Quality of Life

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rancher on cover of report from the field report

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, […]

A farmer in a blue shirt feeds a cow.

New Video: Plan for Stressful Times

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 […]

2024 Rftf cover

2023–2024 Report from the Field

SARE grants havehelped our viabilityas a business anddemonstrated thatsmall businessescan make a positiveimpact on theenvironment when wedevelop relationshipswith each other forthe benefit of all. Jeanine SeabrookGlass Rooster Cannery Letter from the Director I have always appreciated the value of long-term research as well as the long-term impact of both applied and basic research. The core […]

New Podcast Episode: "Building Local Food Systems in Montana"

In this episode of ATTRA's Voices from the Field podcast, NCAT Local Food Systems Specialist Maura Henn speaks with Michal DeChellis of the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) in Montana. Their conversation focuses on building resilient community food webs and connecting communities to local food solutions. DeChellis is AERO’s program manager for the Montana Food […]

a group photo of about 25 adults

A Path to Farm Community 

Farmers, like all of us, need time and strength to focus on relationships, health, healing and a sense of belonging, yet many agriculture service providers are unable to give wellness the attention it needs. A recent Cornell Small Farms project, Reconnecting with Purpose, aimed to provide farmers with additional support to cope with the hard […]

Seven retreat participants in winter clothing standing in front of a tree.

Changing Lives Through Better Communication

After a particularly stressful first year of farming on his own, organic vegetable farmer Marc Cavatorta was seeking support from other farmers. He found it when he attended a reflective retreat held not far from his farm in Palermo, Maine. “The retreat offered a chance to be with other farmers who were willing to talk […]

Cover of farmer well being report, featuring two hands planting a seedling in soil.

Planting Seeds of Help

Despite years of experience, fifth-generation flower farmer Leroy Hardy was facing foreclosure on his farm near Sedley, Virginia. To navigate the financial crisis, Hardy reached out to Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) for mediation assistance, and he emerged with his assets intact. So when RAFI, the Land Loss Prevention Project (LLPP) and the National Center […]

Grazers learn about forage-based production in a green field with cows in the back

Grazing Networks for Livestock Producers

Grazing networks promote a mutual self-help approach to learning that is based on shared local experience and that provides several benefits to participants. This publication offers suggestions for finding or starting a grazing network and provides examples of the kinds of activities grazing networks might conduct. It also contains recommendations for sustaining a grazing network […]

What is Sustainable Agriculture report cover

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

This award-winning report provides a sampler of best practices in sustainable agriculture—from marketing and community vitality to cover crops and grazing—as well as eight profiles of producers, educators and researchers who have successfully implemented them.