2019-2020 Western SARE Report

Recent Highlights from the Western Region

As part of our commitment to reach all agricultural communities in our large region, we worked with leaders on nine Pacific islands to identify local needs and develop trainings to meet those needs. In May 2019, 27 members of Western SARE, including staff, Administrative Council members and state coordinators, traveled to the nine islands to meet with and provide training to more than 200 farmers, ag professionals and community leaders. Evaluations demonstrate that the majority of local participants found this investment of time and money to be beneficial.
Recognizing the importance of getting results from SARE-funded projects out to farmers and ranchers more effectively, we created the Research to Grassroots grant program in 2018. Successful projects will take the research results from previously funded SARE projects and will bring them into the field through educational activities.
Montana State University was selected as the next host institution for Western SARE following a competitive bidding process for host institutions by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Dr. Fabian Menalled was named as the Western SARE regional coordinator, and Dr. Irene Grimberg was named as deputy regional coordinator. Montana State was chosen because of Dr. Menalled’s and the university’s extensive experience with, and commitment to, reaching all of Western agriculture, including underserved communities.

A sampler of recent projects from the Western region.