GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program has announced the funded projects for the 2021 Professional Development Program Grants.
Southern SARE’s Professional Development Program Grants, known as train-the-trainer grants, are available to help further education and outreach strategies for agriculture professionals and agriculture educators who work directly with farmers and ranchers.
The grant funds are used for training activities that educate ag professionals in up-to-date strategies and technologies to help farmers and ranchers increase profits and lessen environmental impacts. PDP grants also support activities like producing workshops, creating educational manuals and videos, or conducting on-farm tours and demonstrations.
In 2021, the SSARE Administrative Council funded 8 projects totaling $608,355.
SPDP21-02 Learning About Equity & Inclusion in the Food System Through a Storytelling curriculum and Training for 4H Agents & Middle School Agriculture Teachers, $80,000, University of Kentucky, Nicole Breazeale, nbreazeale@uky.edu
SPDP21-01 Train the Trainers: Reducing impacts from harmful algal blooms in livestock water sources in South Carolina, $79,975, Clemson University, Debabrata Sahoo, dsahoo@clemson.edu
SPDP21-05 Creating a Specialty Crop Sustainable Production Community of Practice for Kentucky Agriculture Professionals, $79,737, Kentucky Horticulture Council, Cindy Finneseth, cindy@kyhortcouncil.org
SPDP21-07 Profitability, Viability, and Sustainability of Pasture-Based Dairy Farms: The Southern Dairy Sustainability Network, $79,737, Mississippi State University, Amanda Stone, Amanda.stone@msstate.edu
SPDP21-03 Bridging the Food Supply and Sustainable Agriculture Systems with the Nonprofit Sector, $77867, University of Florida, Kimberly Wiley, kimberlywiley@ufl.edu
SPDP21-04 Development of a Forage Establishment and Management curriculum for Extension Agents and Mentor Farmers, $77,469, Auburn University, Leanne Dillard, dillasa@auburn.edu
SPDP21-06 Sustainable Aquatic Habitat Management on Agricultural Lands, $60,000, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Brittany Chesser, Brittany.chesser@tamu.edu
Southern SARE is a USDA-funded program that provides funding opportunities for researchers, farmers, Cooperative Extension, NGOs, government agency personnel, and other ag professionals to conduct research in sustainable agriculture. Authorized in the 1985 Farm Bill, the mission of the SARE program is to promote sustainable agriculture practices throughout American agriculture that are profitable for the farmer, protect the environment, and promote community quality of life over the long term.
For more information on Southern SARE, visit http://www.southern.sare.org.
Published by the Southern Region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Southern SARE operates under cooperative agreements with the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State University, and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture to offer competitive grants to advance sustainable agriculture in America’s Southern region. This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.