Texas Farmers and Ranchers Eligible for
$10,000 to $15,000 Grants

Many Texas farmers and ranchers may not know it, but they are eligible for grants up to $15,000 from USDA's Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE).

"This is a great opportunity for farmers and ranchers to develop solutions to sustainable-agriculture production problems," said Marty Baker, horticulturist with Texas Cooperative Extension and SARE state coordinator.

The grants are a win-win proposition, Baker said. The SARE program administrators gain knowledge of projects based on-farm real-world producer experience and needs. Producers get funding to perform research on topics in which they have personal experience and interest.

Any producer in the Southern Region, which includes all of Texas, is eligible for the producer grants. In awarding grants, SARE has identified five overall goals as priorities. The priorities include limited-resource farmers, environmental issues/ecology, organic agriculture, and marketing and emerging issues in agriculture.

Agricultural producers are eligible for two types of grants, the "Producer Grant" and the “On-Farm Research Grant." Both types of grants focus on nine areas, including beneficial insect habitats, alternative crops or animals, organic agriculture, sustainable marketing projects, sustainable grazing systems, soil organic matter building, increasing the sustainability of existing farming practices, appropriate technology, and agro-forestry/water quality.

The Producer Grants may be for as much as $10,000 for an individual or $15,000 for a producer organization. It's feasible that proposals from individual farmers, ranchers, and producer organizations may qualify for these grants without involvement by Extension, the Texas Experiment Station, or any other educational or research organization. But in practice, involvement by a research or educational professional helps.

"For farmers, teaming with their local county Extension agent or an Extension specialist can give them a competitive edge in writing the proposal and planning the project. The agent or specialist can contribute considerable resources and expertise," Baker said.

The deadline for proposal submissions for the Producer Grants is Jan. 25, 2002.

The On-Farm Research Grants may amount to as much as $15,000. Farmers may partner with a professional agricultural research or educational professional, but because it is a research grant and subject to review by research committees, these grants must be developed and coordinated by Extension, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and/or a non-government organization that works with farmers and ranchers. The on-farm research must involve at least three farm or ranch cooperators.

The deadline for proposal submissions for the On-Farm Research Grants is also January 25, 2002. The grant money can be used to develop and conduct on-farm research in practically any agricultural venue: grains and other row crops, livestock, forage, bedding plants, fisheries, commercial vegetables, and forestry -- anything agricultural that meets the SARE definition of sustainable agriculture.

SARE defines sustainable agriculture as "an integrated system" of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:

• enhance environmental quality
• make most efficient use of on-farm or ranch resources
• sustain economic viability of farm or ranch operations, and
• enhance the quality of life for farmers/ranchers and society as whole.

The Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program sponsors both the Producer Grant Program and On-Farm Research Grant Program. More details and forms can be found on-line at:

http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/sare

Those who do not have access to the Internet, may contact Marty Baker, SARE State Coordinator, P.O. Box 38, Overton, TX 75684. Baker's phone is (903) 834-6191.

First funded by the U.S. Congress in 1988, SARE works to increase knowledge and help farmers and ranchers adopt agricultural practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible. Established by an Act of Congress in 1988, SARE's purpose is to improve agricultural profitability, protect natural resources, and foster more viable rural communities.

To advance such knowledge nationwide, SARE administers a competitive grants program. Regional administrative councils recommend the projects to be funded after proposals go through technical peer review. Regional council representation in the Northeast, South, North Central, and West is specified by law. Since its inception, SARE has funded nearly 1,900 projects nationwide. In addition to Texas, the SARE Southern Region includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Writer: Robert Burns (903) 834-6191, <rd-burns@tamu.edu>
Source: Marty Baker (903) 834-6191, <ml-baker@tamu.edu>

October 10, 2001