FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 20, 2020
For more information contact:
North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE)
612-626-3113
ncrsare@umn.edu
Kelly Receives Sustainable Agriculture Grant
Grant # FNC20-1227
Dan Kelly of Blue Heron Orchard in Canton, MO has recently been awarded a $8,968 grant from the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) for the project, “Agroforestry Based Control for Cedar-Apple Rust Disease and Browsing Deer in Organic Apple Orchards.”
“The project will use eastern cedar trees for a fence to control both cedar apple rust disease and whitetail deer that like to bud browse and eat apples,” said Kelly.
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.
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. 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.
