The committee tasked with agriculture spending in the U.S. House doubled annual funding for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) competitive grants program from $15 to $30 million for 2011. The Senate committee offered a smaller boost from $15 to $23 million.

These increases are a victory for small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers and sustainable agriculture. The SARE program is the primary federal research program to support research that strengthens small and mid-sized farms.

The program has supported research on rotational grazing, cooperative development, alternative market development and other practices that increase small and mid-sized farm profitability while sustaining natural resources. Much of the research is done on-farm.

We will continue to urge the Senate to adopt the higher level of funding in the House bill as they head into conference committee to hammer out the differences between the two bills.

The SARE program was first funded in 1988. Advocacy efforts over the years slowly increased the funding from $3.9 million in 1988 to $15 million in the most recent fiscal year. Over the years we have asked you to call your representative or senator about the program. Thank you to everyone who did. Your persistence is really paying off.

Contact Brian Depew, briand@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1015, with questions or comments.