NCR-SARE Announces Awards: 2016 Research & Education, Graduate Student, and Professional Development

[Deirdre Birmingham]

It maybe interesting for some of you to see the kinds of applicants and projects these SARE Grant programs fund. 

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Deirdre Birmingham

Grants Advisor, Grant Writer

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Wisconsin Farmers Union

www.michaelfields.org/grant-advising-resources

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From: NCR-SARE <ncr...@umn.edu>
Date: Wed, Aug 10, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Subject: NCR-SARE Announces 2016 Research & Education, Graduate Student, and Professional Development Awards
To:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:  8/9/2016

For more information contact: North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE)

612-626-3113

www.sare.org/ncrsare

ncr...@umn.edu

NCR-SARE Announces 2016 Research & Education, Graduate Student, and Professional Development Awards

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is pleased to announce the projects recommended for funding for the Research and Education, Graduate Student, and Professional Development competitive grant programs. 34 projects were awarded a total of more than $2.6 million through these three NCR-SARE grant programs, which offer competitive grants for researchers, graduate students, organizations, agricultural educators, and others who are exploring sustainable agriculture in America’s Midwest.

For the 2016 Research and Education program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $2 million to 11 projects ranging from $165,600 to $200,000. The Research and Education Program is a competitive grant program for researchers and educators involved in projects that explore and promote environmentally sound, profitable, and socially responsible food and/or fiber systems. The following awarded projects are in order by state:

• Nicholas Wuertz of Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) was awarded $200,000 for the project, “Growing Profitable, Sustainable Farming Businesses with Beginning Refugee Farmers in Central Iowa.”
• James Farmer of Indiana University's School of Public Health was awarded $199,566 for the project, “Transitioning Farm and Ranch Land from One Family to Another: Evaluating new Strategies for Profitable Transfers and Sustainable Agriculture Partnerships.”
• Rod Greder of the University of Minnesota Extension was awarded $109,771 for the project, “Evaluating Measurement Techniques of Pasture Productivity to Document Benefits of Enhanced Grazing Systems.”
• Douglas Landblom of North Dakota State University was awarded $199,998 for the project, “Effect of Long-Term Integrated Crop and Livestock Systems on Forage Finishing, Soil Fertility, Nirtogen Mineralizaation, Carbon Sequestration, and Profitability.”
• Strahinja Stepanovic of University of Nebraska-Lincoln was awarded $200,000 for the project, “Rotational Benefits and Agronomic Evaluation of Field Pea in Cereal-based Cropping Systems.”
• Matthew Kleinhenz of The Ohio State University was awarded $198,842 for the project, “Resources that Help Sustainable-Organic Vegetable Growers Select, Use, and Evaluate Microbe-Containing Crop Stimulants (MCCSs) More Effectively.”
• Tom Redfern of Rural Action of Ohio was awarded $165,500 for the project, “Creating an Educational and Economic Value Chain for Specialty Dairy Products in Appalachian Ohio.”
• Michael Bell of the University of Wisconsin's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems was awarded $199,246 for the project, “The Fruit and Nut Compass: Developing a Tool and Guiding Principles for Diversified Farms.”
• Craig Ficenec of the Sand County Foundation in Wisconsin was awarded $197,678 for the project, “Advancing Cost Effective Water Quality Improvement in the North Central Region Through Farmer-led Engagement for Prairie Filter Strips.”
• Greg Lawless of the University of Wisconsin Extension was awarded $199,943 for the project, “Systems Approach to Food Waste Composting for Urban Agriculture.”
• Valentin Picasso of the University of Wisconsin was awarded $200,000 for the project, “Grazing Management of 'Kernza' Intermediate Wheatgrass as a Dual Purpose Crop.”

For the 2016 Graduate Student program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $196,000 to 17 projects ranging from $9,607 to $12,000. Graduate Student Grant program is a competitive grant program to fund graduate student projects that address sustainable agriculture issues. The following awarded projects are in order by state: 

• Guang Han of Iowa State University along with Nancy Grudens-Schuck was awarded $12,000 for the project, “Factors Driving Grain Producers to Convert to Organic Farming Systems.”
• Chelsea Harbach of Iowa State University along with Greg Tylka was awarded $11,976 for the project, “Determining Whether Cover Crops Affect Soybean Cyst Nematode Population Densities and can be used for Integrated Pest Management.”
• Clayton Nevins of Purdue University along with Shalamar Armstrong was awarded $11,154 for the project, “Understanding the Influence of Soil Microbial Diversity on the Synchronization of Cover Crop Residue Nitrogen Mineralization at Critical Growth Stages of Corn and Soybean Cash Crops.”
• Sam Hitchcock Tilton of Michigan State University along with Daniel Brainard was awarded $11,994 for the project, “Green Tools: Improving Sustainability by Integrating New In-row Cultivation Equipment and Competitive Cultivars.”
• Adam Ingrao of Michigan State University along with Zsofia Szendrei was awarded $11,728 for the project, “Luring Generalist Predators from Field Borders to Control Crop Pests.”
• Sabrina Badger of the University of Minnesota along with Daniel Kaiser was awarded $11,906 for the project, “Determination of Decomposition Rates of Cover Crop Residues and Their Nutrient Release Characteristics.”
• Cody Hoerning of the University of Minnesota along with Donald Wyse was awarded $11,902 for the project, “Agroecosystem Impact of Relay and Double Cropping Winter Annual Oilseeds in Corn and Soybean.”
• Eric Middleton of the Univeristy of Minnesota along with Christopher Philips was awarded $12,000 for the project, “Maximizing Pollinator Protection and Natural Pest Suppression in Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Crops.”
• Elizabeth Perkus of the University of Minnesota along with Julie Grossman was awarded $10,875 for the project, “Cover Crop Cold Tolerance for High Tunnels.”
• Waana Kaluwasha of the University of Missouri along with Xi Xiong was awarded $11,956 for the project, “Effect of Cover and Green Manure Crops on Soil Health, Plant Health and Tuber Yield in Organic Sweet Potato Production.”
• Kenneth Beamer of North Dakota State University along with Greta Gramig was awarded $11,928 for the project, “Assessing Multi-species Cover Crop Responses to Variable Soil Moisture and Soil Types.”
• Ashley Conway of University of Nebraska-Lincoln along with Mary Drewnoski was awarded $11,997 for the project, “Impacts of Ionophore Supplementation and Corn Residue Management on Profitability of Grazing Rye with Growing Calves Within an Integrated Production System.”
• Michael Whitby of University of Nebraska-Lincoln along with Craig Allen was awarded $11,644 for the project, “Role of Bats in Controlling Agricultural Pests.”
• Susan Ndiaye of The Ohio State University along with Celeste Welty was awarded $11,432 for the project, “Augmentative Biological Control of Spider Mites on Hops.”
• Katherine Todd and Rodney Richardson of The Ohio State University along with Mary Gardiner were awarded $11,930 for the project, “Next Generation Bees: Determining the Floral Resources that Support Wild Bee Reproduction and Pollination Services in Urban Agriculture.”
• Claire LaCanne of South Dakota State University along with Jonathan Lundgren was awarded $9,998 for the project, “Interactive Effects of Cover Crops, Soil Health Practices, and Insect Community Dynamics on Corn Production.”
• Greta Landis of the University of Wisconsin along with Randall Jackson was awarded $9,607 for the project, “Facilitating Grazing Partnerships on Wisconsin’s Public Grasslands: Assessing Plant Communities and Developing Best Practices.”

For the 2016 Professional Development Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $431,000 to six projects ranging from $69,924 to $74,742. NCR-SARE Professional Development Program competitive grants emphasize training agricultural educators in extension, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, private, and not-for-profit sectors, using farmers as educators and addressing emerging issues in the farm community. The following awarded projects are in order by state:

 

• Natalie Carroll of Purdue University in Indiana was awarded $72,701 for the project, “Soil Health Education Resources for Teachers.” 
• Craig Chase of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach was awarded $74,742 for the project, “Building Capacity of Agricultural Educators to Grow Sustainable Food Systems in Iowa.” 
• Ajay Nair of Iowa State University was awarded $69,924 for the project, “Training Agricultural Professionals and Extension Educators to Manage Crop Environment and Soil Quality in High Tunnel Vegetable Production.” 
• Sally Worley of Practical Farmers of Iowa was awarded $73,447 for the project, “Increasing Conservation Investment, Cover Crops and Third Crops in Iowa through Farmer-Led Educational Programs.” 
• Rachel Armstrong of Farm Commons in Minnesota was awarded $70,613 for the project, “Empowering Professionals with Sustainable Farm Law.” 
• Michael Gold of the University of Missouri was awarded $70,334 for the project, “Missouri Agroforestry Summer Institutes: High School Educator Training for Curriculum Delivery.” Gold's project has been named as the 2016 Paula Ford Professional Development Program Proposal of the Year. From 1991-1997 Dr. Ford served as was the Program Coordinator for the Southern Region SARE program. She was the NCR-SARE Professional Development Program Coordinator at Kansas State University for 11 years (1999-2009), and supported sustainable agriculture and SARE for more than 20 years.  To honor Dr. Ford's contributions to NCR-SARE, the Administrative Council created the "Paula Ford Professional Development Program Proposal of the Year" award. Each year, one Professional Development Program funded project in the North Central region is given this special designation. The region selects the project that best exemplifies Dr. Ford's contributions and passion for evaluation, professional development and/or science-based research.

View NCR-SARE’s 2016 funded projects along with their descriptions—including the Farmer Rancher, Youth Educator, and Partnership grants that were awarded earlier this year—online at http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Recent-Grant-Projects

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. A collection of farm and non-farm citizens, 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 nonprofit organizations.

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