Grants and outreach to advance sustainable innovations to the whole of American agriculture. | |||||||||||||||||
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In the last few years, interest in alternative energy and energy conservation has skyrocketed due to rapidly escalating fuel costs and desire to move toward renewable and sustainable energy sources. At the same time, technologies to conserve energy as well as convert feedstocks to biodiesel and ethanol have improved significantly.
SARE has had a longstanding interest in both energy conservation and renewable energy, given the many areas of overlap with sustainable agriculture. Many farming practices that protect the environment and improve profitability also naturally conserve energy. For example: Reducing tillage,
cycling nutrients through manure, and using nitrogen-fixing crops in rotations
to control pests, all reduce fossil fuel inputs. Renewable energy from both biomass and non-biomass sources is generating much excitement in rural communities, as many farmers see the potential economic benefits. Many producers are now installing wind turbines on their farm and selling the excess electricity back to the grid, while others are seeking ways to contribute to the biofuel movement, or produce their own. Growth in biofuels will continue to expand, and in the rush to meet this demand, many are looking at both the economic opportunities for the agricultural sector, as well as many challenges. For example, how can farmers and ranchers: Develop agricultural
resources for energy production in an agronomically sound way? The Role of SARE SARE also has developed a number of informational products about renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Read about North Central SARE’s position on Bioenergy. Learn more from other organizations and agencies that focus on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. Learn more about Southern
SARE energy projects.
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