News from USDA SARE and the Sustainable Agriculture Network

UC SAREP’s counterpart at the national level is the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE). SARE works primarily through competitive grants offered through four regional programs. The Western Region SARE program is based at Utah State University; information on its grants programs can be found at wsare.usu.edu. Through its outreach program SAN (Sustainable Agriculture Network), SARE highlights results of its funded projects and develops and distributes information for farmers, ranchers, and educators interested or involved in sustainable agriculture.

National SARE conference
The 2004 Northeast SARE conference will be held in Burlington, Vt. on
Oct. 19-20, 2004. There will be workshops on regional food systems, marketing,
ecological production, policy and planning, farmer profiles and poster sessions, and
sessions on communications in the agricultural community. For more information visit www.uvm.edu/~nesare/index.html.

Patrick Madden Award
SARE announces its second “Patrick Madden Award” to honor farmers and ranchers who raise food or fiber in ways that are profitable, good for families and communities, and beneficial to the environment. Four regional winners will receive $1,000 each and a travel scholarship to “Toward a Sustainable Food System,” the SARE conference in Burlington, Vt., Oct. 19-21, 2004. All producers farming in the United States and its protectorates are eligible, except for previous winners and finalists. To nominate someone, go to www.sare.org/madden/. (No self nominations, please. Nomination deadline is May 10, 2004.)

New Publications
Opportunities in Agriculture: Transitioning to Organic Production. Provides a detailed overview of organic farming and ranching including: designing profitable rotations, building healthy soil, weed and pest control options. The bulletin also has special sections on livestock production, and profiles of four diverse organic producers. www.sare.org/bulletin/organic/prNov2003.htm.

Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses. Step-by-step strategies to help alternative and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurs transform farm-grown inspiration into profitable enterprises. This book will help readers develop a detailed, lender-ready business plan or map out ways to take advantage of new business opportunities. www.sare.org/htdocs/events/pr/sep2003.htm.