Dr. Danforth was responsible with the Area Director in the leading, planning, coordinating, and evaluating of all research programs within the 8 state Mid-West Area for the Agricultural Research Service, USDA. This entailed the administration of all programs and activities that employed 340 research scientists and 1300 total employees, with an operating budget of $140 million.

Dr. Danforth was responsible for all aspects of planning, conducting, coordinating, and administrating the transfer of research developed by 300 Research Scientists at the Beltsville Area to the private sector and to regulatory agencies of Federal and State governments. He established effective partnerships between ARS scientists and cooperators, negotiated specific Cooperative and Development Agreements (CRADA's), and evaluated research results for patentability and license of Intellectual property. This resulted in $40 million in funding and formation of companies with pre-capitalization and equity funding of over $95 million.

Developed and led an internationally recognized research program focused on multidirectional approaches to control intestinal diseases of poultry. Authored over 240 scientific publications, book chapters, symposia reviews, abstracts, popular articles and patents.