the Danforth Center, attracting top scientists, start-ups, and national partners working to build improved crops for a changing world. With recent upgrades—including advanced cameras, and automated nutrient systems—Bellwether’s investment continues to yield vital insights into plant growth and resilience.
The Bellwether Phenotyping Facility
At Bellwether, we believe that investing in plant science today is an investment in the health of our region and our world.
Robert B. Smith III, Chairman and President of The Bellwether Foundation
A Transformational Investment
Now, with a transformational $5 million commitment to the Future Forward campaign, the Foundation is expanding phenotyping capability to the field. The new Bellwether field phenotyping facility, under construction at the Center’s 140-acre Field Research Site, will bring advanced imaging outdoors—creating a one-of-a-kind environment to test crops under real-world climate variability. Already in 2025, the facility supports breakthrough research in sorghum, corn and soybean, and perennial crops, while training the next generation of phenotyping experts.
The Bellwether Foundation has made a transformational $5 million commitment to expand phenotyping capability at the Danforth Center Field Research Site.
“At Bellwether, we believe that investing in plant science today is an investment in the health of our region and our world,” said Robert B. Smith III, Chairman and President of The Bellwether Foundation. “The Danforth Center is one of St. Louis’s great innovation engines, and we’re proud to support its work.”
“The Bellwether Foundation has been a vital partner with us in delivering on the Center’s mission,” said Dr. Katie Murphy, Danforth Center director of phenotyping. “They are facilitating cutting edge discoveries that will benefit agricultural sustainability and the region for decades.”
Roberth B. Smith III and Ginger Smith of the Bellwether Foundation.
Future Forward Now
Future Forward is an ambitious $165 million campaign. Through it, the Danforth Center will deploy plant science to improve the human condition for current and future generations. If you'd like to learn more about how the Future Forward campaign is already delivering impact and transforming plant science and our region, visit: campaign.danforthcenter.org.