Funding Opportunities: Warner Grants for Sustainable Agriculture
Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Grants for Sustainable Agriculture
"Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites" - William Ruckelshaus
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Sustainable Agriculture Team and Agroecosystems Management Program (AMP) offer interdisciplinary grants to promote on-farm research in sustainable agriculture. This program, the Warner Grants for Sustainable Agriculture, is made available through the Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund. The fund was established specifically for on-farm research in sustainable agriculture related to crop (agronomic and horticultural) and animal production systems that are ultimately intended for human consumption.
Sustainable agriculture is characterized by a state of balance between:
• Practices and values that promote environmental stewardship and conservation of resources
• Long-term economic viability of farms and rural communities, and
• Preservation of the quality of life for farm families and support for rural communities.
Research is intended to identify and publicize sustainable agricultural practices and systems that are profitable, socially responsible, energy-efficient and improve water quality and other environmental concerns relevant to Ohio farmers.
The window for applications for 2023 grants is now open, with a final deadline of March 1, 2023 for full consideration. Download a copy of the Request for Proposals here: 2023 Warner Grant RFP.
The following projects were selected for funding in 2023:
PI: Laura Lindsey, (Horticulture and Crop Science, OSU) Farmers: Doug and Valerie Kinsman (Archbold, OH)
The Kinsman Farm has been conducting food grade heirloom and rare grain production experiments for the past 8 years. We have been searching for rare heirloom grains for flour milling which also have deep colors for nutritional benefits, and have the trait of being free-threshing when run through the combine. We want to be able to skip the step of de-hulling before cleaning the grain.
PI: Ajay Shah (Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, OSU) and Timothy McDermott (Agriculture and Natural Resources, OSU Extension) Farmers: Graham and Tonni Oberly (Oaks and Sprouts Limited, Urbana, OH)
Shallow geothermal heat exchange systems have the potential to be a low-cost and environmentally friendly season extension tool for produce growers in Ohio, increasing profitability for farmers and building capacity in our local food system. Current production practices of temperature control for season extension are highly energy intensive, resulting in high environmental impacts and making up the second or third highest cost in greenhouse production. These high energy costs cause many
farmers with existing high tunnels to cease growing through the winter, and this lack of year round utility slows adoption of this infrastructure by new farmers. Providing lower-cost and environmentally friendly heating technologies for season extension could allow more farmers to grow more produce year round, strengthening our local food system. Additionally, allowing more farmers to achieve year round production will be accompanied by higher profits and greater capacity to enter retail
contracts and community supported agriculture programs (CSA).
PI: Brian Slater (School of Environment and Natural Resources, OSU), Aravind V. Ramadas (OSU Doctoral student), Leo Deiss (School of Environment and Natural Resources, OSU) and Joe Campbell (School of Environment and Natural Resources, OSU) Farmer: John Evans (Evans Farm, New Carlisle, OH)
This project, using on-farm evaluations of soil carbon capture and retention, will address significant issues for sustainable agriculture, understanding how local site conditions (e.g., field based soil properties and historical land management practices) affect soil health, and the efficacy of performance-based financial mechanisms to compensate farmers for conservation practice adoption and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. This project will be implemented in alignment with, and at the start of, a five-year Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) that is providing some on-farm technical and financial support to a diverse network of BIPOC and non-BIPOC producers managing agricultural land in urbanized and rural communities within Ohio’s Miami Valley. Requested Warner Endowment Funds will assist in the calibration of soil testing procedures and baseline data at three to five farm sites during summer 2023. Results will inform the direction of NRCS Climate Smart Agriculture funds in future growing seasons.
PI: Jason Hartschuh (OSU Extension) and Allen Gahler (OSU Extension) Farmers: Dakota Sheahan and Steve Turnow (Curtice, OH)
Weed control in organic systems is best accomplished through tillage or by keeping ground continuously covered with vegetation that is a non-weed. When vegetation is used instead of tillage it also assists in protecting the soil from erosion. In an organic cropping system that includes wheat, there are currently 9 months when an agronomic crop is not usually grown after wheat harvest and before corn when weeds must be controlled. Our local producers typically plant frost seeded or inter seeded red clover for this weed control and mow the clover to control weeds. As they look for ways to diversify their operations, they are looking to grow a crop during part of this non-profitable time that can be sold as an organic forage or feed into a diversified livestock operation.