After a Monthslong Delay, USDA has Unfrozen Funds for Its Flagship Farmer-Led Research Program 

Washington, DC, September 24, 2025 – This week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) disbursed funds for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE). SARE funding – which is normally made available in March –  was first made available through a ‘request for application’ (RFA) on September 11, giving SARE Host Institutions little time to secure funding before the end of the federal fiscal year. 

“The widespread support for SARE, most notably from farmers and ranchers themselves, speaks to the programs’ transformative impact across nearly four decades. In meeting its statutory obligation, USDA has ensured that SARE will continue its critical role in helping farmer driven research keep pace with the growing challenges of rural economies, soil health, and competitiveness of American producers,” said Mike Lavender, Policy Director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. 

Hundreds of farmers alongside a bipartisan contingent of Members of Congress rallied behind SARE in recent months. NSAC is pleased that, in accordance with statute, SARE Host Institutions have received SARE funds and can now move forward with funding important research and education projects for farmers and ranchers across the country. SARE administrators estimate that with this fiscal year’s funding, roughly 400 farmers and ranchers will receive funding to do on-farm, regionally based, and outcome-oriented competitive research. This number does not account for the thousands of farmers, ranchers, researchers, extension agents, and graduate students that participate in SARE funded research, education, and outreach programming every year. 

NSAC remains a strong supporter of SARE and continues to advocate for growing the program’s research and funding capacity. To learn more about SARE and its impacts, visit our Grassroots Guide.