Spring 1996 Common Ground page 7


On-farm experience
guides producer grant
coordinator

 r. John C. Mayne has been
 hired as the Southern Region
SARE Producer Grant Coordinator.
 John grew up in Florida and earned
degrees at three southern universities,
the latest being a doctorate in
agroforestry from the University of
Florida. His dissertation research was
conducted in Costa Rica on nutrient
uptake in systems used by farmers
there. But it is his experience working
with limited-resource farmers in
Guatemala and his own small hog
operation near Tallahassee that gives
him rapport with farmers.
 "The best thing to come out of
those experiences," says John, "is
finding out that being self-sufficient
and less dependent on outside re-
sources can help you ride out the
vagaries of nature and markets."
 As Producer Grants Coordinator,
he will assist producers in everything
from accurately submitting the
proposal application to ensuring that
research designs in funded proposals
are appropriate. He will also visit
projects once they are up and running,
maintaining contact with the producer
until the research is complete and final
results are reported and disseminated
to other farmers.
 In response to requests from past
applicants, John has changed the
calendar for producer proposals.
 "The application will be released in
October, with January 31 as the due
date for proposals," he says. "The
autumn release and late winter due
date will allow farmers more time to
work on their proposals."
 One of John's goals is to help
producers understand that research
design doesn't have to be intimidating.
 "I will help on-farm researchers
make sure that the work they do will
also be applicable on other farms with
similar conditions," he says.
 For more information call John
Mayne at (770) 229-3350.


 SARE/ACE differs from other
competitive grant programs in
that the decision makers have first-
hand experience with agriculture
in their region.
 Perhaps the most important
people in the SARE/ACE process
are the volunteers who evaluate
submissions. Each year panels of
farmers, researchers, economists,
ag scientists, extensionists,
agribusiness representatives,
community activists and more in-
dependently review the proposals
and score them on their contribu-
tion and relevance to sustainable
agriculture and on technical
merit. At least 100 reviewers are
needed each year to ensure that
each submission receives ad-
equate evaluation attention.
 The major qualifications are:

% Knowledge of sustainable
 agriculture philosophy and
techniques

% 20 hours in early Septem-
 ber available for reviewing and
evaluating proposals by mail

 Experience with agricultural
 research design


 Nodding
 ( acquaintance W
 of major research institu-
tions such as 1862/1890 land-grant
universities, NGOs and indepen-
dent laboratories

SFFamiliarity with agriculture's
 impact on the environment
and rural communities.

 To apply, submit a two-page re-
sume describing your background
and experience in sustainable
agriculture, as well as your knowl-
edge of research principles. Mail
it to Project Review Committee
c/o Common Ground by July 1.

 Panels will be established to en-
sure disciplinary, geographic and
institutional balance across the
Southern Region.

 Reviewers will be notified of their
appointment by August 1.

 In early September, reviewers
will be mailed 10-20 preproposals
and evaluation worksheets which
must be completed and returned
to the SARE/ACE office by early No-
vember.


 1996
 June 3-5 Administrative Council meets in Tallahassee, Florida.
 July Call for Research and Education preproposals is mailed as insert in
 Common Ground.
September 1 Research and Education preproposals due. Review process begins.
 October Call for Producer Grant proposals is mailed as insert in
 Common Ground.
 November Administrative Council meets.
 November 10 Authors of top-ranked Research and Education preproposals are
 notified to develop full proposals.
 December 15 Research and Education full proposals are due.
 1997
 January 5 Full proposals are mailed to Technical Review Committee.
 January 31 Producer Grant proposals are due.
 March 15 Technical Review Committee meets to review full proposals.
 April 1997 Administrative Council meets to award all grants

 For information about the Professional Devlopment Program calendar call Roger
Crickenberger at (919) 515-3252.


Make your mark


Spring 1996


Common Ground


page 7