USDA-SARE Western Region RFPs Reminder; Producer Call Set

Calls for proposals were released in July for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. A call for research and development projects directed by area farmers and ranchers is set for release the first week of November 1997.

• The competitive research grants portion of SARE and the Agriculture in Concert with the Environment (ACE proposals) are due October 29, 1997 (by 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time).

• SARE's professional development grant proposals are due November 19, 1997 (by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time). This effort supports grants to help Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and other professionals expand their understanding of sustainable agriculture.

• Farmers and ranchers residing in the Western U.S. can compete for grants to identify, evaluate and test sustainable agriculture practices and challenges through Western SARE's farmer/rancher research grant program. Individuals can apply for up to $5,000; producer groups, three or more farm/ranch operations working cooperatively, can apply for up to $10,000 per group. A call for proposals will be released the first week of November 1997. The deadline for proposals will be January 15, 1998.

To get on the mailing list for calls for proposals, contact the Western SARE office at Utah State University at (801) 797-2257; fnhinck @cc.usu.edu. Calls for proposals can also be down-loaded from the program's Web site at: http://ext.usu.edu:80/wsare/

For general information, contact Kristen Kelleher, communications specialist, at (530) 752-5987; 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.

Pest Management Funds

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) Requests for Proposals for pest management grants are due at the end of November. For more information, contact Bob Elliott at DPR, Tel: (530) 324-4156; email: belliott@cdpr.ca.gov

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, 1998. 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; Tel: (408) 426-6606.

Fertilizer Research Awards

A Request for Proposals will be out in mid-January 1998 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, (530) 653-5340; e-mail: ccady@smtp1.cdfa.ca.gov.