10/19/2005

Sustainable Agriculture Grant Workshop Locations Expanded

Pierre, SD---If you are interested in applying for USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farmer and Rancher Grants to conduct research, marketing and demonstration projects, be sure to mark Friday, October 28th on your calendar. On that date, an interactive video workshop will be held in several North Dakota and South Dakota communities. Aberdeen, Belle Fourche, Madison and Mitchell, SD will now be hosting these workshops in addition to Mission, Pierre and Philip. The purpose of the workshop is to assist in the preparation of strong proposals for submission to the North Central Region SARE office by the December 1st deadline. Farmers and ranchers may apply for up to $6,000 individually or up to $18,000 for group projects in sustainable agriculture.

The video workshop will be held October 28th, from 9-11 a.m. CT (8-10 a.m. MT). During the video workshop, Alison Kiesz of the South Dakota Department of Agriculture will discuss proposal writing. She will be followed by Frank Kutka of the Dickinson Research Extension Center who will discuss the specifics of the Farmer Rancher Grant program. A discussion with participants will follow.

This workshop will be held at seven South Dakota locations: Aberdeen, Northern State Univ., Library 118 (Lynn Carlsgaard 605/626-2437) Belle Fourche, Middle School (Dave Schanzenbach 605/723-3354) Madison, High School Board Room (Todd Beulter 605/256-7700) Mission, Sinte Gleska Univ. Tech Bldg 106, (Wendy Hayes 605/856-8100 ext. 8331) Mitchell, Mitchell Technical Institute, Main Campus Rm 131, 815 N. Capital St Pierre, Capital A (Alison Kiesz 605/773-5436) Philip, Haakon County Extension (Adele Gelvin 605/859-2840)

and six North Dakota locations: Carrington Research Extension Center (Steve Zwinger 701/652-2951) Devil's Lake, Ramsey County Extension Dickinson, Dickinson State Univ. North Campus Rm 104 (Frank Kutka 701/483- 2063) Fargo, North Dakota State Univ., 260 Loftsgaard Hall LaMoure, La Moure County Extension (Al Ulmer 701/883-5301 ext. 209) Minot, Minot State Univ., Student Union, Prairie Room

For more information about the Farmer Rancher Grants, please contact Frank Kutka
(701-483-2063) or Joan Benjamin at NCR SARE (800-529-1342). You can also get the information at www.sare.org/ncrsare/NCR_2005FRG_CFP.doc. This workshop is being sponsored by the NCR SARE program, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, North Dakota Department of Agriculture, South Dakota Department of Agriculture, and the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society.