North Central

2025/2026 National Cover Crop Survey Is Now Open for Farmer Input

Farmers across the U.S.—whether they use cover crops, formerly used them, or have never planted covers—are invited to share their insights on cover crops in the National Cover Crop Survey.

Improving Cattle Production Efficiency and Health Through Breeding and Probiotics

SARE-funded research conducted by Peixin Fan may provide insights on microbiome-guided strategies that offer beef and dairy farmers new options for improving livestock resilience and profitability.

Impacts of Silage Tarps on Soil Arthropods, Soil Properties and Crop Yields

Tarps dramatically reduced weed cover (around 30% weed cover in tarped plots versus 90% in control plots) and doubled crop yields.

Farmers and Ranchers Are at the Core of SARE’s Research Investments

SARE provides grants directly to producers, which removes the financial risk of testing new ideas for making their operations more profitable, productive and sustainable. And all of SARE’s grant programs require producer engagement throughout their project activities. 

Ancestral Mexica Farming: A Comparative Yield Analysis

In north central Kansas, farmers lack a selection of high-quality, nutrient-dense varieties of flour seed corn that meet the needs of local markets. When more nutritious ancestral seed varieties are available, it’s important to understand how to use modern production practices to improve their yield and production efficiency.

2025–2026 Report from the Field

In Recognition of Farmers and Ranchers SARE has been around for nearly 40 years, and the impacts that our grant and outreach programs have had on the sustainability of U.S. agriculture are because of one simple thing: Farmers and ranchers are at the center of everything we do.  SARE is afunding sourcefor producers.It’s designed forproducers, […]

Sustainable Farm Law 101 for Farmers

Farm Commons, a nonprofit based in Minnesota, helps producers build resilient agricultural businesses by training both them and educators in sustainable farm law.

New Video: Learn And Adapt As You Go 

Heather and Alby Brandon know that raising nearly 20 acres of mixed fruit and vegetable crops requires constant experimentation and evolution.

New SARE Video: Build Strong Networks 

At HKJ Ranch in Cobbtown, Georgia, fourth-generation cattle farmer Handy Kennedy knows firsthand how critical it is to reach out for support, especially in today’s complex and rapidly changing agricultural landscape.

Enterprise Budgets for Diversified Farms

Farming is subject to many variables, from forces you can’t control, such as weather and markets, to your decisions around crops and cropping practices. The key to profitability and smart decision-making is knowing your costs, so you can allocate your limited assets to their best uses. These assets include your land, labor and capital. As […]