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NEWS: Upcoming Call for Western Farmer/Rancher Grants



ANNOUNCEMENT

For a grant application, contact:
Western SARE Host Office
(801) 797-2257
soilcomp@cc.usu.edu

For other information, contact:
Kristen Kelleher, communications specialist
(916) 752-5987
kkelleher@ucdavis.edu

CALL FOR PRODUCER-DIRECTED RESEARCH PROPOSALS TO BE OUT IN EARLY NOVEMBER

        (Logan, UT) -- Producers and producer groups residing in the
Western U.S. will soon be able to compete for grants of up to $5,000 each
to identify, evaluate and test sustainable agriculture practices and
challenges. In early November, the USDA's Western Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education, SARE, will release a call for farmer/rancher
research grant proposals aimed at agricultural producers in the
thirteen-state region and the Pacific Island Protectorates.

        "This effort gives farmers and ranchers direct access to research
and education funds authorized by the U.S. Congress to further the adoption
of sustainable agriculture," says Phil Rasmussen, soil scientist and
regional coordinator of the Western region SARE program.

        About $100,000 is available in the region for one-year grants of up
to $5,000. Any commercial producer or producer group is eligible to apply
for a grant, but only one award will be bestowed annually to an individual
producer, farm/ranch enterprise or producer organization.

        According to Rasmussen, grant reviewers will be looking for
proposals that clearly define local sustainable agriculture problems or
issues and propose innovative solutions. On-farm tests of suggested
technologies and approaches are strongly encouraged.

        Sustainable agriculture is defined as an integrated farm or ranch
system that is environmentally sound, economically viable, makes most
efficient use of non-renewable and on-farm resources, and has a positive
influence on rural communities and society as a whole.

        All research proposals must be led by one or more producers,
include a professional agricultural technical advisor (an extension agent
or university researcher, for example), and provide a plan for sharing
gained information with others in the community.

        Grant proposals are first reviewed and evaluated by a diverse group
of producers, researchers, educators and administrators who are familiar
with sustainable agriculture. Final selections are made by an appointed
panel, at least half of which are producers. All funding is awarded
competitively.

        To get on the mailing list for the call for proposals, or to
request application materials, contact the host office at Utah State
University by writing: Western SARE, Room 322, Agricultural Sciences
Building, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322-4865. Via e-mail,
contact soilcomp@cc.usu.edu. Or, call the Western SARE office at (801)
797-2257.

        The call for proposals will also be available on-line via the
Western SARE Web site at http://ext.usu.edu:80/wsare/ in early November.

        Completed proposals will be due at the program's administrative
office at Utah State University by 5:00 p.m., January 14, 1997.

        The federal SARE program is managed by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service,
and directed regionally by four independent, broad-based councils.

        Utah State University is host to the SARE program in the Western
region, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and
the Island Protectorates.
###




*******************************
Kristen Kelleher
Senior Public Information Rep/ Communications Specialist
USDA Western Region SARE
c/o SAREP
University of California
(916) 752-5987
(916) 754-8550
kkelleher@ucdavis.edu
******************************