NCR SARE Program

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) works to increase knowledge about- and help farmers and ranchers adopt - practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible. To advance such knowledge nationwide, SARE administers a competitive grants program first funded by Congress in 1988. The USDA's NCR SARE program has awarded more than $10 million worth of competitive grants to farmers and ranchers, researchers, educators, public and private institutions, nonprofit groups, and others exploring sustainable agriculture in 12 states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). The NCR SARE administers four grant programs, Research and Education Grants, Farmer Rancher Producer Grant Program, Professional Development Program Grants and the Graduate Student Program Grants. In llinois, the NCR SARE contacts are Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant (Illinois PDP and State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator), Jack Erisman, who serves as the NCR SARE Administrative Council representative, and Dan Anderson serves as a member of the NCR SARE Technical Committee.