The Administrative Council of the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (Western SARE) is seeking applicants for qualified individuals as an agribusiness representative on the Western SARE Administrative Council (AC).
SARE’s mission is to advance innovations that improve profitability, stewardship, and quality of life in American agriculture by investing in groundbreaking research and education.
Western SARE’s goals are to
- Promote good stewardship of the nation’s natural resources by providing site-specific, regional, and profitable sustainable farming and ranching methods that strengthen agricultural competitiveness; satisfy human food and fiber needs; maintain and enhance the
quality and productivity of soil; conserve soil, water, energy, natural resources, and fish and wildlife habitat; and maintain and improve the quality of surface and ground water. - Enhance the quality of life of farmers and ranchers and ensure the viability of rural communities, for example, by increasing income and employment, especially profitable self-employment and innovative marketing opportunities in agricultural and rural communities.
- Protect the health and safety of those involved in food and farm systems by reducing, where feasible and practical, the use of toxic materials in agricultural production, and by optimizing on-farm resources and integrating, where appropriate, biological cycles and controls.
- Promote crop, livestock, and enterprise diversification.
- Examine the regional, economic, social, and environmental implications of adopting
sustainable agriculture practices and systems.
TO APPLY: Applications may be submitted on our website. If you wish to recommend a nominee, please request that they fill out the form.
Western SARE is part of the National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program administered by the USDA. Created in 1990 this program has a two-fold charge: fund innovative research on agricultural and natural resource sustainability and move that new knowledge directly into the farming/ranching sector.
More information about Western SARE and a list of current AC Members can be found on our website.
Please note that members of the AC are not eligible to apply for SARE funding during their time on the AC.
Position Description
The Western SARE AC sets program priorities, approves the budget, and makes proposal funding decisions for all grant programs. The term of service is four years, but members can be re-appointed for a second four-year term. Current AC members elect new members from nominations forwarded from the Executive Council.
AC members are expected to attend AC meetings (currently in-person March and July throughout the region), review proposals and other materials distributed between meetings, and participate on Western SARE committees and occasional between-meeting conference calls.
Council members must live and work in one of the 17 states or protectorates that comprise the Western SARE region. Those include Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Micronesia, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
AC members who are not salaried employees are offered a per-day stipend for their participation in semi-annual Administrative Council meetings and technical review panels (TRPs). Travel expenses also are paid/reimbursed per Host Institution travel policy.
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications: 1) have background knowledge and experience to advocate for sustainable agricultural practices and issues, 2) have background knowledge and experience to review submitted grant proposals, 3) be familiar with budgets and fiduciary oversight, 4) be available to serve on subcommittees and technical review panels at AC chair request, 5) be committed to meeting at least twice a year (typically winter and summer) to formulate calls for proposals (CFPs), act on review panel recommendations, and 5) provide a vision/leadership in the creation of regionally important research and education targets.
Applicants must also have the capacity to work effectively as a team member in group decision-making processes.
Preferred qualifications: In addition to the minimum qualifications the successful candidate will also have served on one or more Technical Review Panels for Western SARE invited proposals prior to appointment to the AC.