NCR-SARE is pleased to announce the projects selected for the 2021 Research and Education competitive grant program. Fifteen (15) projects were awarded a total of more than $3.7 million through this NCR-SARE grant program for researchers and educators involved in projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems.
The following awarded projects are in order by state and then by the last name:
- Nicholas Wuertz with Lutheran Services in Iowa in Des Moines, IA was awarded $250,000 for the project, “Communities of Practice and Farmer Led Training for Increased Sustainability of Refugee and Immigrant Farms in the North Central Region.”
- Wenjing Guan with Purdue University in Vincennes, IN was awarded $250,000 for the project, “Enhance Strawberry Production in North Central Region through Tunnel-based Systems.”
- Katie Lee with the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $250,000 for the project, “Addressing Honey Bee Health Challenges in Minnesota Through Providing Colony Assessment Tools and Education for Beekeepers.”
- Erin Meier with Green Lands Blue Waters and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $247,740 for the project, “Match Made in Heaven: Livestock and Crops.”
- Mary Rogers with the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $249,906 for the project, “Advancing Spotted-Wing Drosophila Sustainable Management Techniques for Strawberries in Minnesota.”
- Semra Fetahovic with Cultivate KC in Kansas City, MO was awarded $235,004 for the project, “Increasing Climate Resilience Among Refugee and Immigrant Farmers in Kansas City and Beyond.”
- Jianfeng Zhou with the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO was awarded $249,995 for the project, “Improve the Safety and Health of Women Farmers by Adapting Farm Tools and Equipment.”
- Scott Kronberg with USDA-ARS, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, ND was awarded $248,773 for the project, “Is Grass-fed Beef from Cattle Grazing a Diverse Mixture of Plants Healthier for Consumers?”
- Craig Allen with the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes in Lincoln, NE was awarded $247,011 for the project, “Assessing Tradeoffs of Grassland Management Approaches with Collaborative Adaptive Management.”
- Cody Creech with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, NE was awarded $250,000 for the project, “The Effects of Wheat Stem Characteristics and Wheat Stem Sawfly Infestation on Yield, Residue Longevity, Soil Water, and Soil Health.”
- G. Matt Davies with The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH was awarded $249,846 for the project, “Developing and Promoting Woodland Pawpaw Production Practices to Improve Fruit Yield and Quality.”
- Carol Goland with the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association in Columbus, OH was awarded $249,547 for the project, “Identifying and Incorporating Fair Labor and Fair Pricing on Sustainable Farms in the North Central Region.”
- Hongmei Li-Byarlay with Central State University in Wilberforce, OH was awarded $249,998 for the project, “A Sustainable Approach to Control Varroa Mites - Improving the Quality of Queens using Local Resources.”
- Krista Ehlert with South Dakota State University's West River Research and Education in Rapid City, SD was awarded $246,721 for the project, “Improving Watershed Health, Wildlife Habitat, and Ranch Profitability: Education and Demonstration of Low-cost, Low-tech Riparian Restoration Tools.”
- James Stute with the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, WI was awarded $249,942 for the project, “Can Cover Crops Pay? Unraveling Yield Enhancement on a Wide Scale to Provide Incentive for Increased Adoption.”
View NCR-SARE’s 2021 funded projects along with their descriptions online (scroll to the bottom of the page).
NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. A collection of farm and non-farm citizens, 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 nonprofit organizations.