Funding Opportunity For Farmers

Nov 03, 2015

By Rob Sirrine

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farmer and Rancher grant program is now accepting applications from qualified farmers and ranchers. The program, which began in 1992, is for producers interested in enhancing the sustainability of their operations. Specifically, it is for conducting on-farm research, demonstration and/or education. Proposals that have been funded in the past generally seek to improve profitability, environmental stewardship, and enhance rural communities. There are several benefits to the program. First. Proposals can be multi-year endeavors. Depending upon the proposal, often one year is not sufficient to document outcomes; the NCR SARE farmer/rancher grant can be up to two years in length. Second, multiple farmers can apply together. Individual farmers can apply for up to $7500, two farmers can apply for up to $15,000 and a group of three or more can apply for up to $22,500. Finally, NCR SARE keeps a database of previously funded proposals that offer a wealth of information for farmers seeking to apply.

Many Michigan proposals have been funded over the last few years. Successful applicants generally are clearly written, attempt to address a specific issue, have a well justified and detailed budget, have an effective and well-conceived dissemination plan, pay farmers for their time and effort, and have solicited the assistance of Michigan State University Extension, the USDA NRCS, or a local Conservation District. Developing a relationship with one of these entities can also result in a letter of support, which is needed as well.

Source:msu.edu

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.