The Wisconsin SARE Program is seeking proposals for professional development to address two areas of concern.

The first area of concern is Water Management and/or Climate Change in Wisconsin Agriculture. The combination of high grain prices and frequent late summer dry spells has resulted in a major expansion of agricultural irrigation in Wisconsin. Farmers need to improve irrigation management, both in order to minimize impacts on aquatic communities and to keep groundwater resources in good shape for the future.   We are seeking proposals to provide agricultural educators with the knowledge and tools to help farmers use irrigation water as efficiently as possible.   SARE is committed to serving all sizes of farms, so we are looking for management approaches suited for small, medium, and large farms.   Proposals should focus more on professional development for agricultural educators than on direct outreach to farmers. Climate and Irrigation grant application

The second area of concern is Restoring and Stepping Up Conservation in Wisconsin Agriculture. The high grain prices from 2006 to 2013 and associated high land costs have resulted in a roll-back of conservation practices, from a loss of land in CRP, windbreaks, and habitat to more intensive tillage to shortened crop rotations and conversion of pasture to row crops. We are seeking proposals to provide agricultural educators with the knowledge and tools to help reverse these conservation losses and make conservation more robust even in times of high commodity prices. Proposals should focus more on professional development for agricultural educators than on direct outreach to farmers. Conservation grant application

Both grants are capped at $7,500, and applications are due by December 15, 2014.