SARE farmer awards

The USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has announced the 2004 Patrick Madden Award winners, a biannual prize for producers who are not only profitable, but also value the environment and their communities. Award winners include:

• Jean-Paul Courtens, Kinderhook, N.Y. Courtens runs a large, innovative community-supported agriculture farm, and raises more than 50 organic vegetables. He distributes the produce to residents who buy “shares” in the farm in exchange for weekly deliveries of fresh produce.


• Peter Kenagy, Albany, Ore. Vegetable grower Kenagy safeguards his land and the Willamette River through stewardship measures including conservation tillage, soil-saving cover crops and riverside buffers.


• Ron Macher, Clark, Mo. Macher is a vegetable and livestock producer who earns profits with his value-added meat, feed and open-pollinated corn and sells commodities including katahdin lamb, heirloom chicken and vegetables through diverse outlets.

SARE’s judging panel recommended that more than 30 producers be recognized as honorable mentions in the contest. Visit www.sare.org/coreinfo/madden2004_winners.htm for a complete list of award winners and details about their operations. Award booklets with profiles of award recipients are available for distribution at workshops, field days, or conferences. For copies, contact Mandy Rodrigues at san_assoc@sare.org .

SARE is funded by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), USDA, and works with producers, researchers, and educators to promote farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound, and good for communities. David Chaney, education coordinator for UC SAREP, is the Western Region SARE representative.