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Soil for Water
This series of 11 semi-structured interviews was carried out by Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension to better understand farmers’ and ranchers’ agroecological motivations and values related to the protection and conservation of water resources. The series highlights diverse farms of Virginia’s agricultural community through a narrative inquiry framework. Introduction to the Soil for Water […]
Regenerative Grazing in the South: Case Studies from Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Virginia
A multistate team lead by the National Center for Appropriate Technology developed the following series of rancher profiles as part of a larger project to promote regenerative grazing and soil health throughout the South. Case Studies from Texas This publication explains historical factors that have created barriers to adoption and profiles a working group and […]
Aquatic Mammal Management on Agricultural Lands
These resources were created by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to assist landowners in the sustainable management of ponds, wetlands and wildlife. This video addresses the control and management of problematic aquatic mammals, such as beavers and nutria, which can cause significant damage to aquatic ecosystems and infrastructure. It covers effective strategies and best practices for […]
Vetiver Grass Use Improves Sustainable Agriculture in the Virgin Islands
ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands – Laura Martin focuses her Southern SARE Education Grant (EDS24-069) project on the benefits of using vetiver grass for soil conservation and erosion control. She explained that vetiver's deep, dense roots help stabilize soil, prevent landslides, and increase water infiltration. The grass forms a protective barrier that stops sediment and slows […]
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 […]
Studying the Impact of Conservation Plantings on Insect Pests and Their Predators
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – Conservation plantings, through various stewardship programs, do well to provide a myriad of benefits. These range from controlling erosion, to improving water quality, to promoting healthy soils. However, the impacts of such strategies on cash crop pests and the natural enemies that target them is less known. Louisiana State University researchers, […]
Duke University Brings Students, Soil, and Carbon Together Through Southern SARE Grant.
DURHAM, North Carolina- Through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, Duke University built a program to study how livestock grazing can offset carbon emissions. In 2019, Duke was awarded an On-Farm Research Grant through the Southern SARE program. This grant funding helped combine the efforts of the Duke Campus Farm, the Duke […]
New Research Sheds Light on the Potential of Carbon Farming in Texas
Beginning in 2017, the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program funded a grant project to study these questions and assembled a Texas-based team of university researchers, soil scientists, farmers, ranchers and specialists from the USDA.
Southern SARE Awards $1M Grant to Explore Regenerative Agriculture
Griffin, GA- The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program has announced a $1,000,000 Research and Education Grant, the largest awarded since the program launched in 1988. The National Center for Appropriate Technology, the project lead, selected a systems research approach to identify practical and regionally-appropriate methods of regenerative grazing that can be implemented […]
Private Landowners Guide to Forest Certification in the South
"Private Landowners' Guide to Forest Certification in the South," developed by the LSU Ag Center and Mississippi State University Extension, helps forest landowners understand forest certification.
Mississippi State University Leading Efforts to Help Landowners Implement Conservation Practices on the Farm
STARKVILLE, Mississippi – Mississippi State University is leading by example when it comes to adopting and implementing conservation land practices. Leslie Burger, a conservation education specialist with the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, along with Extension professor Beth Baker, are part of a large team of university scientists who are leading efforts to improve […]
Low-external-input Sustainable Agriculture Provides Environmental Benefits and Economic Gains in Rice Production
STARKVILLE, Mississippi – Rice, for all of its importance as a global food staple, can have a number of environmental tradeoffs. Intensively managed, the crop can put a strain on natural resources, particularly soil and water. But a more sustainable production system may enhance environmental quality at an economic gain for the farmer, based on […]
Adding Flowering Plants to Strawberry Fields to Enhance Pest Management and Biodiversity
WIMAUMA, Florida -- Over the last few years, Florida strawberry growers have been faced with declining market prices, increased global competition, and suspected and documented cases of insecticide resistance. In addition, growing concerns for overall environmental health have increased as we see trends of habitat loss and declining biodiversity, specifically of natural enemies and pollinators. […]
Take Care to Manage Wetlands for Pollinators
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – It’s not uncommon for wetlands, especially those enrolled in federal conservation programs, to be actively managed for plant diversity and wildlife habitat. But University of Arkansas researchers have found an additional reason to maintain these ecosystems, particularly when they occur adjacent to croplands: many pollinators call them home. In a Southern Sustainable […]
Fewer Greenhouse Gases Released When Cattle Graze on Legume-rich Grass Pastures Compared to Nitrogen Fertilized Pastures
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Beef cattle that graze on legume-enriched grass pastures release fewer greenhouse gases compared with the typical nitrogen fertilization regimes in the Southeastern U.S., based on the limited results of a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE)-funded study at University of Florida. The results offer a sustainable grazing management alternative for those […]
Sun-Baked Virginia Farm Blooms Under a Berm and Swale Permaculture System
KENBRIDGE, Virginia -- It’s 90 degrees, but feels like 105 on the empty white road cutting across Virginia’s flat, coastal plains. There hasn’t been rain in a month and the fields of corn clicking past are curled to grey spikes. The soil between the rows looks like powdered rust. But it’s here, hidden behind pine […]
SARE Fellows Tour, a Look at Sustainable Ag Across the Country, Makes a Stop in Texas
D’HANIS, Texas -- Travis Krause lets out a loud cattle call. Within seconds, his herd appears in the distance among the tall grass, brush and trees of the South Texas Plains, and makes a fast trot to where the young farmer is standing. The animals line up side by side as if preparing for a […]
Cover Crops and Soil Biology: What Do We Know?
Investigating soil biology is a wild, unpredictable zoological ride. From the smallest organisms on Earth (viruses) to earthworms, cover crop selection and management is affected by and influences soil biology in ways we cannot completely predict.
North Carolina Land Trust Helping Beginning Farmers in an Effort that Blends Conservation with Sustainable Ag
ALEXANDER, North Carolina – Over 100 acres of gently rolling grazing land, woodlands and stream corridors just outside of Asheville, NC is the site of an educational effort spearheaded by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy that combines environmental conservation with agriculture using sustainable ag practices. The program, known as the “Community Farm & Food Project: […]
Finding a Fit for Native Pollinators in North Florida Sustainable Farm Management
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Natural landscapes surrounding North-central Florida farms may influence native pollinator diversity along with on-farm vegetation management, according to preliminary results of a University of Florida study. The findings may be useful to farmers interested in encouraging the number and types of native bees that visit their farms. Rosalyn Johnson, a graduate student […]