News

Can Indigenous Agricultural Methods of Puerto Rico Mitigate Erosion and Feed the Island?

UTUADO, Puerto Rico - Graduate student Joseph Anthony Navarro thinks that sustainable agroecological practices can preserve biodiversity and was awarded a $16,491 SSARE grant to research it. He asks the question, “Can Taino be an alternative to traditional intensive Agriculture?” According to Joseph, a Conuco is an elevated bed of soil, organic matter, and plant/tree residues (mulch) for easy harvesting/weed management. “My […]

2024 Young Scholar Research Projects

GRIFFIN, Georgia – Ten Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program 2024 James Harrison Hill, Sr. Young Scholar Enhancement (YES) Grants have been awarded a combined $49,195 throughout the region to engage youth in research processes and encourage their pursuit of college degrees that emphasize sustainable agriculture. As an extension of SSARE’s Research & Education Grants program, the YES grants allow […]

2024 Innovative Urban Ag Conference: Bridging Education, Agriculture, and Technology

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - Kesha Cobb wanted to combine education, urban agriculture and technology so she applied for the Southern SARE Education grant and was awarded $50,000 to create the 2024 Innovative Urban Ag Conference (IUAC) taking place in the fall. A one day, power-packed event, the IUAC will encompass live, futuristic agriculture exhibits, educational […]

Kentucky Farmer Testing Warm-Season Grasses as Forages for Meat Goats

SALVISA, Kentucky – Fatima Jackson is keeping her fingers crossed that native warm-season perennials being planted on her farm will perform better than tall fescue as an alternative forage for meat goats in the summer months. “Come the heat of the summer in July and August, the goats won’t touch the tall fescue,” said Jackson. […]

Southern SARE Releases 2025 Education Grants Call for Proposals

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- The Southern region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has released its Call for Proposals for the 2025 Education Grants program. Education Grants are open to academic institutions and organizations, such as nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who are interested in conducting education and outreach activities for the benefit […]

Ag Professionals Receiving Training on Accessible Beekeeping through SARE Grant

Front Royal, VIRGINIA  Justin Ruger, a beekeeper and founder of Accessible Beekeeping was granted a $75,589 Southern SARE Professional Development Program Grant to provide the historically underserved community of people with disabilities the knowledge and skills to participate in apiculture to increase their quality of life and independence. He uses YouTube videos and trains organizations at multiple universities and state extensions. Justin lost his […]

SARE Supporting Strategies to Curb Food Loss and Reduce Food Waste with Grant Opportunity

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 […]

In Revitalizing the Chestnut Industry, a North Carolina Farmer is Chasing the Perfect Nut

BURNSVILLE, North Carolina – Ron Fritz has a vision to restore the grandeur of the American chestnut tree in Western North Carolina. The retired food scientist turned farmer sets his gaze on the forested hillsides of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside his small chestnut orchard and recounts the stories told of American chestnut trees that […]

The Role of Black Farmer Organizers in Promoting Healthy and Sustainable Local Community Food Access

BLACKSBURG, Virginia –  Seeking answers to the critical question of how contemporary Black farmer organizers and their networks actively create sustainable food systems pathways, Nicole I. Nunoo,  at Virginia Tech, used a Southern SARE graduate student grant to employ a community-based case study of Black farmers who are at the forefront of sustainable agricultural development in […]

Using Automation for a More Sustainable Method of Weed Management

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee – In the not too distant future of sustainable weed management, a farmer rolls a robot out to a crop field, and using a combination of virtual reality, precision agriculture, and artificial intelligence, zaps weeds with a laser -- leaving the cash crop to grow unimpeded in an environment free of weeds and […]

Saving Seeds for Resilient Local Systems

An inclusive online video series, funded by Southern SARE, helps promote seed-saving among Southeastern farmers and encourages a deeper exploration into seeds, heritage and ethics.

Southern SARE Releases 2025 Research and Education Grants 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 2025 Research & Education Grants program. Research pre-proposals focus on sustainable agriculture based on a systems approach to research, which aims to understand how the components of a system interact with each […]

Getting the Most Sap from Each Tap in Black Walnut Syrup Production

MCDOWELL, Virginia – Long before the Civil War, land on the mountainous slopes of the Allegheny Mountains in western Virginia had been cleared for logging and cattle grazing. Today, agriculture is still prominent, but in the form of syrup tapped from hardwoods – maple, hickory, elm, black walnut – that have retaken the landscape. Syrup […]

2024 SSARE Graduate Student Grant Call for Proposals Now Open

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program has released the 2024 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 […]

Using Native Plants as a Cover Crop for Soil and Vegetable Production Benefits

SANDSTON, Virginia – Patches of partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) dot Patrick Johnson’s permaculture farm, still holding on to their yellow summer flowers while setting pods to drop seed in the coming colder temperatures. Johnson is excited to see the native plant growing wild on his Airport Food Forest Farm; he believes the legume will make […]

SARE Seeking National Program Manager in Support of Food Loss and Food Waste Initiative in 2024

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- In 2024, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program will initiate a $10 million national food loss and food waste grants program to support projects that align with USDA activities aimed at reducing food loss and reducing food waste, getting surplus wholesome food to individuals, and developing linkages between food producers, […]

Using Aerated Compost Tea as a Fertilizer Alternative in Organic Vegetable Production

LEESBURG, Virginia – With the rising costs of fertilizers, farmers are seeking alternative options to supplement soil health for crops. One microgreens farmer in Virginia is testing the validity of aerated compost tea as a viable option for small-scale vegetable growers, especially for those who wish to pursue organic production practices. In a two-year Southern […]

Southern SARE Accepting Nominations for 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Program

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) program is accepting nominations for the 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Program. Application deadline is Jan. 8, 2024. Mentor farmers/ranchers, community groups, non-profits and non-governmental organizations strive to create ag community resiliency and vitality in the face of a myriad of agricultural challenges, from lack […]

Southern SARE On-Farm Research Grants Call for Proposals Released

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- The Call for Proposals for the 2024 On-Farm Research Grants, intended for agricultural professionals throughout the Southern region who regularly work with farmers/ranchers, has been released by the Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program. Proposal submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 at 12 p.m. (NOON) EST. Announcement of […]

Southern SARE Producer Grant Call for Proposals Released

GRIFFIN, Georgia – The Call for Proposals for the 2024 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 November 10, 2023 at 12 p.m. (NOON) EST.  Announcement of funded proposals will take place […]