The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, supporting farmer-driven grants and grassroots education programs for over three decades, will receive an investment of over $46 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The grants, which will be awarded over 10 years, will be administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through four regional SARE host institutions and the National Reporting, Coordinating, and Communications Office (NRCCO).
The regional programs are hosted by Land-grant Institutions and are guided by volunteer Administrative Councils comprising farmers, ranchers, university representatives, government, agribusiness, and nonprofit organizations. Technical reviewers, who are also volunteers, assist councils in evaluating project proposals.
SARE’s projects address various topics such as renewable energy, pest and weed management, crop rotations, marketing, and local and regional food systems. The University of Minnesota, the University of Vermont, the University of Georgia, Montana State University, and the University of Maryland are the grant recipients of this investment.