2008 Call for Farmer Rancher Proposals

The National SARE Program and the Farm Bill Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is funded through the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). SARE was created in the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (1990 Farm Bill, Title 16, Subtitle B). The purpose of the SARE program is to generate and disseminate sound and practical information about alternative farming systems believed to have the potential to increase sustainability of agriculture. Sustainable Agriculture is good for the environment, profitable, and good for communities.

The North Central Region (NCR) SARE program of the USDA has allocated about $400,000 for the 2008 Farmer/Rancher Grant Program. Competitive grants of up to $6,000 are available for individual farmers and ranchers, and grants up to $18,000 are available for groups of three or more farmers from separate operations who are interested in exploring sustainable agriculture.

By law, the SARE program is a research and education/demonstration program, so proposals must be intended to test a sustainable agriculture technique that is new to the farm or ranch or to educate/ demonstrate to others a sustainable agriculture technique that could be used more widely in the area. Farmers/Ranchers are invited to submit proposals that test, evaluate, and adapt sustainable agriculture practices for their operations; conduct learning circles, educational events, field days or demonstrations to further disseminate information to farmers/ranchers; develop new technologies; or create or modify equipment.

These grants are for sustainable agriculture research and education projects; they are NOT for everyday farming expenses.

Applicants must identify specific problems and potential solutions to those problems.
Maximum duration for grant projects is 21 months.

Projects that involve whole farm systems and/or a youth component are encouraged. Livestock projects need to comply with reasonable animal care requirements to insure that animals are properly cared for.

For more information about the grants:
NCR-SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant Program
13A Activities Bldg, 1734 N 34th St
PO Box 830840
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68583-0840
E-mail: jbenjamin2@unl.edu