Progress report for MN2021
Project Information
In 2021 and 2022 we will focus Minnesota SARE PDP resources on five initiatives: 1) Engaging BIPOC communities around issues of sustainable agriculture 2) Resilient Local Food Systems ; 3) Sustainable adaptations for: soil health, water quality, and climate 4) Sustainable Livestock Systems. 5) Beginning farmers and ranchers.
Our Advisory committee has identified 5 initiative areas for our MN SARE work in 2021/2022. In all of the initiatives the expected outcomes, activities, and evaluation will be similar.
- Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
- Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
- Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
Initiative 1: Engaging traditionally underserved communities around issues of sustainable agriculture
This is an initiative area specifically requested by our Advisory Team. They have asked us to prioritize our work with BIPOC farmers in Minnesota around all issues related to sustainable agriculture. We plan to work with educators in multiple areas in Minnesota, and specifically with our educators in the Twin Cities metro area and at the tribal colleges. We would like to increase their access to SARE materials and grant opportunities. We plan to solicit minigrant and travel grant applications but the bulk our work with focus on Face of SARE. These are communities that are not as familiar with SARE as some of our other audiences so we plan to spend more time building relationships. Our hope is that this will result in more access to SARE opportunities in Minnesota and regionally. We are participating in a regional pilot program working with our tribal colleges on food sovereignty issues. They are identifying the projects and we will help facilitate as needed.
Initiative 2: Building resilient Local Food Systems
This initiative includes such categories as building small and beginning farms, urban agriculture, as well as distribution and processing issues. Much of this is supporting the many organizations and individuals already contributing to local foods efforts in Minnesota. We plan to work with educators in multiple regions in Minnesota on a mini-grant on expanding access to local food in those regions. We will also work closely with the SARE grant recipients in MN on their projects; helping to link them to Extension and NRCS staff working on these topics. We anticipate that at least 75 farm advisor and farmer-educators will participate in these state programs during the time of this initiative, and additional individuals will be reached through webinars or other web-based distribution of information We plan to send educators and farmer-educators (virtually or in person) to the following local and regional events in 2021 and 2022: MN Organic Conference, MOSES conference, Sustainable Farming Conference, Emerging Farmers Conference as well as outreach events at the U of MN Research and Outreach Centers. We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes.
Initiative 3: Sustainable adaptations for: soil health, water quality, and climate
Our advisory committee is working to identify appropriate conferences for 2021 and 2022 that will provide professional development opportunities for educators. We typically identify 5-7 events both locally and regionally. We’ll partner with educators working on the Forever Green Initiative at the U of MN as well as the Green Lands Blue Waters program. Based on these professional development experiences, we expect the educators we have sponsored to come back and offer training events and programs for other farm advisors and producers in our state during the 2021-2022 time frame. We will provide opportunities for professional development in the area of soil health management practices, including those pertaining to water quality/quantity issues, and more practices to improve farmers soil health management.
Initiative 4: Sustainable Livestock Systems
Minnesota continues to be a major livestock producer, ranking #1 in turkeys, #3 in pigs, and with large numbers of cattle, mainly consisting of cow-calf herds. Most of the turkeys and pigs are raised in large scale confinement systems, but there is greater interest now than in the past, in exploring alternative methods of production. Farmers are raising poultry (broilers, layers, and turkeys) on pasture, heritage breeds of pigs used for charcuterie, other pig breeds for larger commercial operations, wool sheep for the garment industry, and meat and dairy goats for the newer immigrant communities that favor goat products. Our intent is to encourage the community of producers engaging in alternative livestock production and marketing to apply for SARE grants, in order to answer questions they may have about how to improve profitability, production efficiency, or marketing acumen. We will work with UMN Extension Educators, Campus Faculty, and NRCS and DNR Specialists to create a greater awareness how sustainable livestock systems can benefit farmers of all production sizes. We plan to send educators and farmer-educators to the local and regional events in 2021 and 2022 focusing on sustainable livestock systems and encourage the development of minigrant programs on issues related to sustainable livestock systems.
Initiative 5: Beginning farmers and ranchers
In order to participate in the NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2021-22, one of our initiative focus areas will be on “beginning farmers and ranchers.” We will particularly work with members of our state delegation who attended the regional training in Indianapolis on October 1-2, 2019. These educators will be asked to provide educational programming to other educators and/or beginning farmers and ranchers. This can include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming. During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that increases the sustainability and success of beginning farmers and ranchers.
Advisors
Education
We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds. We will host webinars about SARE grant opportunities as well as professional development opportunities around sustainable agriculture.
2021: We continue to use our minigrant and travel grant programs as an opportunity to connect with educators in Minnesota. In 2021 most of our programs were impacted by COVID restrictions. We did receive minigrant applications and were able to fund some projects. Due to the lack of applications for both minigrant and travel grants, we reached out to educational partners in the state to provide funds for additionanl trainings and workshops. Partners included: MN Extension, Sustainable Farming Association, The Food Group, MISA and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In doing this we were able to reach a significant amount of farmers and educators in Minnesota. Towards the end of 2021 we saw an uptick in requests for minigrants and travel grants for programs in 2022 and anticipate that will continue.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
This is an initiative area specifically requested by our Advisory Team. They have asked us to prioritize our work with BIPOC farmers in Minnesota around all issues related to sustainable agriculture. We plan to work with educators in multiple areas in Minnesota, and specifically with our educators in the Twin Cities metro area and at the tribal colleges. We would like to increase their access to SARE materials and grant opportunities. We plan to solicit minigrant and travel grant applications but the bulk our work with focus on Face of SARE. These are communities that are not as familiar with SARE as some of our other audiences so we plan to spend more time building relationships. Our hope is that this will result in more access to SARE opportunities in Minnesota and regionally. We are participating in a regional pilot program working with our tribal colleges on food sovereignty issues. They are identifying the projects and we will help facilitate as needed.
2021 Update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions we were unable to fund travel and minigrants in the numbers we had hoped for in 2021. Much of that funding will move to 2022, however we were still able to support several professional development opportunities including:
The Emerging Farmers Conference was held on January 27-30, 2021. This event has a focus on farmers who are new immigrants, people of color, and are beginning farmers. Wayne facilitated a discussion about applying for, receiving, and completing a SARE Farmer Rancher Grant. He also gave a presentation on the application process. Then two farmers who had received grants talked about their experience of applying and receiving the grant. Kano Banjaw, originally from Ethiopia, spoke about his project of growing a medicinal plant that is from his home country, and that people use for a variety of purposes. Eric Dupuis, a Native American from the Fond Du Lac Tribal Community, discussed his project of harvesting and processing maple syrup in a more efficient manner. This event was held via webinar, as the in-person meeting had been cancelled. We are uncertain as to how many people participated, but the audience reaction was very positive. We received a lot of “Thank you!” messages and requests for more information.
Helping farmers access their FSA offices: This is a project with Renewing the Countryside that will continue in 2021. The goal of the program is to provide BIPOC and under-served farmers easier access to the programs offered through FSA. The second part of this project will include the development of fact sheets.
Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
This initiative includes such categories as building small and beginning farms, urban agriculture, as well as distribution and processing issues. Much of this is supporting the many organizations and individuals already contributing to local foods efforts in Minnesota. We plan to work with educators in multiple regions in Minnesota on a mini-grant on expanding access to local food in those regions. We will also work closely with the SARE grant recipients in MN on their projects; helping to link them to Extension and NRCS staff working on these topics. We anticipate that at least 75 farm advisor and farmer-educators will participate in these state programs during the time of this initiative, and additional individuals will be reached through webinars or other web-based distribution of information We plan to send educators and farmer-educators (virtually or in person) to the following local and regional events in 2021 and 2022: MN Organic Conference, MOSES conference, Sustainable Farming Conference, Emerging Farmers Conference as well as outreach events at the U of MN Research and Outreach Centers. We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes.
2021 Update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions we were unable to fund travel and minigrants in the numbers we had hoped for in 2021. Much of that funding will move to 2022, however we were still able to support several professional development opportunities including:
COVID 19 specific webniars: We helped host various webinars in 2021 that helped address specific issues related to farming and COVID 19. These webinars were recorded for YouTube and translated into Spanish.
Travel funds were provided to a group of farmers from NW Minnesota to travel to Kentucky to learn about direct selling of grains and the milling process. They learned hands on developing the regional grain system from selling to coops, consumers directly and work with other businesses. They learned specifications of moisture, protein, etc and the care of using a stone ground mill . They learned added value streams for farmers.
The Field Guide Podcast: The Field Guide Podcast is a series of conversations on the challenges currently facing local agricultural producers. Through discussions with local growers and industry professionals along with deep dives into the issues with specialists in Extension, we serve as a source of information for solutions from those actively tackling today’s farming challenges. In a recent episode we talked to Joe Borgerding and highlighted his soybean production system that uses cover crops, strip tillage, and weed wiping to increase soil temps for planting and emergence all while conserving moisture and controlling weeds. This podcast is currently presented only in an audio format. In the future we will include a video format where we will integrate pictures and video that will provide additional education to the audio portion.
Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
Our advisory committee is working to identify appropriate conferences for 2021 and 2022 that will provide professional development opportunities for educators. We typically identify 5-7 events both locally and regionally. We’ll partner with educators working on the Forever Green Initiative at the U of MN as well as the Green Lands Blue Waters program. Based on these professional development experiences, we expect the educators we have sponsored to come back and offer training events and programs for other farm advisors and producers in our state during the 2021-2022 time frame. We will provide opportunities for professional development in the area of soil health management practices, including those pertaining to water quality/quantity issues, and more practices to improve farmers soil health management.
2021 Update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions we were unable to fund travel and minigrants in the numbers we had hoped for in 2021. Much of that funding will move to 2022, however we were still able to support several professional development opportunities including:
Cover Crop Field Day: August 2021. This was an in-person field day in SW Minnesota.
Cover crop research posters: MN SARE provided funds to print and distribute posters detailing recent research on cover crops to be used in displays by Minnesota educators around the state.
Soil Management Series conference: December 2021: MN SARE provided funds for this in-person and virtual conference held in Rochester, MN. We also provided SARE publications to attendees
Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
Minnesota continues to be a major livestock producer, ranking #1 in turkeys, #3 in pigs, and with large numbers of cattle, mainly consisting of cow-calf herds. Most of the turkeys and pigs are raised in large scale confinement systems, but there is greater interest now than in the past, in exploring alternative methods of production. Farmers are raising poultry (broilers, layers, and turkeys) on pasture, heritage breeds of pigs used for charcuterie, other pig breeds for larger commercial operations, wool sheep for the garment industry, and meat and dairy goats for the newer immigrant communities that favor goat products. Our intent is to encourage the community of producers engaging in alternative livestock production and marketing to apply for SARE grants, in order to answer questions they may have about how to improve profitability, production efficiency, or marketing acumen. We will work with UMN Extension Educators, Campus Faculty, and NRCS and DNR Specialists to create a greater awareness how sustainable livestock systems can benefit farmers of all production sizes. We plan to send educators and farmer-educators to the local and regional events in 2021 and 2022 focusing on sustainable livestock systems and encourage the development of minigrant programs on issues related to sustainable livestock systems.
2021 Update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions we were unable to fund travel and minigrants in the numbers we had hoped for in 2021. Much of that funding will move to 2022, however we were still able to support several professtional development opportunities including:
Travel funds were provided for Angela Walter to attend the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship retreat for Education Coordinators from Sep. 14-Sept. 17. There was 10 other Education Coordinators that attended from other states along with the Apprenticeship Director and the Executive Director of the DGA program. They got to meet and talk strategies in each of our states and also got to visit some farms in our Mentor program and talk with the Mentors and Apprentices about advantages and disadvantages.
Mapping Minnesota's Meat Lockers: 3 pieces: We will create an online map of all the USDA, Minnesota, and custom exempt meat lockers in MN, including the USDA ones in our bordering states that MN farmers can access. To do so, we'll create an intake tool that captures critical info on each locker (Halal processing, natural cures, etc.). This intake tool will then be used annually to update the list & map. Finally, we'll update our Selling Minnesota Guide for meat, poultry, rabbit - so farmers & customers better understand the nuances; and then use this for educational webinars / workshops.
Livestock Production and Processing for the Halal Market- A Practical Resource Book: Minnesota is home to thousands of people with an unmet preference for fresh, high quality, and affordable meats processed using the halal method. Many farmers expressed a desire to serve the halal meat market, but lacked knowledge of the requirements for halal meat production and how to find, establish relationships with, and market their meat products to Halal meat consumers. A lack of information about requirements and a lack of relationships among animal farmers, processors, and ethnic retailers have kept this market fragmented. Farmers need educational resources that will increase their knowledge and skills in the production, processing, transportation, marketing of Halal meat and relationship building with ethnic consumers. We would like to develop a practical resource book that will address all these needs and will help animal farmers to diversify and expand their markets.
Expected outcomes: In a typical year we aim to reach at least 1000 educators with our programming. This happens through SARE programming offered at field days, workshops, and conferences. This number does not include the others we reach through our Face of SARE work. We expect that 900 of these educators increase their awareness and knowledge via attendance at mini-grant events, share this information with colleagues or clients, and/or incorporate this knowledge into current programs. In addition, we expect 250 of these educators develop new programming to train fellow educators. Each year we fund about 15 travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events across our region. We expect that everyone receiving a travel scholarship incorporate the new knowledge they gained into new or current programming and share it with colleagues and clients. They can do this by developing new programming, adding it to existing programming,and/or including information in a newsletter.
Activities: We achieve these expected outcomes through our robust travel and minigrant program. We provide travel scholarships to send educators to local, regional, and national events and ask that they incorporate that knowledge into new or existing programming. We also request that they write newsletter articles about what they learned and the SARE program overall. We work with local eductors and farmer-educators through our mini-grant program. We provide funds in each of our initiative areas to put on workshops, field days, and other events related to sustainable agriculture. We work closely with event organizers and share additional SARE information (grants, publications, etc) through these events. Lastly, we organize our own programming to supplement the minigrant work as needed in each initiative area. We’ll attend all of the major conferences, workshops and field days to let participants know about SARE grants and resources as well as how to apply for SARE funds.
Evaluation: We will use NCR-SARE PDP mini-grant post event surveys and travel grant post event surveys to evaluate the outcomes. We do not process minigrant invoices or travel grant reimbursements without an evaluation.
In order to participate in the NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2021-22, one of our initiative focus areas will be on “beginning farmers and ranchers.” We will particularly work with members of our state delegation who attended the regional training in Indianapolis on October 1-2, 2019. These educators will be asked to provide educational programming to other educators and/or beginning farmers and ranchers. This can include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming. During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that increases the sustainability and success of beginning farmers and ranchers.
2021 Update
Due to COVID 19 restrictions we were unable to fund travel and minigrants in the numbers we had hoped for in 2021. Much of that funding will move to 2022, however we were still able to support several professtional development opportunities including:
Farmland access website: MN SARE provided funds to Renewing the Countryside to expand their farmland access website. This website will be state specific and help beginning farmers identify available land.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
2021: We continue to use our minigrant and travel grant programs as an opportunity to connect with educators in Minnesota. In 2021 most of our programs were impacted by COVID restrictions. We did receive minigrant applications and were able to fund some projects. Due to the lack of applications for both minigrant and travel grants, we reached out to educational partners in the state to provide funds for additionanl trainings and workshops. Partners included: MN Extension, Sustainable Farming Association, The Food Group, MISA and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In doing this we were able to reach a significant amount of farmers and educators in Minnesota. Towards the end of 2021 we saw an uptick in requests for minigrants and travel grants for programs in 2022 and anticipate that will continue.
Face of SARE
2021 did not provide as many in person opportunities to connect with educators and farmers due to COVID 19 restrictions. However, we were still able to raise awareness of NCR-SARE grant opportunities and assisted applicants as well as solicited applications from traditionally underserved communities. We publicized field days and other outreach events that shared or demonstrated SARE grant results and publicized SARE grant results on the website, in newsletter articles and suggested grantees as speakers for programs.
We worked closely with groups awarded SARE competitive PDP grants in Minnesota by helping them plan programs and connect them to organizations doing similar work, encouraging educator attendance at workshops and events, and providing travel grants to educators for their events. We also reached out Farmer Rancher grant recipients to provide information and resources for workshops and field days where appropriate.
We continue to use our minigrant and travel grant programs as an opportunity to connect with educators in Minnesota. The demand for this program continually exceeds available funds. In 2021 most of our programs were impacted by COVID restrictions. We did receive minigrant applications and were able to fund some projects. Due to the lack of applications for both minigrant and travel grants, we reached out to educational partners in the state to provide funds for ongoing traianings and workshops. In doing this we were able to reach a significant amount of farmers and educators in Minnesota. Towards the end of 2021 we saw an uptick in requests for minigrants and travel grants for programs in 2022 and anticipate that will continue.
We did several webinars throughout the year: grant writing webinar with Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Extension colleagues and several COVID relief specific to farmers in summer and fall 2021. We had a lot of interest in both of these. We recorded them and were able to share them with farmers and educators who were not able to attend the webinar. These were also translated into Spanish.
We continued working with the 1994 tribal colleges in Minnesota with a pilot grant program focused on food sovereignty. This helped us to build relationships with this institutions that will allow us to further work with them on SARE grants and provide other SARE resources. These grants were funded for 2021 and we continue to work closely with them as the work rolls out. In addition, we had multiple conversations over the year with representatives from the tribal colleges regarding applying for NCR SARE grants and increasing access to our programs. We continue to have a strong working relationship with educators at the Fond Du Lac tribal college and often give presentations to farmers and educators there.
Wayne is on the Advisory Board for the MN Farmer Veterans Coalition, which has been organized by Shelly Woods and Nathan Hanel. They and others in the MN-FCV applied for and received Travel Grants to attend the 2022 MOSES Conference.