News

Southern SARE Searching for Assistant Director

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program is searching for a new Assistant Director to join the staff at the University of Georgia – Griffin campus. Detailed information about the position and application instructions can be found on UGA Job Search. SARE, a USDA-funded program, supports sustainable agriculture production and […]

Southern SARE Seeking Nominations to Fill New Urban Ag Seat on the Administrative Council

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program is adding a new Urban Ag seat to its Administrative Council, the governing body for the program in the Southern region. SARE is a USDA-funded program that provides both research grant funding opportunities and educational resources for farmers/ranchers, ag professionals and other stakeholders […]

Southern SARE Seeking Nominations to Fill New Military Veteran Member Seat on the Administrative Council

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program is seeking a military Veteran to fill the vacant Veteran Member seat on its Administrative Council, the governing body for the program in the Southern region. SARE is a USDA-funded program that provides both research grant funding opportunities and educational resources for farmers/ranchers, […]

2026 Southern SARE Producer Grants Funded

GRIFFIN, Georgia – Over $344,000 in grants from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) program has been funded for farmers to further sustainable agriculture production and marketing practices throughout the Southern region. Topics including interseeding cover crops into cotton, establishing native wildflower cover crops in apple orchards, building local corn seed production, and […]

2026 SSARE Graduate Student Grant Call for Proposals Now Open

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program has released the 2026 Call for Proposals for Graduate Student Grants. Southern SARE Graduate Student Grants are open to Master’s and PhD students, enrolled at accredited institutions across the Southern region, who are interested in exploring areas of sustainable agriculture through quantitative and […]

Soil Health and Crop Benefits to Integrating Biochar and Poultry Litter in Plasticulture Tomatoes

TIFTON, Georgia – Biochar, a soil amendment, mixed with poultry litter, an organic fertilizer, improved soil health and increased crop performance in south Georgia tomatoes, compared to biochar mixed with synthetic fertilizers, a University of Georgia study shows. Funded through a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) Graduate Student Grant, horticulture professor Ted McAvoy […]

Southern SARE Producer Grant Call for Proposals Released

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Call for Proposals for the 2026 Producer Grant Program, intended for farmers/ranchers and farmer/rancher organizations throughout the Southern region, is now available from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program. Proposal submission deadline is December 5, 2025 at 12 p.m. (NOON) EST.  Announcement of funded proposals will take place […]

2026 Professional Development Program Grants Call for Pre-proposals Released

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Call for Pre-proposals for the 2026 Southern SARE Professional Development Program (PDP) Grants is now open. One (1) or two (2) year proposals may be funded up to $100,000. The Professional Development Program is a “train the trainer” program, providing funding to agricultural professionals to train Cooperative Extension agents, USDA field […]

Southern SARE Releases 2026 Research and Education Grant Call for Pre-proposals

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- The Southern region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has released its Call for Pre-proposals for the 2026 Research & Education Grants program. The release timeline for the 2026 Research & Education Grants Pre-proposal, along with the full proposal invite, has been adjusted. Please make a note of this […]

Southern SARE Seeking Nominations to Fill Two Producer and One NGO Seat on the Administrative Council

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- Interested in sustainable agriculture and are looking to have an impact on sustainable agriculture practices in your community? The Southern SARE program gives producers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) the opportunity to serve on the Administrative Council and provide a “voice” for the direction of sustainability across the Southern region. Southern SARE is […]

Graduate Student Sustainable Agriculture Projects for FY2025 Announced

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program has announced the funded projects for the 2025 Graduate Student Grants program. The SSARE Administrative Council recently funded 18 projects totaling $386,238. The Graduate Student Grants program is one of the few sustainable agriculture research funding opportunities open to Master’s and PhD students […]

SARE Seeking Event Planner to Lead National Food Loss and Waste Workshops

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- The USDA recognizes the impacts of food loss and food waste on food security and the environment. USDA, in concert with agency partners, is working toward the goal of reducing food loss and food waste by 50 percent by 2030. In the latest effort in reduction activities, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education […]

Southern SARE Awards Young Scholar Enhancement Grants for 2025

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant program (SSARE) is giving young researchers an opportunity to learn more about sustainable agriculture. Through the James Harrison Hill, Sr. Young Scholar Enhancement Grant program, high school and undergraduate students are working alongside researchers on SSARE-funded projects, ranging from disease management to soil health […]

Through Field Trials, Some Taro Varieties Suitable for the Southeast

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina – Farmers across the Southeast are catching on to the production ease, culinary connections, and value-added diversity of taro – an ancient root crop that has been an integral part of the diet of civilization for thousands of years. With the right varieties, the tropical crop can be a viable, versatile, delicious, […]

Southern SARE Seeking Nominations to Fill Two Producer and Two NGO Seats on the Administrative Council

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- Interested in sustainable agriculture and are looking to have an impact on sustainable agriculture practices in your community? The Southern SARE program gives producers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) the opportunity to serve on the Administrative Council and provide a “voice” for the direction of sustainability across the Southern region. Southern SARE is […]

Virginia Tech Research Provides Specifics on Tarping to Control Weeds

ROANOKE, Virginia – Farmers have long understood that tarping plots prior to planting can kill weeds, but how long it took for weeds to die under cover wasn’t completely known. Baseline research conducted by Virginia Cooperative Extension is providing some specifics. Funded by a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant, Virginia […]

Visit Rico: Equipping Professionals, Sustainably Empowering Puerto Rican Farmers

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico The Visit Rico Professional Development Program SSARE grant project aims to enhance Puerto Rico's food security and economy by supporting small farms, which have declined in recent years. Between 2012 and 2018, the number of farms in Puerto Rico decreased with a significant reduction in farms under 10 acres. Led by Camille Collazo, […]

Professional Development Program Grant Awards for FY2025 Announced

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program has announced the proposals selected for funding for the 2025 Professional Development Program.  The SSARE Administrative Council recently selected 9 projects totaling $725,151. Professional Development Program Grants further education and outreach strategies for professionals and educators who work directly with farmers and ranchers. The […]

2025 SSARE Graduate Student Grant Call for Proposals Now Open

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program has released the 2025 Call for Proposals for Graduate Student Grants. Southern SARE Graduate Student Grants are open to Master’s and PhD students, enrolled at accredited institutions across the Southern region, who are interested in exploring areas of sustainable agriculture through quantitative and qualitative research projects.  […]

Launching Virtual and Live Youth Sustainable Educational Agriculture Program

ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands The Center for Educational Growth (CFEG), an education-based nonprofit organization and hybrid school that offers online and in-person courses for students headquartered in the U.S. Virgin Islands, received a $50,000 Research and Education grant from the Southern SARE (SSARE) program to develop a virtual and in-person youth sustainable education agriculture program […]