To bring awareness of, recognize, and pay tribute to those who have made significant contributions to NCR-SARE and sustainable agriculture in the North Central region, NCR-SARE is accepting nominations for the “NCR-SARE Hero” recognition.
Coordinated by the NCR-SARE Alumni Organization, the recognition will acknowledge these heroes' leadership, vision, contributions, and impact in the region's sustainable agriculture field across the 12-state region (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI).
Anyone may submit nominations. The official nomination form is available on the NCR-SARE website here.
Eligibility
- Service to NCR-SARE and/or national SARE; and
- Leadership in sustainable agriculture locally and regionally; and
- Lasting impacts to sustainability in the North Central region.
Nominations and Selection
- The NCR-SARE Alumni Heroes Committee reviews and forwards nominations to the NCR-SARE Administrative Council.
- Nominations received will be kept on file at NCR-SARE and maintained for consideration for four years. Nominations may be resubmitted after that time.
- Current SARE staff and state coordinators cannot be nominated. They are eligible for nomination one year after leaving their SARE positions.
Nominations received by the end of the day on March 31, 2026, will be considered for the 2026 recognition. The NCR-SARE Hero recognition will be announced in July 2026.
Since 1988, NCR-SARE has helped advance farming systems that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. NCR-SARE is one of four regional offices that administer the SARE program, a nationwide grants and education program, to advance sustainable innovation to American agriculture. The program, part of USDA's National Institute for Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.