Program Overview
COMPETITIVE GRANTS
SAREP administers several competitive grants programs for research and education in sustainable agriculture. Grant criteria and requests for proposals are available at the SAREP Web site (www.sarep.ucdavis.edu) or by calling SAREP at (530) 752-7556. During FY 1999-2001, SAREP dedicated $174,518 of state funds to its research and education competitive grants program.
For the reporting period, FY 1999-2001, SAREP funded:
- 26 educational events in 2000/2001 totaling $18,700, and
- 7 sustainable agriculture graduate awards in 2000/2001 totaling $18,540.
In addition, SAREP used $85,032 to fund 7 continuing multi-year research and education projects.
SAREP also selected new research and education projects in April 2001, which will be partially funded ($52,246) by FY 00/01 reserve funds. (The balance will be funded by SAREP's FY01/02 grant funds.) These projects include:
- 4 new crop and livestock production projects totaling $96,159,
- 4 community development and public policy projects totaling $60,272, and
- 17 educational events totaling $19,920.
During FY 1999-2001, SAREP also used extramural funds for new and continuing BIFS projects, Alternatives to Methyl Bromide projects and additional crop and livestock production projects.
STAFF RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
Since 1999, SAREP has received approximately $900,000 in extramural funds (see Financial Information, page 33) for research and education projects. Staff members have participated as program chairs, speakers, moderators, and organizers in workshops, conferences and educational events throughout the state. Results of SAREP's staff work have been published in peer-reviewed articles, books, extension bulletins, and databases. Staff profiles are available on SAREP's website. A staff list appears on page 31 of this report.
SAREP ADVISORY COMMITTEES
The Program Advisory Committee (PAC) reviews grants for relevance to SAREP's mission and assists in long-range program planning. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) makes recommendations about the scientific merit of grant applications. The BIFS Program Advisory Review Board advises SAREP on the BIFS Program and makes recommendations about the funding of BIFS project proposals. Current lists of the PAC, TAC and BIFS committees are available on SAREP's web site and on page 32 of this report.
NEWSLETTER AND WEB SITE (www.sarep.ucdavis.edu)
Three times a year, SAREP publishes the newsletter, Sustainable Agriculture. The newsletter includes reports on research projects, workshops and meetings funded by SAREP, as well as commentaries, updates on research and extension activities, technical reviews, and funding sources. The newsletter is available at the web site or by contacting the SAREP office.
The SAREP web site has recently been revised and updated. It includes an interactive events calendar, the most recent biennial report, past and current issues of the newsletter, and information on topics such as biologically integrated farming systems, organic farming research, community food security, cover crops, and soil quality. New to the site is a searchable database of all research and education projects funded by SAREP.