The Administrative Council is the governing body of the Southern SARE program, playing an important role in the process, goals, operations and implementation of the program in furthering sustainable agriculture production and marketing efforts across the Southern region. SARE leadership is made up of many people with different skills and backgrounds, which leads to invaluable knowledge transfer, more innovative proposals and projects that often brings with it new insights into barriers and opportunities in sustainable agriculture, and the satisfaction of having a say in how agricultural tax dollars are spent as they align with SARE's mission and vision. Serving on the Administrative Council gives those committed to sustainable agriculture and the vitality of farming operations and community quality of life a "voice" in the direction of sustainable agriculture across the region.
Of the 28 members on the Administrative Council, 15 are selected through an open nomination process. These seats include:
Producer Members (7): General producer members made up of farmers/ranchers with a wide variety of sustainable agriculture backgrounds across the region;
NGO Members (3): General members from non-governmental organizations;
Agribusiness (1): An agribusiness representative with demonstrable expertise in sustainable agriculture. The agribusiness representative focuses on sustainable food production and land and water resource efficiency across the agribusiness value chain;
Quality of Life (1): Embedded in the enhancement of quality of life is an inherent social science element that explores the environmental, economic and social complexities within sustainable agriculture. A Quality of Life representative is knowledgeable about sustainable agriculture and its impact on the environment and rural communities possessing quality of life expertise. The Quality of Life representative provides a “voice” for the social science direction of sustainability across the Southern region.
Urban Agriculture (1): A farmer representative with emphasis on urban production and community. The seat as a representative to improve quality of life, foster economic stability, support new innovations, and advance community development.
Military Veteran (1): A farmer representative with emphasis on the intersectionality of military service, farming, and physical and mental health and well-being. This representative helps liaise with any new and beginning farmer veterans working in sustainable agriculture, whether it be on-farms, in non-profit organizations, educational institutions, or in other areas;
Food Sovereignty (1): A representative with a focus on farming and food and nutrition access, land access, seed sovereignty, farmer and farmworker welfare, and the intersectionality of community well-being and food systems.
Southern SARE seeks to fill these seats when vacancies become available. Administrative Council members serve 3-year terms, with the opportunity to be appointed an additional 3-year term.
Producer, Urban Ag, Military Veteran Member
Producer, Urban Ag and Military Veteran members are directly involved in setting the goals of the Southern SARE program. Nominations from all 13 states in the southern region, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will be considered.
All AC members are members of standing committees, which may meet or communicate through conference calls to decide policy issues related to SSARE. The Administrative Council depends on outstanding nominees that you and your colleagues from across the region may put forward. We strongly encourage you to invest the effort required to advance good nominees.
Duties of the AC include attending AC meetings twice a year in February and August, generally 2-3 days for each meeting, including travel.
Members are compensated for the following: For travel, lodging and meal expenses to attend in-person meetings, in addition to a $300 per day honorarium, $300 twice a year for general AC support, $300 per year for each grant committee served to review grant proposals, and a stipend to attend Zoom meetings throughout the year when necessary.
Criteria for Administrative Council appointment include the following:
- Run your own farm, regardless of size; alone or with family or partners.
- Proven experience in sustainable agriculture;
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to help address sustainable agriculture needs and methods; and
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team dealing with contemporary issues facing agriculture.
- Urban Ag member should emphasize urban production.
- Military Veteran member must be a veteran, either farming or working with new and beginning farmer veterans.
Non-governmental Organizations, Food Sovereignty Member
NGO and Food Sovereignty members are directly involved in setting the goals of the Southern Region SARE program. Nominations from all 13 states in the southern region, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be considered.
All AC members are members of standing committees, which may meet or communicate through conference calls to decide policy issues related to SSARE. The Administrative Council depends on outstanding nominees that you and your colleagues from across the region may put forward. We strongly encourage you to invest the effort required to advance good nominees.
Duties of the AC include attending AC meetings twice a year in February and August, generally 2-3 days for each meeting, including travel.
Members are compensated for the following: for travel, lodging and meal expenses to attend in-person meetings, in addition to a $300 per day honorarium, $300 twice a year for general AC support, $300 per year for each grant committee served to review grant proposals, and a stipend to attend Zoom meetings throughout the year when necessary.
Criteria for Administrative Council appointment include the following:
- Employed by, or serve on the governing board of, an NGO;
- Proven experience in sustainable agriculture;
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to help address sustainable agriculture needs and methods; and
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team dealing with contemporary issues facing agriculture.
- Food Sovereignty member should focus on farmer and community well-being, food systems, and food, nutrition and land access.
Agribusiness Member
The Agribusiness member is directly involved in setting the goals of the Southern Region SARE program. Nominations from all 13 states in the southern region, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be considered.
All AC members are members of standing committees, which may meet or communicate through conference calls to decide policy issues related to SSARE. The Administrative Council depends on outstanding nominees that you and your colleagues from across the region may put forward. We strongly encourage you to invest the effort required to advance good nominees.
Duties of the AC include attending AC meetings twice a year in February and August, generally 2-3 days for each meeting, including travel.
Criteria for Agribusiness Administrative Council appointment include the following:
- Experience in the area of sustainable agriculture;
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to help address sustainable agriculture needs and methods;
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team dealing with contemporary issues facing agriculture.
Quality of Life Member
The Quality of Life member is directly involved in setting the goals of the Southern Region SARE program. Nominations from all 13 states in the southern region, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be considered.
All AC members are members of standing committees, which may meet or communicate through conference calls to decide policy issues related to SSARE. The Administrative Council depends on outstanding nominees that you and your colleagues from across the region may put forward. We strongly encourage you to invest the effort required to advance good nominees.
Duties of the AC include attending AC meetings twice a year in February and August, generally 2-3 days for each meeting, including travel.
Criteria for the Quality of Life Administrative Council appointment include the following:
- PhD in social science.
- Research and teaching in one of the following disciplines: Ag economics, sociology, rural sociology, anthropology, geography, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, or other social science disciplines.
- Expertise/specialty in social science aspects of food systems, alternative agrifood systems, and an understanding of the interactions across environmental, economic and social dimensions are encouraged.
The primary duty serving on the Administrative Council is to drive the funding of grant projects. This includes aligning Calls for Proposals with SARE's mission and vision, reviewing grant proposals, and selecting projects for funding. AC members are expected to read, comment on, and score a portion of the grant applications each year, and to also attend the two yearly meetings to make grant award decisions and conduct other business.
The Administrative Council conducts its business through a structure of committees. All agenda items originate through one of the six standing committees: Operations/Nominating, Project Review, Producer Grant, Professional Development Program, EPIC, and Communications. The Project Review, Professional Development Program, and Producer Grant are specifically grant review committees, and every Administrative Council member serves on one of these three review committees, as well as one of remaining three sub-committees. It is through participation in these sub-committees that Administrative Council members conduct business relevant to SARE's mission and vision and sustainable agriculture across the Southern region.