NCR-SARE is pleased to announce the projects selected for funding for the 2019 Partnership Grant Program.
For the 2019 Partnership Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded almost $566,000 to 15 projects. NCR-SARE’s Partnership Grant Program is intended to foster cooperation between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers to catalyze on-farm research, demonstration, and education activities related to sustainable agriculture. Those selected to receive funding included (in order by state):
- Suzan Erem of Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) in West Branch, IA was awarded $33,365 for the project, “SILT Development and Implementation of Iowa Landowners Guide to Sustainable Food Crops.”
- Bridget Holcomb of Women, Food, and Agriculture Network in Ames, IA was awarded $39,832 for the project, “Women Farmland Owners as Sustainability Ambassadors: Educating Farmers and other Landowners to Make Changes.”
- Catie Gregg of Prairie Rivers Network in Champaign, IL was awarded $29,740 for the project, “Field Salad: A No-management Cover Crop to Move Practice Adoption Beyond Just the Innovator Farmer.”
- Teresa Steckler of the University of Illinois in Simpson, IL was awarded $39,955 for the project, “Management-Associated Risk Factors and Economic Impact of Anaplasmosis in Illinois Beef Herds.”
- Steve Swaffar of No-Till On The Plains Inc in Berryton, KS was awarded $32,187 for the project, “Alternate Weed Control Strategy in Sorghum Utilizing Companion Crops.”
- Matthew Clark of the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $38,390 for the project, “A Comprehensive Curriculum for Cold Climate Grapevine Production: Practical Skills for the Novice and Vineyard Manager.”
- Kitt Healy with the Organic Seed Alliance was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Building Farmer Capacity to Produce and Market Vegetable Seed in Minnesota through Seed Production Trials and Education.”
- Jianfeng Zhou of the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO was awarded $39,913 for the project, “Develop an Efficient Fruit Handling System for Elderberries.”
- Andrea Basche of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Partnering in Conservation: Engaging Women Farmland Owners and Their Tenants in Collaborative Conservation Planning.”
- Cody Creech of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Scottsbluff, NE was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Incorporating Grain Sorghum in Semi-Arid Crop Rotations with Short Growing Seasons to Increase Resiliency of Cropping Systems.”
- Bethany Johnston of Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition in Burwell, NE was awarded $33,781 for the project, “Building the Legacy—Heartache and Triumphs from Transitioning Ranch Families.”
- Andrew Kirk of the Ohio State University-Ashtabula ARS in Kingsville, OH was awarded $39,977 for the project, “Early Leaf Removal Strategies for Bunch Rot Reduction in Pinot Noir Clones.”
- Hongmei Li-Byarlay of Central State University in Wilberforce, OH was awarded $40,000 for the project, “Improving the Honeybee Queen Qualities and Genetic Diversity by Transferring Selected Queen Cells.”
- Jason Fischbach of Bayfield County UW-Extension in Washburn, WI was awarded $39,777 for the project, “Hazelnut-Finished Pork in the Upper Midwest: A New High-Value Product From A Sustainable Production System.”
- Marie Raboin of Dane County Land Conservation in Madison, WI was awarded $39,900 for the project, “Building Sustainable Relationships Around the use of Grazing Cover Crops on Dairy and Livestock Farms in Southern Wisconsin.”
The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.
NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. The AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofits.
Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.