About Western SARE
Greetings from the Coordinator
Since 1988, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program has been breathing life into agricultural profitability, environmental integrity and community strength. In the more than 20 years since its inception, Western SARE has grown into a thriving program that has distributed over $50 million throughout the entire western region. As Western SARE Regional Coordinator at the host institution, Utah State University, I have been, and remain, privileged to work with hundreds of people engaged in sustaining western agriculture – farmers, ranchers and leaders from universities, agribusiness, government and nonprofit organizations.
Our goal is to foster sustainability through grants that enable cutting-edge research and education to open windows on sustainability across the West. Another goal has been to administer the program fairly and equitably. I feel confident in saying that we can "stand on our record" for both.
Western SARE is committed to engaging farmers and ranchers through requiring that all grant proposals include producer participation and demonstrate outreach to producers, assigning seats to producers on the decision-making Administrative Council and sponsoring sub-regional listening sessions.
As Western SARE works its way through its third decade, we look forward to future growth and futher measurable outcomes to truly sustain to western agriculture for generations to come.
Phil Rasmussen, Coordinator
How We Work
SARE is not business as usual.
AC Sets Priorities
In March 2011, the Western Administrative Council (AC) and staff met for 1.5 days of strategic planning and priority-setting; ending the session with five new initiatives for the program to undertake over the next few years. The AC drew from the long list of potential changes to grants programs and new tasks provided by the 700+ participants in seven Subregional Conferences. These participants discussed and prioritized the needs of their subregion that they desired Western SARE to address. After long discussions about these prioritized needs, the AC voted for the top ten and then the top five.
Local Leadership
The Western region has a vast diversity of agriculture and a broad geographic range. Because Administrative Council members live throughout the region and are immersed in a variety of agricultural endeavors themselves, they are well qualified to disburse Western SARE grant dollars to projects that can foster improved and sustainable agricultural practices.
Western SARE Goals
Grant applications consistent with the goals listed below have the best chance of being funded.
Strategic Plan
The Western SARE Strategic Plan illustrates the Administrative Structure of Western SARE, as well as how each of the different Western SARE grants relate to each other.
The Early Years
Read the report: The Early Years, reflections of the Founding Director J. Patrick Madden.
