News

Northeast SARE awards $708,591 in grants to work in partnership with farmers

Northeast SARE's Administrative Council recently awarded 27 Partnership Grant proposals for the 2021 grant cycle, totaling $708,591. These projects are now underway with the goal of working in direct partnerships with farmers to encourage innovative solutions to current sustainability challenges related to production, marketing, and/or farmer and community well-being in Northeast farming and food systems. […]

Graduate students receive Northeast SARE grants to conduct sustainable agriculture research

Twenty-eight students from around the Northeast were recently awarded grants by Northeast SARE to conduct sustainable agriculture research. Graduate students at any accredited Northeast university, college or veterinary school were invited to submit proposals to Northeast SARE's Graduate Student Research Grant Program. The program funds graduate student research focused on sustainable agriculture using either or […]

Farmers Invited to Apply for Sustainable Ag Grants

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program is inviting farmers and growers to submit proposals to its Farmer Grant Program. Proposals are due online by 5 p.m. on Nov. 16 for projects starting next spring. Funded projects, which are capped at $30,000, will be announced in late February 2022. The call for proposals, […]

New Edition of "Building Soils for Better Crops" Now Available

The fourth edition of SARE’s most popular book, Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils, is now available online and in print. The book covers everything from soil organic matter and nutrient cycles to ecological soil management including sections on cover crops, compost, reduced tillage, addressing fertility issues and more. Building Soils […]

Northeast SARE Now Accepting Preproposals for 2022 Projects

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is seeking preproposals for three grant programs: Research and Education, Professional Development and Research for Novel Approaches. Grants are aimed at improving sustainable agriculture and local food systems throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Preproposals, which capture the preliminary project concept, are required for each grant program […]

Annual Report Looks Back at 2020 and Looks Up to the Future

Northeast SARE has published its annual report for 2020. The report includes a piece from director Vern Grubinger called, "Looking up – for Sustainability". It highlights funded projects representing each of Northeast SARE's six competitive grant programs, and lists the 111 projects awarded in 2020.

Successful Farming Practices in the Face of Climate Change

This article was reprinted with permission from Green Energy Times, a periodical that advances the opportunities at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability. When farmers and growers throughout the Northeast go to work, they know they will face unpredictable weather. After all, Mark Twain’s adage, “If you don’t like the weather in New England, […]

Northeast SARE awards $4.4 million in sustainable agriculture grant projects

The Administrative Council of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program recently approved $4,476,328 in funding to support 27 projects to conduct applied research, farmer education and farm advisor training to strengthen sustainable agriculture throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Projects were awarded through the Research and Education, Research for Novel Approaches in Sustainable […]

Northeast SARE Announces 2021 Farmer Grant Awards

The Administrative Council of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program is pleased to announce that it has recently approved 29 Farmer Grant projects for funding, totaling $352,241. The Farmer Grant Program funds farmers to explore new ideas in sustainable agriculture on production, marketing, labor, farm succession, social capital and other topics. Projects […]

Spiders Provide Conservation Biological Control on Farms

Spiders were the focus of a Northeast SARE Graduate Student Research Grant project conducted by University of Maryland student Dylan Kutz. Kutz was interested in studying these undervalued yet important sources of natural insect control. He said, “Spiders are the most abundant natural enemy that occur in most agroecosystems and are estimated to globally consume […]

Webinar provides overview of Partnership Grant program

Northeast SARE grant coordinator Candice Huber provided information on the Partnership Grant program in a webinar held on March 2, 2021. She covered who is eligible and how to apply, topics that have been funded and how grant funds can and cannot be used. Candice also offered tips for writing a strong proposal and what […]

New Online Tool Helps Farmers Make Cover Crop Decisions

The Northeast Cover Crops Council (NECCC) recently released an online tool designed to support farm decision-making around cover crops. The Cover Crop Decision Support Tool is available at no cost at: http://covercrop.tools/. It includes a Cover Crop Explorer that provides in-depth information on more than 35 cover crop species. It also has a Species Selector […]

Graduate Students Encouraged to Apply for Northeast SARE Grants

Graduate students at any accredited Northeast university, college or veterinary school are invited to submit proposals to the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Graduate Student Research Grant Program. The deadline to apply is April 27 at 5 p.m. The program funds graduate student research focused on sustainable agriculture using either or both natural and […]

Northeast SARE Seeks Proposals that Partner with Farmers

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) has released its 2021 call for Partnership Grant program proposals. The Partnership Grant program funds projects that work in direct partnership with farmers to encourage innovative solutions to current sustainability challenges related to production, marketing and/or farmer and community well-being in Northeast farming and food systems. […]

Northeast SARE Seeks Candidates for Administrative Council

Update 12/05/2020: The deadline has passed to submit for this year's membership to the Administrative Council but please contact us if you have an interest in serving in the future. Thank you! The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is seeking individuals to serve on its Administrative Council (AC). The 20-member governance committee […]

Dairy Farm Closes Loop with Improved Compost System

Eric Paris of Tamarlane Farm, a dairy in northeastern Vermont, has been closing the loop on his farm by composting farm waste and community food scraps (about 12 tons per week) to create a valuable fertility source for his farm fields. His Farmer Grant project sought to determine whether a low-cost Aerated Static Pile (ASP) […]

Hudson Valley Farm Applies African Farming Methods to Local Rice Production

Dawn Hoyte and Nfamara Badjie of Ever-Growing Family Farm in Ulster Park, NY received a Farmer Grant to evaluate nursery methods for rice production. Transplants are critical to growing this crop successfully in our region, given the short growing season. Past Farmer Grant research has shown that using a plug-tray nursery method was successful. Badjie, […]

Small-scale Vegetable Operation Explores Solutions to Farming on Marginal Soils

How do small-scale farmers in rural and urban locations farm successfully on marginal soils? Jennifer Wilhelm of Fat Peach Farm in Madbury, NH conducted a Farmer Grant project to find out. Wilhelm had established no-till permanent raised beds on her one-acre mixed vegetable operation and her project investigated weed suppression, soil health and production potential […]

Northeast SARE Invites Applications for Farmer Grant Program

Burlington, Vt.--The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) is now accepting applications for its Farmer Grant Program. Up to $15,000 is available per project. Applications are due online at 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 17. The Farmer Grant Program funds farmers to enable them to explore new concepts in sustainable agriculture on production, […]

PA Extension reaches out to Hispanic and Latinx farming communities

As more people of color choose farming and agricultural careers, Cooperative Extension and other agricultural service organizations must expand their ability to serve culturally diverse groups. Pennsylvania saw a 16% increase in Hispanic and Latinx farmers and farmworkers, inspiring Elsa Sanchez of Pennsylvania State University to conduct a Northeast SARE Professional Development Grant project aimed […]