The Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program is now accepting farmer research grant applications. Applications are due by Nov. 15.

Farmers, ranchers or producer organizations in the U.S. Southern Region are eligible to apply for a producer grant, which has a maximum of $10,000 for individual producers and $15,000 for producer organizations to be used within two years.

Coordinating the SARE program for Tennessee are Roy Bullock with Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension Program and Clark Garland with University of Tennessee Extension. Both encourage producers to apply for the grants.

“Tennessee farmers have a history of success in obtaining funding for projects from the Southern Region,” says Garland.

While all SARE proposals must promote agricultural practices that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for rural communities. These two grant programs have identified nine broad focus areas. Proposals are invited that address: soil health, beneficial insect habitat, alternative crops/livestock, organic agriculture, marketing, sustainable grazing systems, improving the sustainability of existing farming practices, appropriate technology, and agroforestry.

The Southern Region is comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Full information and instructions can be found on the Web at: http://www.southernsare.org.

Interested farmers may also contact Bullock at (615) 963-5449 or fbullock@tnstate.edu or Garland at (865) 974-7412 or cgarland@utk.edu.