NCR-SARE
Brandon Schlautman with The Land Institute, Salina, was selected to receive a $39,691 grant from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) for the project, "Using Perennial Groundcovers for Improved Soil and Nutrient Retention in Corn/Soy Production."
"This project will determine whether planting corn-soy rotations into Kentucky Bluegrass or Kura Clover perennial groundcovers, also known as perennial cover crops, is an economically viable strategy to limit soil and nutrient loss through on-farm demonstration trials," said Schlautman.
This grant was awarded as part of NCR-SARE's Partnership Grant Program. The Partnership Grant Program is intended to foster cooperation between agriculture professionals and small groups of farmers and ranchers to catalyze on-farm research, demonstration, and education activities related to sustainable agriculture. Learn more about the NCR-SARE Partnership Grant Program online at http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs/Partnership-Grant-Program
The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.
NCR-SARE's Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. A collection of farm and non-farm citizens, 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 nonprofit organizations.