Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
"The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is a decentralized competitive grants and education program operating in every state and island protectorate of the United States. The program is run by four regions—North Central, Northeast, South and West, each guided by a volunteer Administrative Council that makes grants and sets regional priorities. The councils include farmers and ranchers along with representatives from universities, government, agribusiness and nonprofit organizations.Technical reviewers, also volunteers, lend professional and practical experience to help councils evaluate project proposals."[1]
"Since 1988, SARE has funded more than 5,000 projects through its regions, including research and education grants, professional development grants and producer grants. Depending on the region, applicants also can propose projects under special grant programs for graduate students, community development practitioners and ag educators conducting on-farm research."[2]
"SARE offers several types of competitive grants to support the innovative applied research and outreach efforts of key stakeholders in U.S. agriculture.
- Farmer/Rancher Grants—these grants help farmers and ranchers test innovative ideas in the field, oftentimes in advance of the research community.
- Research and Education Grants—for interdisciplinary, in-depth exploration of critical sustainable agriculture issues that both respond to and anticipate the needs of farmers and ranchers.
- Professional Development Program Grants—fund training programs on sustainable agriculture for professionals in USDA field office staff and industry field representatives.
- Graduate Student Grants—support the research conducted by tomorrow’s science leaders.
SARE shares project results by requiring grantees to conduct outreach and grower engagement; and by maintaining the SARE Learning Center—a library of practical books, bulletins, grantee-produced information products and other educational materials."[3]
"SARE's vision is an enduring American agriculture of the highest quality. This agriculture is profitable, protects the nation's land and water and is a force for a rewarding way of life for farmers and ranchers whose quality products and operations sustain their communities and society.
SARE's mission is to advance—to the whole of American agriculture—innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life by investing in groundbreaking research and education."[4]
SARE is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). SARE was initially authorized as the Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) Program in the Food Security Act of 1985. In 1990, the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act (FACTA) changed the name of the program and authorized the programs governing structure of regional Administrative Councils and host institutions.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Nationwide, SARE. "SARE's Four Regions". www.sare.org. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ↑ Nationwide, SARE. "SARE's Four Regions". www.sare.org. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ↑ Nationwide, SARE. "25 Years of SARE". www.sare.org. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ↑ Nationwide, SARE. "SARE Vision and Mission". www.sare.org. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
- ↑ Madden, Patrick. The Early Years. http://www.sare.org/content/download/50101/661407/The_Early_Years_(Madden).pdf?inlinedownload=1: SARE.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Congressional Research Service document "Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition" by Jasper Womach.