Eligibility: Agricultural producers in Oregon who qualify under the following USDA definition of a producer, may apply for a Farmer/Rancher grant:
A person qualifies as a producer (farmer/rancher) if they have a for-profit operation and:
● Their primary occupation is farming or ranching and have a farm/ranch taxpayer identification number (TIN); and/or
● They are a part-time producer with at least $1,000 of documented annual income from farming or ranching activities. An equivalent of $1,000 of agricultural production is acceptable under circumstances where food is not sold for profit, such as through cultural/indigenous farming operations.

Region: Oregon statewide

Notes: Grant application period closed November 20, 2025. Will open again in 2026.

The Western SARE Farmer/Rancher Research & Education Grant Program focuses on advancing on-farm sustainability solutions by funding innovative producer-driven research and outreach. This grant program involves agricultural producers (main applicants) and technical advisor(s) implementing projects to address identified needs in sustainable agriculture.

Producers may apply for up to $35,000.

With a Farmer/Rancher Grant, a producer and a technical advisor work together to develop a project (1-3 years in scope) that conducts both research and outreach on a sustainable agriculture topic. With the support and guidance of the technical advisor, producers must integrate research and education to conduct on-site/on-farm experiments to address social, environmental, and economic aspects of agricultural sustainability.

We recognize that producers are always innovating and improving on-farm/ranch practices. This program aims to honor producer innovation by funding on-farm research that benefits and is led by producers themselves. We encourage you to explore whether this grant program is right for you.