www.sare.org resources the-basics-of-farm-business-planning The Basics of Farm Business Planning Sustainable farming and ranching means taking care of the land, the environment, people and the community, while the farm business makes a profit. Many farmers and ranchers choose sustainable farming and ranching as a lifestyle that reflects their values. Common goals include: Farm business planning is critical because it helps you to identify and achieve […]
www.sare.org resources sare-project-impacts-2016-2023 SARE Project Impacts: 2016-2023 In 2023, the SARE National Reporting, Coordination, and Communications Office (NRCCO) contracted with Insight for Action to conduct a post-project evaluation of four of SARE's regional grant programs. The purpose of the evaluation was to characterize key impacts made by SARE’s grantmaking from 2016 through 2023. The evaluation employed the Success Case Method (SCM) to […]
www.sare.org resources guia-del-agricultorn-sobre-estructuras-empresariales Guía del Agricultorn Sobre Estructuras Empresariales Establecer y mantener la correcta estructura empresarial para la operación de su granja sienta las bases para un negocio agrícola estable y resiliente. La formación de una estructura empresarial puede ayudar a i) gestionar el riesgo mediante la protección de los activos de las personas propietarias ante las responsabilidades de la empresa; ii) promover las […]
www.sare.org resources growing-new-markets-for-specialty-crops Growing New Markets for Specialty Crops Voices from the Field is a podcast series co-produced by ATTRA and SARE that explores the different ways farmers are working to create new local markets for specialty and niche crops. Each partner episode will address a different production system or crop–from endives to small-grain value chains–and will feature farmers sharing their production and marketing […]
www.sare.org resources best-practices-for-the-sustainable-urban-farm Best Practices for the Sustainable Urban Farm For decades, urban farms and community gardens have helped meet the demand for fresh, local produce. Urban farms are diverse and adaptable, ranging from small farms on repurposed vacant lots to multilevel vertical farms and rooftop gardens. Often, they combine ecological farming practices with some form of infrastructure. Urban growers make clever use of their […]
www.sare.org resources farm-education-for-the-deaf-community-introduction-american-sign-language Farm Education for the Deaf Community—Introduction (American Sign Language) In this video, Monu introduces the video series created to provide farm education to the deaf community. The series is available in both in American Sign Language and Nepali Sign Language.
www.sare.org resources grazing-networks-for-livestock-producers Grazing Networks for Livestock Producers Grazing networks promote a mutual self-help approach to learning that is based on shared local experience and that provides several benefits to participants. This publication offers suggestions for finding or starting a grazing network and provides examples of the kinds of activities grazing networks might conduct. It also contains recommendations for sustaining a grazing network […]
www.sare.org resources what-is-sustainable-agriculture What is Sustainable Agriculture? A simple way to think about sustainable agriculture is that it involves producing enough food and fiber to satisfy today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. Farmers and ranchers who value sustainability embrace three common goals while running productive operations: To achieve these sustainability goals, a farmer typically views […]
www.sare.org resources leaders-in-sustainable-agriculture Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture Featured on America's Heartland SARE partnered with PBS KVIE to produce an episode of RFD-TV's America's Heartland that features four farmers describing their commitment to sustainability, how they plan to meet farming challenges of today and tomorrow, and how SARE has impacted their farming and ranching practices. The full 24-minute video is available, as is each segment featuring the […]
www.sare.org resources managing-stress Managing Stress Farming and ranching are stressful businesses. One key metric of a farm's sustainability is its capacity to provide a quality of life that meets one of our most basic human needs - good mental health. This page highlights successful SARE-funded projects that are using innovative strategies to help farmers and ranchers manage stress. If you […]
www.sare.org resources scaling-up-your-vegetable-farm-for-wholesale-markets Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale Markets For direct market farmers, expanding your operation to capture local and regional wholesale markets can represent an opportunity. But such a shift brings with it many changes to how you run your farm because the expectations that wholesale buyers have is much different than your direct market customers. Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Wholesale […]
www.sare.org resources reaching-women-in-agriculture-a-guide-to-virtual-engagement Reaching Women in Agriculture: A Guide to Virtual Engagement This guide brings together information, tips and tools to deliver effective and engaging online (and hybrid) education for farm and ranch women on topics related to farm viability, resilience and conservation. While COVID-19-related restrictions issued in 2020 that curbed in-person gatherings were the impetus for developing this resource, online offerings can help address barriers—travel time […]
www.sare.org resources understanding-and-measuring-social-sustainability Understanding and Measuring Social Sustainability What is social sustainability? Social sustainability involves a focus on the well-being of people and communities. Just as sustainable agriculture promotes long-term ecological health and economic vitality, it also contributes to vibrant communities and regions and satisfying livelihoods for farmers, ranchers, and others in the food system. In many ways, success in one area of […]
www.sare.org resources 10-ways-cover-crops-enhance-soil-health 10 Ways Cover Crops Enhance Soil Health Soil health is a hot topic these days, one that is justifiably receiving considerable attention from farmers and their farm advisors. Whereas in the past, soil testing and evaluation focused more on chemical and physical measures, new research has shown that the biology of the soil is very important to its overall health and productivity. An incredible diversity of bacteria, protozoa, arthropods, nematodes, fungi and […]
www.sare.org resources our-farms-our-future-podcast Our Farms, Our Future Podcast Series The Our Farms, Our Future podcast series brings together the sustainable agriculture community for thought-provoking conversations about the state of agriculture, how we got here, and where we're headed. With each episode we hope to share different perspectives within the sustainable agriculture community while tackling such topics as building resilient farming systems, farm profitability, and fostering community […]
www.sare.org resources how-sare-supports-farmer-driven-sustainability Investing in the Future of Agriculture: How SARE Supports Farmer-Driven Sustainability "One of the precepts of sustainability is that farmers learn from other farmers. Growers are the ones that can tweak and understand a practice and say, 'This really works this way'," says Steve Balling of Del Monte Foods. "It's what SARE was built upon." Since its inception 30 years ago, the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research […]
www.sare.org resources building-a-local-food-movement Building a Local Food Movement Over the last 20 years, SARE grants have helped western North Carolina transform its agricultural landscape from one dependent on tobacco and outside entities to one that is self-sustaining within the community. Charlie Jackson, the executive director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), has been using SARE grants to better understand the demand for […]
www.sare.org resources how-to-conduct-research-on-your-farm-or-ranch How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch This 32-page Ag Innovations Series technical bulletin provides detailed instruction for crop and livestock producers, as well as educators, on how to conduct research at the farm level using practical strategies and peer-reviewed research findings. How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch also includes a comprehensive list of in-depth resources and real-life examples—from […]
www.sare.org resources a-farmers-guide-to-crop-quality-for-wholesale-outlets A Farmer's Guide to Crop Quality for Wholesale Outlets This 20-page guide aims to support beginning farmers looking to improve quality and consistency of farm produce in order to expand sales to include wholesale accounts. Focused on tomatoes, cucurbits and greens, the guide includes photos of good and poor crop quality, as well as best practices for post-harvest handling techniques that will enhance crop […]
www.sare.org resources investing-in-the-next-generation-of-agricultural-scientists Investing in the Next Generation of Agricultural Scientists The challenges that farmers and ranchers face today are growing more and more complex, and the cornerstone of the SARE program is the idea that sustainable solutions to these challenges arise when scientists, educators and producers work together to test theories in real-world, on-farm situations. However, for this approach itself to be sustainable, there must […]