News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July, 1996
Contact:
Kristen Kelleher, communications specialist
(916) 752-5987; kkelleher@ucdavis.edu
WESTERN SARE ANNOUNCES 1996 FUNDING AWARDS
Nearly two million dollars awarded to competitively-selected universities,
ag producers and organizations in 14 Western States and Island
Protectorates
Logan, UT -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Region
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education -- Western SARE -- program
has announced tentative selections for 1996 grant awards, which encompass
research, education and professional development projects in 14 western
states and Island Protectorates.
After final contract negotiations, nearly two million dollars in
competitive awards will be disbursed to universities, farmers and ranchers
and organizations in the Western U.S. to further knowledge and adoption of
sustainable agriculture.
"The slate of this year's funded projects covers a good mix of
geography and sustainable agriculture topics and issues in the west," says
Phil Rasmussen, regional coordinator of Western SARE and a soil scientist
at Utah State University.
"Roughly a third of the projects consider livestock operations,
more than half investigate diverse crops and related production practices,
and the rest cover economic, community-building and public lands and
wildlife topics," says Rasmussen.
Region-wide, more than $1.4 million was awarded to sustainable
agriculture and pollution prevention research projects; nearly $365,000 was
allocated to professional education efforts for extension and other
agricultural personnel; and about $100,000 was split among 31 farmers and
ranchers in the Western U.S.
In addition, another $300,000 will be split among state Cooperative
Extension programs in the west to further state-by-state strategic plans
for sustainable agriculture professional development. Also under
consideration is a grant of roughly $60,000 for a special initiative for
agricultural professionals in the Pacific Islands.
Grant applicants submitted project proposals that were ranked on
their merit and potential for achievement. Reviewers included scientists,
extension professionals, producers, and public and private sector
representatives from all areas of the western region. At least half of the
review panels for the farmer/rancher research grants were area producers.
Selections were made by the regional Administrative Council and
will be submitted to the USDA for final approval after contract
negotiations with grantees are completed.
The competitive research grants portion of SARE (which includes a
joint USDA / U.S. EPA effort, called Agriculture in Concert with the
Environment, ACE) has been funded since 1988. The professional development
program (or Chapter 3) received funding for the first time in 1994. In
1995, a grants program for farmers and ranchers was launched to to test
their "in the field" questions about sustainable practices and issues.
Since 1988 through fiscal 1996, the U.S. Congress has allocated
more than $69 million to the federal SARE effort; Western SARE has received
$13.6 million in funds.
The SARE program, which was authorized by Congress in the 1990 and
1996 Farm Bills, is managed regionally by four councils: Western, North
Central, Northeast and Southern United States. These committees of
scientists, producers and administrators represent a variety of interests
and provide local leadership to research and training efforts. Regional
councils operate in cooperation with the USDA SARE office and the
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.
Utah State University is host to the SARE program in the Western
region, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and
the Island Protectorates of American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia and the
Northern Mariana Islands.
The next grants cycle (which concludes in 1997) began with the
recent release of a call for research and professional development
proposals in late July, 1996. The next call for research and education
projects directed by producers or producer groups will be released on
November 5, 1996. Potential grant applicants should call the host office at
(801) 797-3537 to get on the mailing list for these calls for proposals.
###
Western Region SARE Grants Awarded in 1996
State-by-State or Island Protectorate
Included in this list are: State / Grant Recipient / Award $$$ / Subject
ALASKA
Vickie Talbot, producer, $3,000, Forest Land into Ag Use
Total Funding for Alaska: $3,000
AMERICAN SAMOA
Tovia Tuli, producer, $5,000, Pig Manure Control
Total Funding for American Samoa: $5,000
ARIZONA
Wayne Coates, University of Arizona, $121,000, Cultivation & Banding of
Herbicides
Steve Getzwiller, producer, $3,000, Lovegrass
Kali Holtschlag, producer, $4,310.00, Riparian Management
Mike Mercer, producer, $2,500, Managing Biological Processes
Total Funding for Arizona: $130,810
CALIFORNIA
Steve Temple, University of California, Davis, $44,185, "Living Lab" of
Sus. Ag.*
David Chaney, UC Sus. Ag. Res & Ed Program, $98,773, Curriculum Approaches*
William Olkowski, Bio-Integral Resource Center, $29,000, Public Lands &
Reserves*
Mike Spezia, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, $77,970, Sustainable
Tree Crops*
Craig McNamara, producer, $5,000, Farm Management
Lee Jackson, UC Davis, $200,000, Tomatoes (farming systems)
Louise Jackson, UC Davis, $102,000, Tillage for N Cycling & Soil Quality
David Pratt, UC Cooperative Extension, $40,750, Controlled Grazing
Total Funding for California: $597,678
COLORADO
Jessica Davis, Colorado State University, $60,000, Livestock Operations*
Bob White, producer, $1,500, Apples (pest control)
Jessica Davis, Colorado State University, $206,000, Manure Management
Total Funding for Colorado: $267,500
GUAM
George Pangelinan, producer, $4,350, Swine Feeding
Felix Quan, producer, $3,020, Vegetable Soybean
Total Funding for Guam: $7,370
HAWAII
Shari Tresky, producer, $3,520, Greenhouse Tomatoes
Susan Schenck, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association, $49,595, Asparagus
Total Funding for Hawaii $53,115
IDAHO
Paula Jones, Natural Resources Conservation Service, $15,400, Leafy Spurge
Control
Larry Higgins, producer, $2,450, Greenhouse Solarization
Total Funding for Idaho: $17,850
MONTANA
Rod Daniel, producer, $1,923.15, Cover Cropping
Jess Alger, producer, $4,000, Grazing & Feed Rotations
Robert Lee, producer, $4,800, Pasture Management
Nancy Matheson, Alternative Energy Resources Organization, $124,425, Farm
Improvement Clubs
Dale Veseth, producer, $2,500, Alternative Water Sources
Total Funding for Montana: $137,648.15
NEW MEXICO
Darrell Baker, producer, $4,200, Irrigated Pastures
Lonnie Roybal, producer, $5,000, Organic Small Grains
Craig Mapel, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, $100,000, Sus Ag in So.
Colorado
Total Funding for New Mexico: $109,200
OREGON
Ray William, Oregon State University, $40,000, Symphylans (pest control)
Jim Fulmer, producer, $1,895, Low Tillage Weed Control
William Booth, producer, $2,620, Composting (disease control)
Dave Michul, producer, $2,930, Grapes
Jack Grey, producer, $2,610, Blueberries and Tomatoes
Tom Lehman, producer, $1,575, Grazing Sheep
Devon Strong, producer $3,000, Cafeteria Compost System
Jeff Boden, producer, $2,500, Rhubarb (weed control)
Franz Niederholzer, OR State University Extension Service, $58,290, Pear
Production
Total Funding for Oregon: $115,420
UTAH
David Hole, Utah State University, $93,911, Organic Hard-Winter Wheat
Total Funding for Utah: $ 93,911
WASHINGTON
Diana Roberts, Washington State University, $36,424, Sus. Ag. Seminars*
Robert Gillespie, Washington State University, $61,485, Wildlife &
Beneficial Insect
Miles McEvoy, Washington State Department of Agriculture, $17,050.00
Organic Resource Guide*
Gene Tinkelberg, producer, $4,230, Relay Intercropping
Gary Holwegner, producer, $2,550, Organic Apples
Karl Kupers, producer, $4,400, Alternative Crop Production
Betsie DeWreede, producer, $1,150, Carrot Rust Fly Control
Julie Matthews, producer, $2,750, Sustainability in Hay Fields
Nils Sundquist, producer, $4,575, Organic vs Synthetic Fertilizer
Total Funding for Washington: $134,614
WYOMING
Jeff Powell, University of Wyoming, $94,475, Riparian Vegetation Filters
Matt Weber, producer, $2,800, Grasses for Grazing
John Hewlett, University of Wyoming, $36,326, Ranch/Farm Education
Jim Krall, University of Wyoming, $95,100, Corn/Annual Medic Intercrop.
Total Funding for Wyoming: $228,701.00
* These projects have a specific goal to provide professional development
opportunities for Extension and Natural Resource Conservation Service
personnel, and other agricultural professionals.
*******************************
Kristen Kelleher
Senior Public Information Rep/ Communications Specialist
USDA Western Region SARE
c/o SAREP
University of California
(916) 752-5987
kkelleher@ucdavis.edu
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