www.northcentralsare.org
AGRICULTURE PROJECTS FUNDED IN
NORTH DAKOTA

by USDA's
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
1988-2025

North Dakota has been awarded $6,922,296 grants to support 141 projects, including but not limited to, 34 research and/or education projects, 13 professional development projects and 59 producer-led projects. North Dakota has also received additional SARE support through multi-state projects.

Some grant programs may have been started or ended, or both, within the selected date range. Complete information may not be available for all grant programs prior to 2016.

State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinators:

Jeff Gale
North Dakota State University
jeff.gale@ndsu.edu
(701) 652-2581
Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State University
karl.hoppe@ndsu.edu
(701) 652-2951
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
LNC23-492 Grazing Technologies to Enhance Integrated Crop Livestock Systems in the Northern Great Plains $248,102
Miranda Meehan
North Dakota State University
LNC21-455 Is grass-fed beef from cattle grazing a diverse mixture of plants healthier for consumers? $248,773
Dr.Scott Kronberg, PhD
USDA-ARS, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory
LNC19-420 Examining the role of shelterbelts (tree plantings) on early-season honey production and hive growth of honeybees in the North Central Region (NCR). $199,922
Benjamin Geaumont
North Dakota State University
LNC19-424 Perennial flax: a new crop for sustainable agriculture in the Northern Plains $199,998
Dr.Burton Johnson
North Dakota State University
LNC19-426 Grazing Management Practices to Enhance Soil Health in the Northern Great Plains $198,168
Miranda Meehan
North Dakota State University
LNC18-412 Whole System Approach to Integrated Crop/Livestock Production to Enhance Soil Health and Profitability of Cropping and Livestock Systems in the Northern Great Plains $199,995
Michael Ostlie
North Dakota State University
LNC16-381 Effect of Long-Term Integrated Crop and Livestock Systems on Forage Finishing, Soil Fertility, Nitrogen Mineralization, Carbon Sequestration, and Profitability $199,998
Douglas Landblom
North Dakota State University-Dickinson Research Extension Center
LNC15-373 It All Adds Up: Data Collection to Increase Profitability of Small-scale Vegetable Growers on the Northern Great Plains $196,145
Holly Mawby
Dakota College at Bottineau ECH
LNC12-340 Evaluating the Sustainability of Beef Cattle Breeding Systems $199,995
Dr.Carl Dahlen
North Dakota State University
LNC12-347 Increasing Varietal Suitability and Availability of Cowpea and Forage Radish Cover Crop Seed for Northern Climates $199,776
Frank Kutka
NPSAS
Karri Stroh
Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society
LNC11-332 Effect of Optimal Water Management for Sustainable and Profitable Crop Production and Improvement of Water Quality in Red River Valley $199,706
Dr.Xinhua Jia
North Dakota State University
LNC11-335 Increasing Sustainability of Livestock Production of the Northern Great Plains $199,736
Douglas Landblom
North Dakota State University-Dickinson Research Extension Center
LNC09-308 Ranchers Mentoring Network – Ranchers Sharing Ideas with Ranchers $175,000
Mary Stevens
Dakota Prairies RC&D
LNC09-310 Cover Crop Selection and Use in Organic No-Till Farming $155,730
Dr.Patrick Carr
Montana State University
LNC09-312 Southwest North Dakota Soil Health Demonstration $175,000
Toby Stroh
Dakota West RC &D
Ty Eisenbraun
Central Stark and Western Soil Conservation
LNC06-265 Organic Education: Increasing Opportunities for Farmers and Processors $114,811
Stephanie Blumhagen
FARRMS
LNC04-250 Promoting sustainable range-livestock enterprises through partnerships which develop producer mentoring networks for best management practices $93,006
Paul Nyren
North Dakota State University Central Grasslands
LNC02-201 Bringing Small-Grain Variety Development and Selection onto Organic Farms $72,953
Dr.Patrick Carr
Montana State University
LNC02-211 Aiding in the Coexistence of Sustainable and Biotech Agriculture by Minimizing Contamination $99,978
Bradley Brummond
North Dakota State University
LNC01-182 Enhancing Grain Production of Great Plains Cropping Systems with a Legume-Pasture Phase $42,676
Dr.Patrick Carr
Montana State University
LNC01-196 Agroecology Analysis of Farming Systems: A Summer Course $18,303
Dr.Mary Wiedenhoeft
Iowa State Univ
LNC00-162 Soil Quality Changes In Different Residue Management Systems Compared To Grassland After 22 Years $20,000
Edward Deibert
North Dakota State University
LNC99-153 Using Alternative Forages on Traditional Small Grain Crop Land in Rotational Grazing Systems for the Northern Great Plains $36,670
Woodrow Poland
North Dakota State University, Dickinson Research Extension Ctr
LNC98-126 Marketing Sustainable and/or Organic Products in Small Metro Areas $41,355
David Watt
Dept of Agricultural Economics, North Dakota State University
LNC97-113 Maximizing Forage and Minimizing Grain Intake in Bison Fed for Meat $78,360
Vern Anderson
Carrington Research/Extension Center, North Dakota State University
LNC92-010.3 Substituting Legumes for Fallow in U.S. Great Plains Wheat Production $113,000
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
LNC91-032 Trap Cropping to Minimize Insecticide Application and Farm Input Costs in Sunflower Production $35,455
Gary Brewer
North Dakota State University
LNC90-010.2 Substituting Legumes for Fallow in U.S. Great Plains Wheat Production $185,000
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
LNC90-030 Ruminant Production Systems Inter-Related with Non-Traditional Crop Management $108,800
Vern Anderson
Carrington Research/Extension Center, North Dakota State University
LNC89-010.1 Substituting Legumes for Fallow in U.S. Great Plains Wheat Production $82,000
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
LNC89-013.1 Evaluation of Integrated Low-Input Crop-Livestock Production Systems $82,700
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
LNC89-023 LISA IMPACTS: Social, Economic, and Demographic Impacts of Low-Input/Sustainable Agriculture Practices on Farms and Rural Communities in the Northwest Area $65,300
David Watt
Dept of Agricultural Economics, North Dakota State University
LNC88-010 Substituting Legumes for Fallow in U.S. Great Plains Wheat Productions $74,000
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
LNC88-013 Evaluation of Integrated Low-Input Crop-Livestock Production Systems $50,000
John Gardner
North Dakota State University
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
ENC24-234 Growing Farm Sustainability in ND through Collaborative Professional Development for Small Business Advisors $108,774
Stephanie Blumhagen
FARRMS
ENC20-196 Training for Effective Delivery of Science-Based Soil Health Information – It’s about More than Just Content, It’s About Messaging Skills $89,817
Abbey Wick
NDSU
Dr.Christina Hargiss
NDSU
ENC18-165 Cover Crops and Forage Grazing Training Program in North Dakota $74,855
Dr.Marisol Berti
North Dakota State University
ENC15-142 Enhancing Soil Health with Cover Crops in North Dakota: Training Program $71,012
Dr.Marisol Berti
North Dakota State University
ENC12-131 Expanding Opportunities for Sustainable Small Farm Specialty Crop Producers: Training Educators in Feasibility Analysis, Marketing, and Community Building $74,980
Dr.Glenn Muske
North Dakota State University
ENC08-105 Soil Health/Soil Biology Training for the Northern Plains $73,922.50
Tom Hanson
ND Association of Soil Conservation Districts
ENC01-055 Bison Education in the Northern Plains $50,740
Thomas Hanson
North Dakota State University
ENC99-042 Reservation Education of Leafy Spurge Control with Multi-Species Grazing of Sheep and Cattle $76,476
Thomas Hanson
North Dakota State University
ENC98-030 Marketplace ’99 $12,600
Thomas Hanson
North Dakota State University
ENC98-031 Revitalizing Community Development in the Dakotas $64,700
Thomas Hanson
North Dakota State University
ENC97-002.2 Sustainable Agriculture Distance Learning $57,700
Thomas Hanson
North Dakota State University
ENC96-002.1 Sustainable Agriculture Training Project for North Dakota and South Dakota $32,044
Darnell Lundstrom
North Dakota State University Extension Service
ENC94-002 North Dakota/South Dakota Professional Development Project $122,000
Darnell Lundstrom
North Dakota State University Extension Service
FARMER/RANCHER GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
FNC25-1464 Using a year around Growing Dome to provide produce to a preschool food program, teach 3-5 year olds about sustainable agriculture and healthy choices $15,000
Lynn Kotrba
Harvest Hope Farm
FNC25-1470 Bridging Breeds; Enhancing Carniolan Bees with Varroa Sensitive Hygiene Traits via Instrumental Insemination $30,000
Megan Mahoney
MaHoney Bees and Queens LLC
FNC23-1389 Brix Levels For Grasshopper Control $6,968
Glendon Philbrick
Hiddendale Farm
FNC22-1326 Improving Carbon Sequestration through Bale Grazing and Keyline Cultivation $15,861
Dr.Erin Gaugler
Gaugler Farm and Ranch
FNC21-1270 Strip-Till Corn in Established Rotational Organic Alfalfa $8,051
Steve Enger
Enger Farms
FNC20-1218 Multi-Species Bale Grazing to Build Soil Health $18,000
Dr.Erin Gaugler
Gaugler Farm and Ranch
FNC20-1234 Development of an integrated ventilation, thermal mass, and lighting system for the first Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG) in North Dakota $8,980
Derek Lowstuter
Colorado State University Extension
FNC20-1236 Honey bee breeding program designed for the commercial beekeeping industry to provide sustainable breeding stock using artificial insemination. $9,000
Megan Mahoney
MaHoney Bees and Queens LLC
FNC20-1248 Organic No-till in Perennial Cover $8,826
James Ryan
owner
FNC19-1164 Improving plant diversity in non-diverse grasslands on a small family farm in southwest North Dakota $8,879
Benjamin Geaumont
Geaumont Farms
FNC18-1123 Bale Grazing to Build Soil Health $15,000
Dr.Erin Gaugler
Gaugler Farm and Ranch
FNC17-1085 Controlling Imported Cabbage Worm and Cabbage Looper Damage in Brassicaceae Crops in an Organic Production System $7,500
Ross Lockhart
Heart and Soil Farm
FNC17-1098 Improving Soil Health by Rotationally Grazing Cattle on Full Season Cover Crop Cocktails on a No-till Farm in the Red River Valley of North Dakota $15,000
Clint Severance
From The Ground Up Farm
FNC15-1011 Quinoa Production in Central North Dakota $13,516
Glendon Philbrick
Hiddendale Farm
FNC14-961 Growing Peaches, Pears, Cherries and Strawberries in an Unheated High Tunnel $7,499
Alyce Ann Lunde
Lakeside Garden
FNC13-908 Utilizing cover crops to increase productivity, health & vigor on tame grass pasture $6,904.86
Donnie Feiring
Feiring's Cattle Co.
FNC13-913 Kesselring-Kindred ND Native Wild Grape Vineyard: Establishing Wild Grapes in a Vineyard Setting $7,500
Jason Kesselring
Kesselring Vineyards
FNC13-924 New Buckwheat Varieties for Greater Sustainability $18,881
Anne Ongstad
Whitman Ranch
FNC13-929 New Method to Eliminate Ovine Progressive Pneumonia in Sheep Flocks in North Dakota $18,250
Rick Schmidt, Rick Schmidt
Oliver County Ext
FNC10-796 Developing a mob grazing system to improve the sustainability and profitability of a cattle operation in North Dakota. $5,990.60
Krista Reiser
Reiser Ranch
Jeremia Reiser
Reiser Ranch
FNC10-828 Optimizing sorghum-sudan/forage soybean cover crop populations and screening sorghum varieties for organic cover crop performance, forage, and seed production in the Northern Great Plains region $17,912
Richard Gross
David Podoll
raymond berry
FNC10-832 Bringing Hayland and CRP into Production Using Cover Crops and No-Till using Forage Soybeans and Other Legumes, What Works Best? $6,000
Jeremy Wilson
Wilson Farm
FNC10-837 Multi-Species Cover Crops Control Weeds and Improve Fertility in Organic No-Till Fields $18,000
Linda Grotberg
Prairie Farm Pilot Project
FNC09-750 Reducing the Impact of Soybean Aphid on Organic Soybeans through Multiple Management Tactics. $18,000
Mark Askegaard
FNC09-754 Screening Open-Pollinated Vegetable Varieties Bred and Released In North Dakota for Suitability to Organic Production Systems and Local Markets $17,988
Theresa Podoll
Prairie Road Organic Farm
Steve Zwinger
North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center
Marvin Baker
North Star Farms
FNC08-702 Building Organic Soil Health with Green Manure and Cover Crops $1,806.60
Pat Frank
FNC08-709 Building the Local Food Link in Valley City $17,829
Sharon Clancy
FNC08-717 Small and Mid-sized Farm Sustainability Through Crop Diversity and Photosynthesis $18,000
Kelly Severson
FNC08-738 Organic No-Till- The Ultimate Cropping System For Soil Health and Farm Sustainability $18,000
Linda Grotberg
Prairie Farm Pilot Project
FNC07-667 Is It Possible? Can We Have Organic Sustainable Agriculture with Minimal Tillage while Soil Building and Producing High Quality Forage for Grass-Fed Beef $5,920.47
Anne Ongstad
Whitman Ranch
FNC06-596 Oyate Tawoju (People's Garden) $18,000
Delano Dogskin
FNC06-607 Kids Get the Skinny on Whole Grains $18,000
Adrian Biewer
FNC06-625 Prairie Farm Pilot Project - Transitioning from Conventional to Organic Farming $18,000
Richard Grotberg
FNC05-587 Central North Dakota Pastured Poultry Institute $17,910
Linda Grotberg
Prairie Farm Pilot Project
FNC05-591 Farmer-Led Development and Commercial Release of Improved Hard Red Spring Wheat Variety $17,995
Blaine Schmaltz
FNC05-592 Alternative Nutrient Recycling System $6,000
Kevin Throener
FNC04-507 Colgate Identity Preserved Growers Association $18,000
William Satrom
FNC04-519 Developing - Maintaining Sustainable Agroforestry - Natural Resource Systems on the Middle Sheyenne Watershed in East-Central North Dakota $17,120
Elmer Bakke
FNC03-442 Evaluation of an Annual Cover Crops for No-till Management $5,868
Clark Lemley
FNC03-452 Portable Poultry Eviscerating Unit $15,590
Dennis Schill
FNC03-461 Beaver Creek Pumpkin Patch/Corn Maze $1,089
Andrew Vetter
Beaver Creek Pumpkins
FNC02-400 Bigg Dogg Cuisine Expansion $5,814
Linda Ova
FNC01-334 Growing Commercial Cabbage in Heavy Loam Soils in Northern North Dakota $14,495
Mike Johnston
FNC01-345 Sales Plan Development for Expansion of a Family On-Farm Flour Milling Company $5,000
Dennis Kubischta
Summers Harvest Flour Mill
FNC01-360 Conducting Research on the Eradication of Canadian Thistle in Small Grains Using Sustainable Farming Methods $3,236
Harold Johnson
FNC00-323 Patrie's Raspberries on the Prairie Website Development and Internet Sales $4,738
Patti Patrie
FNC99-257 Adding Value to Medium to Low Grade Wool $10,160
Janet Jacobson
FNC99-259 Summers Harvest Flour Mill $5,000
Dennis Kubischta
Summers Harvest Flour Mill
FNC99-273 Saving our Ranch with Grass $4,923
Brian Maddock
FNC98-229 Don't Take Grass for Granted $1,997
Jack Orts
FNC97-164 Promotion of Crop Diversification and Research of Speciality Crop Markets for Western North Dakota $9,680
Curt Trulson
West Dakota Feed & Seed Steering Committee
FNC97-176 Grazing Yearlings on Annual Forage Pastures $4,986
Paul Klamm
FNC96-143 Networking and Education of Sustainable Bison Producers in the Northen Plains $9,966
David Lautt
FNC95-090 Interseeding Field Peas and Yellow Mustard for Enhanced Moisture Retention and Harvesting Ease in a No-till System $4,980
Vern Mayer
FNC95-120 Incorporating Holistic Resource Management $4,423
Larry Woodbury
FNC95-128 Identifying Management Practices that Enhance the Probability of Producing Qulity Durum Wheat $5,000
Lawson Jones
FNC94-073 Bio-Control of Leafy Spurge $4,930
Dennis Dietz
FNC94-087 Hairy Vetch in Minimum-Till Organic Rotation $4,399
James Ryan
FNC92-016 Strip Tilling Sunflowers into Small Grain Residue $4,400
Lawson Jones
GRADUATE STUDENT GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
GNC25-423 Reducing Fusarium Wilt Pressure in Organic Tomato Production Systems using Allium Species $19,993
Harlene Hatterman-Valenti
North Dakota State University
Sidra Saleem
North Dakota State University
GNC24-399 Cross-infectivity, Genomic Analysis, and Transcriptomic Profiling of Fusarium graminearum in Artificial Barley-Broadleaf Crop Rotation $20,000
Dr.Thomas Baldwin
NDSU
Abbeah Mae Navasca
North Dakota State University
GNC23-363 Integrated weed management of herbicide resistant kochia in North Dakota $14,525
Dr.Greta Gramig
North Dakota State University
Waqas Ahmad
North Dakota State University
GNC21-332 The impact of agricultural practices on microbial spatiotemporal dynamics and contributions to soil health $14,883
Samiran Banerjee
North Dakota State University
Sakshi Paudel
North Dakota State University
GNC20-305 Economic Impacts of Bats in Dakota Agroecosystems: Do Insect-Eating Bats Reduce Pesticide Needs and Contribute to Plant Pollination? $14,850
Dr.Erin Gillam
North Dakota State University
Mandy Guinn, M.Sc.
United Tribes Technical College
Hanna Edens
North Dakota State University
GNC19-288 Development of Breeding Lines and Molecular Tools for Selection of Grapevines with Altered Canopy Dynamics via Dissected Foliar Morphology $14,951
Harlene Hatterman-Valenti
North Dakota State University
Dr.Xuehui Li
North Dakota State University
Andrej Svyantek
NDSU
GNC16-219 Assessing Multi-Species Cover Crop Responses to Variable Soil Moisture and Soil Types $11,928
Dr.Greta Gramig
North Dakota State University
Kenneth Beamer
North Dakota State University
GNC15-202 Effects of Pre-breeding Administration of Injectable Trace Mineral Supplements on Subsequent Reproductive Performance in Beef Herds $10,000
Dr.Carl Dahlen
North Dakota State University
Mellissa Crosswhite
Oklahoma State University
GNC10-123 Weed Supression with Winter Annual Cover Crops in Potato $9,950
Grant Mehring
NDSU Dept of Plant Sciences
GNC10-135 Integration of Biological Control and Native Cover Crops for Canada Thistle Control $10,000
Dr.Greta Gramig
North Dakota State University
Erin Burns
North Dakota State University
GNC09-106 Determining efficacy of Waste Lime in Managing Fusarium Root Rot of Field Peas $9,964
Dr.Rubella Goswami
North Dakota State University
Dr.Mohamed Khan
North Dakota State University
Dr.Kishore Chittem
NDSU
GNC09-113 Maintenance of Natural Sustainable Riparian Communities Located Within the Middle Sheyenne Watershed $9,528
Edward DeKeyser
North Dakota State University
Miranda Meehan
North Dakota State University
GNC08-092 Reducing cost to livestock producers: Very large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery compared to traditional range field monitoring methods $9,870
Christopher Schauer
North Dakota State University
Amanda Gearhart
North Dakota State University
GNC06-062 Effect of maternal diet on ovarian development in potential replacement ewe lambs $10,000
Joel Caton
North Dakota State University
Anna Grazul-Bilska
North Dakota State University
Kimberly Vonnahme
North Dakota State University
Wendy Arndt
North Dakota State University
ON FARM RESEARCH/PARTNERSHIP GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
ONC17-036 Adoption of Cover Crops to Build Soil Health in the Northern Plains (Continuation) $29,488
Abbey Wick
NDSU
ONC17-037 Evaluating Early Maturing. Cold -Tolerant White Sorghum Cultivars (Part 2) $22,303
Steve Zwinger
North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center
ONC15-007 Evaluating Early-Maturing, Cold-Tolerant White Sorghum Cultivars $29,998
Frank Kutka
NPSAS
ONC15-012 Adaption of Cover Crops to Build Soil Health in the Northern Plains $27,021
Abbey Wick
NDSU
YOUTH EDUCATOR GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
YENC19-141 Sustainable AG Day: Sustainable Agriculture Promotion and Education Day for Middle School Students in Mid-Central North Dakota $4,000
Dr.Indrani Sasmal
Dakota College at Bottineau
Dr.Jerry Migler
Dakota College at Bottineau
YENC13-061 Squash in Sustainable Food Production $2,000
Sue Isbell
NDSU Sioux County Extension
YENC12-042 ND Western 4-H Camp SARE Garden $1,998
Michell Effertz
Irene Graves
YENC12-057 Utilizing Cover Crops for Sheep $1,982
Rick Schmidt, Rick Schmidt
Oliver County Ext
YENC10-029 Growing Sustainable Agriculture in Southwest North Dakota $1,881
Andrea Bowman
Bowman County Extension
YENC08-005 Sustainable Soils $2,000
Marcus Lewton
South Heart School/North Dakota Association of Ag
YOUTH GRANTS
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
YNC10-059 The effect feeding flax to hens on the nutritional value of eggs $400
Ketti Ringwall
YNC09-033 A Garlic CSA Project $392
Neil Podoll
YNC09-042 “Chicken Riddle” Poultry Project $400
Abby Braaten
YNC09-047 Lamb Growth Study $398
Cody Knudson
YNC09-049 Soil Health Project $400
Kalen Hartel
YNC08-019 Soil Health Project $400
Kalen Hartel
PDP STATE PROGRAM GRANTS
The following are non-competitive awards that fund the activities of the SARE state coordinator(s) within each state.
Project # Project Title SARE support Project Leaders
NCND22-002 North Dakota SARE State Professional Development Program 2023-2024 $140,000
Dr.Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State Univerity CREC
NCND22-001 North Dakota 2023-24 State PDP Plan of Work $140,000
Dr.Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State Univerity CREC
WNC20-109 North Dakota SARE State Professional Development Program 2021-2022 $130,000
Dr.Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State Univerity CREC
NCND19-001 North Dakota 2019-20 SARE state plan of work $130,000
Dr.Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State Univerity CREC
Dr.Clair Keene
North Dakota State University
Bill Hodous
North Dakota State University
NCND17-001 North Dakota Annual State Report $110,000
Dr.Karl Hoppe
North Dakota State Univerity CREC