Fall, 1996 (v8n4)

Sources of Funding

USDA-SARE Western Region

Calls for proposals are out for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

• The competitive research grants portion of SARE includes a joint USDA/US-EPA effort called Agriculture in Concert with the Environment, ACE. SARE and ACE research grant proposals are due October 29, 1996. SARE continues to target funding to whole-farm/ranch systems projects that increase understanding and adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. ACE grant funds are aimed at research on agricultural practices that minimize environmental effects and hazards.
  
  
• SARE’s professional development grant proposals are due on November 26, 1996. This effort supports grants to develop materials and approaches to help Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service and other professionals expand their understanding of sustainable agriculture. Projects can be designed for agents working in production agriculture, 4H/youth development or other areas.

Additionally, a call for research and development projects directed by area farmers and ranchers is set for release the first week of November 1996.

• Farmers and ranchers residing in the Western U.S. can compete for grants of up to $5,000 each to identify, evaluate and test sustainable agriculture practices and challenges through Western SARE’s farmer/rancher research grant program. This effort gives farmers and ranchers direct access to research and education funds authorized by the U.S. Congress to further the adoption of sustainable agriculture. A call for proposals is set for release the first week of November 1996. The deadline for proposals will be January 14, 1997.

To get on the mailing list for calls for proposals, call the host office at Utah State University at (801) 797-3537.
For other information, contact Kristen Kelleher, communications specialist at (916) 752-5987; e-mail: kkelleher@ucdavis.edu. The Western Region includes Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Micronesia, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, N. Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Organic Research Grants

The Organic Farming Research Foundation is offering funds for research on organic farming methods, dissemination of research results to organic farmers and growers interested in making the transition to organic production, and consumer education on organic farming issues. Projects should involve farmers in design and execution, and take place on working farms when possible. Proposals of $3,000-$5,000 are encouraged. Matching funds and/or in-kind contributions are recommended. Proposals are considered twice a year; the next round of proposals must be received by January 15, 1997. To receive copies of grant application procedures and the OFRF Research and Education Priorities describing target areas, write Grants Program, Organic Farming Research Foundation, PO Box 440, Santa Cruz, CA 95061; (408) 426-6606.

Fertilizer Research Awards

A Request for Proposals will be out in January 1997 from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program. Funding will be available for projects directed toward the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizer materials. For details and to be put on the mailing list, contact Casey Walsh-Cady or Trina Anderson at CDFA, (916) 653-5340; e-mail: ccady@smtp1.cdfa.ca.gov.

Department of Pesticide Regulation

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is requesting proposals from California public and private entities to encourage the formation of groups interested in investigating/adopting innovative pest management practices leading to the development of reduced-risk pest management systems. The program intends to provide support for groups of innovators to work with university researchers, private industry, and consultants to set up demonstration projects of new IPM systems. Based on DPR’s legal mandates and regulatory concerns as well as pest management needs in California, projects that address the protection of surface and ground water quality and/or involve integrated management of mites, insects, or plant diseases in the agricultural and nonagricultural sector will be given high priority in 1997. Equal consideration will be given to new projects or existing projects that wish to expand. Awards will range from $10,000 to $30,000 per year. Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m., November 27, 1996.

For information, contact Jenny Broome, Tel: (916) 324-4100; Fax: (916) 324-4088, e-mail: jbroome@cdpr.ca.gov; 1020 N Street, Room 161, Sacramento, CA 95814-5624. Please request either the one-page Request for Proposals general specifications or the full application package.