Are you interested in trying out a new idea on your farm? Have you thought about applying for a grant but weren’t sure where to start? On Wednesday, October 6th and Thursday, October 7th UW-Madison Extension will host a 2-part webinar to introduce farmers and agricultural professionals to grant opportunities in agriculture.
On October 6th Margaret Krome from the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute will cover basic principles of grant-writing, including how to design a sound project, when applying for a grant does or does not make sense, and how to find potential funding sources.
On October 7th a panel of grant program staff from USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and Value-Added Producer Grant Program; and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture’s Buy Local Buy Wisconsin, Wisconsin Producer-led Watersheds, and Specialty Crop Block Grant programs, and a farmer who has successfully applied for grants will cover some of the ins and outs of applying for those and other grants.
Both webinars will start at noon. Following the presentations participants are welcome to ask extensive questions of the presenters. Participants will also have the opportunity to review a sample grant application. Potential grant applicants are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Pre-registration is required at https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpc–hqzgsGtRV1-F1u7VfnPP0ZiMzRJRb
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Wisconsin Farmers Receive Grants for Sustainable Projects
Lea Zeise of Ohe.láku on the Oneida Reservation, WI has recently been awarded a $17,884
grant from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) for the project, “Indigenous (Heirloom) Corn with Reduced Tillage and Cover Cropping Systems.”
“This project will evaluate the usefulness of three interseeded cover crops (chicory, plantain and Dutch white clover) to help with weed management and soil fertility for Tuscarora White Corn and Bear Island Flint Corn,” said Zeise. The project is a joint effort with Menīkānaehkem Farm on the Menominee Reservation. This grant was awarded as part of NCR-SARE’s Farmer Rancher Grant Program, which is a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. Calls for Proposals for the next round of Farmer Rancher Grants are currently out and due on December 2nd, 2021. Under the current Call for Proposals individual farms can apply for up to $15,000, and groups of two or more farms can apply for up to $30,000 under the program.
Fourteen other SARE Farmer Rancher Grants were funded in Wisconsin this past year, including:
- Supporting New Farmers Through Mentoring and Membership in a Cooperative
- Integrated Pest Management Research on Great Lakes Hemp Production
- Design and Build a Sliding Electric Fence System for Pastured poultry
- Hot Box Compost: Modular Composting System that Heats, Waters, and Fertilizes Grow Bed for Off-Season Production
- Resources & Recipes to Support Farmers to Diversify Income through Value-Added Bakery Product Sales
- Developing Affordable Seed Corn for On-Farm Production and Sales
- Organic Control of Anthracnose Leaf Spot in Gooseberry as well as several other projects.
The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Grant reviewers look at how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project’s relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and other factors specific to each grant program.
NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. 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 nonprofits.
Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.
Farmers who are interested in learning about grant programs and how to apply for a grant can attend two webinars on grant programs for farmers hosted by UW-Madison Division of Extension. The first webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, October 6th at noon, will feature Margaret Krome from the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. Krome will cover grant-writing basics for farmers, including how to design a sound project, when applying for a grant does or does not make sense, and how to find potential funding sources.
On Thursday, October 7th at noon a panel of grant program staff from SARE and USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grants Program, and from Wisconsin Department of Agriculture’s Buy Local Buy Wisconsin, Wisconsin Producer-led Watersheds, and Specialty Crop Block Grant programs, as well as a farmer who has successfully applied for grants will cover some of the ins and outs of applying for those and other grants.
Register for one or both webinars at https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpc–hqzgsGtRV1-F1u7VfnPP0ZiMzRJRb
For more information contact Diane Mayerfeld at dbmayerfeld@wisc.edu or 608-262-8188.
