What is SARE?

SARE stands for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.  SARE works to increase knowledge about practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible and helps farmers and ranchers to adopt those practices.  To advance such knowledge nationwide, SARE administers a competitive grants program first funded by Congress in 1988.

Regional administrative councils recommend projects to be funded after proposals go through technical peer review.  Regional council representation in the Northeast, South, North Central and West is specified by law, leading to diverse councils of producers, farm consultants, university researchers and administrators, state and federal government agency staff and representatives from nonprofit organizations.  The regional councils also provide policy direction and identify information needs for the SARE program.

The diversity in membership of the regional administrative councils reflects SARE's commitment to serve the broad spectrum of the agricultural community.  SARE's broad representation remains largely unique in federal grant funding for agriculture.

Nationally, SARE devotes significant resources to ongoing outreach projects.  SARE's Professional Development Program offers learning opportunities to a variety of agricultural extension and other field agency personnel.  SARE's Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) disseminates information relevant to SARE and sustainable agriculture through electronic and print publications.