Sean McGovern, Author at SARE

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Can Cover Crops Improve Wine Grape Production Resilience?

Posted on August 5, 2025August 5, 2025 by Sean McGovern

Establishing a vineyard requires significant upfront costs, decades of careful management, and significant risk for the grower. Now, new SARE-funded research is helping growers learn how cover crops may stabilize production systems under varying weather conditions while having a limited impact on yields.

Suzanne Fleishman received a Northeast SARE graduate student grant–while studying at the time at Penn State University–to explore how root interaction between grapevines and cover crops impacts grapevines’ response to variable soil moisture availability. With support from advisor Michela Centinari, Fleishman examined the responses of vines on medium- or low-vigor rootstocks to competition from a fescue cover crop planted under the vines. The study revealed that young vine roots grow deeper in relationship to the grass to avoid competition, resulting in an increase in water filtration and soil carbon.

“Increasing species diversity in agriculture can lead to broad-scale environmental improvements, particularly around soil quality,” says Fleishman. “In vineyards, the cover crop grows alongside the grapevines, which means they compete for space, water, and nutrients. Our work was looking at how to better understand exactly how the grass species and grapevines interact belowground, with the goal that growers can still maintain productivity but also get all the environmental benefits.”

Harvesting grapes growing with under-vine grass (left) and on bare soil (right). Credit: Michela Centinari

While further research is needed, the project contributed to the environmental and economic sustainability of viticulture production in Pennsylvania by helping growers design systems which provide environmental services that can mitigate economic risks over the productive life of a vineyard.

A recent evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016 and 2019 found that a long-term perspective within the context of a multispecies ecosystem is key to realizing the potential impact of the findings.

Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-GNE16-119 for more information on this project’s impact.

Do Cover Crops Stabilize Wine Grape Productivity in a Variable Climate? is part of a series produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. For more information visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts.

For details on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

New Video: Building Customer Relationships at Brandon Family Farm

Posted on July 30, 2025September 5, 2025 by Sean McGovern

At Brandon Family Farm, Alby and Heather Brandon have learned that when it comes to growing sales, building relationships in the community matters as much as what they grow.

“Developing your markets first is important,” says Alby. Together, the Brandons grow 15 acres of organic vegetables, 4 acres of small fruits, and an acre of high tunnel tomatoes on their farm in West Kingston, R.I. Starting on just half an acre of leased land, they gradually expanded production capacity and eventually purchased their own farm in 2022. Along the way, they’ve sold directly to consumers, joined farmers’ markets, started a community supported agriculture (CSA) program and partnered with local grocery stores.

According to Alby, an early mentor’s words still guide the Brandons today: “It’s about the relationship, not the sale.” That means talking to store buyers, asking what was missing at local farmers’ markets, and reaching out to the community. “People aren’t going to come to you for your product,” says Heather. “Even though we’ve had plenty of ‘no’s,’ there have been enough ‘yes’s’ to get us to where we are today.”

Knowing what customers want has enabled the Brandons to build demand and reduce risk before expanding production and investing in new infrastructure with confidence. In the crowded and competitive market for fresh produce, the Brandons demonstrate that listening, adapting and connecting with customers can help a small business grow.

This video is one in a series produced by SARE titled Practical Tips for Beginning Farmers. Based on their own experiences when starting out, farmers from across the country share advice about common challenges facing beginning farmers in today's agriculture. To view the entire series, visit www.sare.org/resources/practical-tips-for-beginning-farmers/.

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

Farmer-Led Research Identifies Plants With the Power to Attract Pollinators

Posted on July 14, 2025August 5, 2025 by Sean McGovern

With many native pollinator populations on the decline, many farmers are striving to attract beneficial insects that ensure adequate pollination of key crops. Designing on-farm habitats to feature hardy plants that attract pollinators may be one practical method of boosting pollination and protecting yields.

With support from a Western SARE Farmer/Rancher grant, Susan Fluegel of Colfax, Wa., set out to explore whether habitats featuring plant species of varying architectures could influence pollinator abundance and diversity. Plants were intentionally selected for traits such as drought tolerance, long blooming periods, and low maintenance, making them particularly suited to challenging conditions. Using time-lapse video surveillance, Fluegel identified plant species attractive to specific pollinators.

Her research demonstrated that while variety in plant architecture did not seem to make a difference in pollinator abundance, the variety of plant species did significantly influence both the diversity of visiting pollinators and their numbers. Just a few carefully chosen plants could sustain hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pollinator visits in a single 30-minute observation session. These findings reveal an opportunity to inform farmers about selecting plants that can improve both the economic and environmental sustainability of production in areas lacking adequate pollination.

“It’s been eye-opening that these different plants attract such a variety of insects, and that by combining different plants together we can tailor which insects we are attracting and feeding,” says Fluegel. “If I’m in an area where the leaf cutter bee is in danger of going extinct, I can look for plants that will help this particular native bee.”

Fluegel shared her findings in a short booklet, Increase Crop Yields by Managing Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Habitat in the Pacific Northwest. Fluegel also presented her work at pollinator summits, inspiring local farmers to adopt similar practices. Despite barriers such as the COVID-19 pandemic limiting in-person outreach, her efforts have motivated growers to plant native species that support pollinators and, in turn, their crops.

A recent post-project evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016–2019 found that the farmer-friendly approach of SARE grants was key to conducting the project.

Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-FW18-030 for more information on this project's impact.

Does More Diverse Plant Architecture in Pollinator Habitats Influence Native Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Abundance and Diversity? is part of a series of 23 case studies produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts for further details.

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

New Video: Plan for Stressful Times

Posted on July 2, 2025September 5, 2025 by Sean McGovern

Starting or taking over a family farming operation is an inherently stressful enterprise. And failing to plan for the impact stress can have on mental health poses real risk for any small business. At Flat Rock Dairy in Paulding, Ohio, dairy farmer Gretl Schlatter and Ohio State University Extension educator Sarah Noggle are working to normalize conversations with farmers about stress, and offer support to those who need it.

Noggle, who focuses on farm stress in her Extension role, knows how hard it can be for farmers who value self-reliance and grit to ask for help. “By the time someone asks for help, it’s already serious,” she says.

“Sometimes you feel isolated and alone. Maybe your farm is going through a stressor that your neighbors are not,” says Schlatter. “When you're looking for resources and you're drawing a blank, Extension is a great place to turn. It connects you to your local community, mentor groups, peer groups, and other people who have either been there or are going through these stressors at the same time.”

In Ohio, OSU Extension launched Farm Stress Certified, a training series designed to help mental health professionals understand and assist rural communities. “We go out and interview farmers and then those counselors can make those connections,” says Noggle, who also serves as a state coordinator for the SARE program in Ohio.

Nationwide, programs like this are helping farmers reflect, plan ahead and find strength in connection. To learn more about successful SARE-funded projects that used innovative strategies to help farmers and ranchers manage stress, see Managing Stress. Find a cooperative extension office near you at https://landgrantimpacts.org/extension/.

“We have to address some of these issues,” says Noggle. “These stresses will come again...so how are we going to handle this better next time?”

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

Farmer-Friendly SARE Grant Finds Poultry Production Efficiencies and Processing Barriers In Hawaii

Posted on June 23, 2025June 23, 2025 by Sean McGovern

Dependent on imports for more than 80% of their food, Hawaii’s people are perpetually at risk of supply chain interruptions due to natural disasters or other disruptions. Improving the capacity of local food production is one way farmers can generate income opportunities while reducing the remote islands’ risky reliance on imports.

Nicole Correa of O‘ahu’s Double D Farm and Ranch secured a Western SARE Farmer/Rancher grant to find cost-effective methods to raise broiler chickens and increase food security for Hawaii. Correa examined the influence that different forms of poultry housing had on broilers and determined that birds raised in larger cages had increased weight gain and predator protection, as well as reduced animal stress and commercial feed costs.

These results revealed an opportunity to improve the efficiency and economic sustainability of local poultry production by providing a more efficient production model.

Unfortunately, Correa also found that the lack of local poultry processing capacity in Hawaii was problematic. Though increased efficiencies were achieved while raising birds, producing the maximum number of birds allowed to be processed on-farm would have merely enabled producers to financially break even. Despite that disappointment, the innovative Hubbell Bubble Chicken Coop tested during the project has been adopted by some non-commercial producers to improve predator control in South Carolina, where Correa now works as a livestock and forages agent with Clemson University Extension.

Participants examine the “Hubbell Bubble” caging option designed by Micheal DuPonte. Credit: Nicole Correa

A recent post-project evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016–2019 found that the farmer-friendly approach of SARE grants was essential to getting the project off the ground.“SARE is very helpful. Trying to manage a federal grant is so daunting,” says Correa. “... It gets to the point where you don’t have time to be a farmer because you’re too busy doing the paperwork. Having smaller grants available helps.”

Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-FW19-344 for more information on this project's impact.

Different Poultry Housing Options for Chickens to Determine Fastest Growing Rate is part of a series of 23 case studies produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts for further details.

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

SARE Seeks Outreach Products to Advance Sustainable Agriculture

Posted on June 23, 2025June 23, 2025 by Sean McGovern

Do you have an idea for an outreach product or project that could help farmers or ranchers improve their profitability, environmental stewardship and/or quality of life? Maybe a suggestion for filling an information gap that is hindering the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices? If so, we want to hear from you!

SARE Outreach is seeking recommendations for information products or outreach initiatives that extend research-based innovations to improve the sustainability of American agriculture. Please submit your ideas using the link below by June 30th.

Submit your ideas by June 30!

Previous SARE Outreach projects have included:

Books, bulletins and factsheets exploring the principles of sustainable agriculture
Videos or multimedia projects demonstrating sustainable practices at work
Outreach initiatives that extend SARE funded research results to a broader audience

Submissions should address the following criteria:

Serves the information needs of farmers, ranchers and/or agricultural educators
Advances sustainable innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and/or quality of life in agriculture
Extends SARE-funded research that addresses a critical information gap
Illustrates principles of sustainable management that can be adapted for widespread practice

Submit your ideas by June 30!

Non-English Language Publishing Projects: We welcome submissions for projects that seek to develop educational materials in a language other than English. The target audience must be U.S. farmers. Due to our limited linguistic and cultural capacities, we recommend that any submission includes a bilingual partner (individual or organization) who is prepared to collaborate on developing and distributing the proposed materials. Submissions must be in English to be considered.

This survey is intended to assess information needs and opportunities only. Submission does not constitute a request for or guarantee of funding. Competitive grant opportunities are offered regularly by the four SARE regional programs. Information regarding regional SARE grants can be found at www.sare.org/grants. Please contact SARE Outreach at sare@sare.org if you have questions or comments.

Producer-Driven Research Finds Wood Chip Mulch Conserves Moisture and Improves Production Efficiency

Posted on June 13, 2025June 13, 2025 by Sean McGovern

For many small fruit and vegetable farmers, finding cost-effective strategies to control weeds is a never-ending struggle. In Virginia, one producer found that using locally available chipped wood for mulch helps manage weeds while increasing yield, improving soil health and cutting irrigation costs.

To help farmers better manage weed pests, Patrick Johnson of Neighborly Affiliations for Naturally Idealized Health (NANIH) Farm received a Southern SARE Producer grant to study the efficacy of using wood chip mulch as a weed suppressant in a market-vegetable production system. Johnson’s research demonstrated that covering soil with wood chip mulch effectively controlled weeds. As an added benefit, the mulch also reduced moisture evaporation and contributed to steady soil hydration, which ultimately improved Johnson’s yields. Bolstered by the support of the SARE grant, Johnson presented his results at conferences and farmers markets to hundreds of other farmers and agricultural professionals.

“Water doesn’t evaporate as fast when the ground is covered,” says Johnson. “Moisture was steady throughout the entire experiment, and we did see an increase in overall production resulting from the use of wood chips.”

By documenting that a variety of additional benefits can be realized by using wood chip mulch to reduce weed pressure, the project improved the operation's environmental, economic and production sustainability, while boosting production.

A recent post-project evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016–2019 found that SARE’s integrated approach to research and education was crucial to the project’s success.

Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-FS18-308 for more information on this project.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Locally Available Woodchips for Weed Control is part of a series of 23 case studies produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts for further details.

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

New SARE Bulletin: The Basics of Farm Business Planning

Posted on June 2, 2025June 12, 2025 by Sean McGovern

New and beginning farmers face a wide range of barriers when launching or growing their operations, from uncertain markets and extreme weather to land access and financing challenges. A clear, practical business plan can make all the difference.

SARE Outreach’s newest bulletin, The Basics of Farm Business Planning, offers a framework to help farmers clarify their goals, evaluate their resources, and build financially and ecologically sound enterprises. Developed with input from experienced farmers and educators, the guide introduces users to five essential planning steps:

The Basics of Farm Business Planning summarizes concepts from SARE’s Building a Sustainable Business workbook, which provides real-life examples of how farmers have used business planning to launch new enterprises, expand sustainably and achieve personal and financial goals.

Download or order your free print copy of The Basics of Farm Business Planning at https://www.sare.org/business-planning-basics or by calling (301) 779-1007. The Basics of Farm Business Planning is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.

Pennsylvania Producers Drive Research to Expand Switchgrass Markets

Posted on May 8, 2025June 10, 2025 by Sean McGovern

In Pennsylvania, switchgrass has emerged as a promising new crop for family farms. This perennial grass thrives on rocky, untillable land, requires minimal maintenance and reduces soil erosion. But a key challenge to expanding production has been the lack of stable markets and cost-effective methods of processing switchgrass for high-value applications like poultry bedding.

In response, Will Brandau built a robust network of farmers in the state to help producers develop and adapt to evolving switchgrass markets. With support from Northeast SARE, members of the Association of Warm Season Grass Producers developed portable processing equipment to produce high-quality poultry bedding from switchgrass that is less than 1.5 inches in length and virtually dust-free.

This work builds on a series of SARE-funded initiatives to promote warm-season grasses, highlighting their potential as low-input, sustainable crops. The association’s efforts, supported by additional grants, have expanded knowledge of switchgrass’s diverse uses, including erosion-control materials, cattle bedding, and more.

The project has improved the economic and social sustainability of agriculture in Pennsylvania through producer-driven networking, research, and market development. A recent post-project evaluation of SARE projects awarded between 2016–2019 emphasized the importance of investing in producer leadership to engage farmers to build new markets and processing options for a low maintenance, soil conserving crop.

“We had these guys experimenting with different processes on how to produce poultry bedding. We took all the things that worked and put them together on one device that was portable so it could go from farm to farm,” said Brandau.

Visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts-FNE17-865 for more information on this project’s impact.

Single-Producer-Scale Preparation of Warm-Season Grass for Poultry Bedding – Pennsylvania is part of a series produced by Insight for Action as part of a post-project evaluation of SARE's regional grant programs. For more information visit https://www.sare.org/sare-impacts.

For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.

New Survey of Farm Advisors Shows Growing Interest in Cover Crops

Posted on April 21, 2025April 24, 2025 by Sean McGovern

CTIC, SARE and ASTA release the 2025 National Cover Crop Survey, which focuses on consultants and other trusted advisors.

More than 650 farm advisors from across the United States participated in a survey on cover crops, shining light on how—and how frequently—they advise growers on cover crops. A report on the survey was released today by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), SARE, and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). This is the eighth national cover crop survey conducted by those groups since 2012 and the first to focus on advisors. The American Soybean Association also contributed to this report.

Download the Report

"Advisors play a key role in informing farmers about cover crops and providing technical assistance to help them succeed with covers," pointed out Rob Myers, director of the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative and regional director of extension programs for North Central Region SARE. "Understanding their attitudes toward cover crops, how they get their information, and how they perceive cover crop benefits will help guide efforts to support those advisors."

Ryan Heiniger, executive director of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), added, "This survey opened a window into how cover crops fit into crop consulting businesses and other advisory services. We also observed that seeing is believing, which is borne out by the fact that approximately 70% of the respondents who farm themselves use cover crops on their own operations, and those cover crop users are more inclined to advise their clients on the practice."

ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne emphasized the importance of the perspectives gained from these surveys in empowering the seed industry to respond to the needs of U.S. farmers. “As part of the agriculture and food sector based on innovation, better understanding trends and motivations for planting cover crops enables the seed industry to improve cover crop varieties and use new technologies in the areas most impactful to American agriculture," he said. "Recognizing and adapting to the needs and desires of farmers allows the seed industry to adequately prepare, and ultimately provide, the right seed for the right farm at the right time."

The survey was conducted online in October 2024. The combination of private and public sector advisors represented 46 states. Of the 654 advisors who participated in the survey, 77% were certified crop advisors (CCAs), a certification conferred by the American Society of Agronomy.

Among the highlights of the survey findings:

The advisors who used cover crops on their own farms were five times more likely to recommend cover crops to farmers not yet using them, compared to advisors who did not farm with cover crops themselves.
Advisors using cover crops on their own farms tended to have a much higher percentage of clients using cover crops—22.3% of the advisors who use cover crops themselves reported 25-50% of their clients are using covers, compared to 9.1% at the same level of adoption among clients of advisors who did not personally use cover crops.
The farm advisors surveyed used a wide range of information sources to learn about cover crops. Advisors who reported that they learned about cover crops on the job rather than through formal academic or training channels preferred training sessions (63.9%) and webinars (57.4%) for learning new cover crop insights, but also liked learning from farmers one-on-one (58.3%) and by visiting field trials (30.6%).
Looking ahead, a majority of the farm advisors (56.9%) expected to see cover crop acreage continue to increase. They also expected farmers to continue increasing use of cover crop mixes (46.7%) and trying ways of combining other soil health practices with cover crops (52.9%). The advisors expected a moderate amount of interest in newer cover crop topics like planting green (29.2%), grazing cover crops (32.2%), and others.

For more information on the CTIC/SARE/ASTA National Cover Crop Survey Report 2024-2025, visit CTIC’s website.

About the Conservation Technology Information Center
Founded in 1982, CTIC champions, promotes and provides information on technologies and sustainable agricultural systems that conserve and enhance soil, water, air and wildlife resources, and are productive and profitable. It is one of the oldest nonprofit membership organizations solely dedicated to the advancement of conservation agriculture research, policies and program delivery for producers.