Burlington--The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced that the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension will continue to serve as the host institution for the Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program for the next 10 years.
SARE, which was established by Congress in 1985, supports farmers and the people who work with them in four regions (Northeast, South, North Central and West) by offering grants for applied research and education programs. Northeast SARE includes the New England states, Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
"SARE is one of a few USDA grant programs managed at a regional level and guided by grassroots administrative councils made up of farmers, researchers, agency personnel and leaders of businesses and non-profits from across each region," says Northeast SARE Director Dr. Vern Grubinger. "SARE is unique in that farmers are involved in all aspects of our work, from grant reviews to funding decisions."
Northeast SARE staff manage the processes for competitive grant applications, reviews, awards and reporting across seven different grant programs. Each program is designed for a unique audience: farmers, individuals who work with farmers, graduate students, researchers and others.
From 2018 to 2022, Northeast SARE staff supported the evaluation of 1,759 grant proposals and worked with UVM Sponsored Programs Administration to issue 595 project contracts and to review and pay 5,305 project invoices totaling $20 million. Staff also worked with grantees to finalize a total of 785 project reports.
Funded projects cover a diverse range of topics, including on-farm renewable energy, pastured livestock and rotational grazing, cover crops, small ruminants, environmental stewardship, local and regional food systems, agroforestry and aquaculture, among others. All SARE project reports are available at https://projects.sare.org/search-projects.
Funding for the first year of the host institution award totals $11.25 million and begins in September 2023. UVM's partnership with SARE would not be possible without the strong support of UVM Administration, including the Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowksi and his team, who advocated for continuing this effective relationship.
"A top priority for Northeast SARE in the coming years is to implement the strategic plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice approved by our Administrative Council," Grubinger notes. "Over the next few years we will be making significant changes to our grant-making programs and procedures to increase our engagement with, and service to, communities that have not fully participated in the past."
To learn more about Northeast SARE, go to https://northeast.sare.org.