Rep. Schrier and Rep. Pingree Introduce Bill to Modernize and Increase Funding for Agriculture Research

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Chellie Pingree (ME-01) introduced the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Modernization Act, a bill that would make critical updates to the program’s scope and increase funding for farmer-led, farmer-driven research. SARE has funded nearly 200 projects in Washington state, investing critical research dollars on a broad range of topics including soil additives, tree fruit pests, and sustainable grazing practices.

“SARE allows farmers to focus agricultural research on their specific needs and communicate their findings and best practices to their community,” said Rep. Schrier. “Expanding and increasing funding to this program ensures we are maximizing every tool at our disposal to improve agricultural research capacity and our ability to study novel regenerative practices that will improve soil health and farm productivity. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with my colleague and a leader in sustainable agriculture Rep. Pingree.”

“As we work to give farmers the tools they need to address the climate crisis, research and farmer outreach play a critical role,” Rep. Pingree said. “The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program spurs farmer-driven innovation and improves the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of Rep. Schrier’s SARE Modernization Act, which makes important updates to the SARE program, including making resilience and climate mitigation a focus, supporting long-term research, and ensuring diverse representation within the SARE regional councils.”

SARE has not been updated much since the 1990 farm bill. The SARE Modernization Act will make sure the program is best situated to facilitate research essential to meet the needs of agriculture in the 21st century. Specifically, the bill:
 

• Adds resilience and climate mitigation as research focuses in the SARE program
• Extends SARE agreements with host institutions from 5 to 10 years, to foster longer term research and better align with other 10-year USDA grant programs
• Expands SARE’s regional councils to include a representative from an 1890 land grant institution, 1994 land grant institution, Hispanic-serving institution, Alaska Native serving or Native Hawaiian serving institutions
• Increases SARE funding authorization to $100 million

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes today’s introduction of the new SARE bill by Representative Schrier (D-WA). We are particularly pleased to see the inclusion of resilience and climate mitigation as research mission areas within SARE, the expansion of SARE’s regional councils to include a representative from 1890 and 1994 land grant institutions, or Hispanic-serving institutions, and the increase in authorization of SARE from $60 million to $100 million. NSAC thanks Representative Schrier for her leadership on this bill and what it can do to bolster agriculture research which is so vital to creating a more sustainable and resilient future,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Interim Policy Director.

“Since 1990, SARE has been uniquely driven and implemented by farmers themselves,” said Giana Amador, co-founder and policy director at Carbon180. “This bill — the SARE Modernization Act — makes a number of mission-critical updates to the program, one of which crucially expands regional representation to minority-serving institutions for a more accessible and equitable program. It also reflects and expands the program’s research focus to include climate change mitigation and resilience. We thank Congresswoman Schrier for her leadership in enhancing this farmer-driven research program, enabling a resilient and equitable agriculture system.”

This bill is endorsed by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Carbon 180, and the National Wildlife Foundation.