Western SARE 2020 in Washington State

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: cropping systems, no-till, nutrient cycling, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, stubble mulching, soil health
• Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research, technical assistance, workshop
• Natural Resources/Environment: carbon sequestration, soil stabilization
• Pest Management: biofumigation
• Production Systems: agroecosystems, dryland farming, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems, organic agriculture
• Soil Management: composting, earthworms, green manures, nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil analysis, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, soil physics, soil quality/health, toxic status mitigation

The SARE PDP in Washington is designed to help Extension, Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other agricultural professionals increase their ability to respond to the needs of farmers, ranchers, and the public regarding sustainable agriculture concepts and systems.

In Washington State, SARE PDP is part of WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR).  The goal of our professional development program is to help WSU Extension, CDs, NRCS, and other agency personnel to gain knowledge and skills that will help them serve their constituents in these areas to promote the health of Washington’s people, land, and communities. This is accomplished through mini-grants to attend conferences and workshops; mini-grants to host professional development events; regional and statewide educational events; and the development of webinars and other emerging educational and communication tools.

1. Facilitate knowledge gain for 100 agricultural professionals by providing mini-grants for attending and hosting professional development events. Topics will vary but will include priority areas described above and other sustainable agriculture areas of need. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis and events will be completed before the end of the grant period.
2. Facilitate knowledge gain for 100 agricultural professionals by providing funding to coordinate larger educational events. Events will be completed before the end of the grant period.
3. Facilitate knowledge gain for 50 agricultural professionals by providing sustainable agriculture presentations via webinar and other emerging technologies. Presentations will be online before the end of the grant period.