Local residents selected to receive Sustainable Agriculture Grant

The following residents have been recently selected to receive grants from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program their projects.

Bison, SD 

Eliza Loughlin with Plainsong Farm and Fiber was awarded $3,905 for the project titled, "Create Artisan-in-Residence Program to Further Education in Value-added Agricultural Products Specific to our Remote Ranching Community."

 "We will create an artisan-in-residence program for short- and long-term residencies. Selection of artisans will focus of craftspeople whose source materials are readily available in our region, with an educational component that will benefit the whole community," said Loughlin.

Lemmon, SD 

Erin Gaugler with Gaugler Farm and Ranch was awarded $15,861 for the project titled, "Improving Carbon Sequestration through Bale Grazing and Keyline Cultivation."

"This project will demonstrate the use of bale grazing, a winter feeding strategy, and Keyline cultivation to transform water management and promote carbon sequestration," said Gaugler.

This grant was awarded as part of NCR-SARE's Farmer Rancher Grant Program, a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. 

 The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.

NCR-SARE's Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. The AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofits.

Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.