Texas – Sare Southern

Texas – SARE Southern

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Last Updated on August 22, 2023 by Hannah Stevens

Strengthening the Beekeeping Industry in Texas

With the assistance of an agricultural consulting company, a group of beekeeping specialists have created resources to better equip those in a position to teach, mentor, and train new Texas beekeepers as well as youth interested in apiculture.

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional Development Program Grant funds this project. Its objective is to improve the beekeeping industry of Texas. Despite being abundant in beekeeping resources, there is a lack of applicability in Texas due to different factors, including climate challenges and unclear management practices.

The researchers from AgriLogic Consulting, LLC, Texas AgrifLife Extension Service, Texas Beekeeper Association, and Texas Apiary Inspection Services have created a website to streamline and organize electronic curriculum. The agricultural extension personnel to mentor future generations of beekeepers can use this as their guide.

Texas Beekeeping 101: Your Resource for Raising Honey Bees In Texas gives basic information about beekeeping, an event calendar, and youth education and resources. People can find a large part of the website containing Texas beekeeping curriculum, mainly centered around honey bee biology, equipment, bee yard setup and safety, hive management, pests and diseases, and marketing.

This website is extremely user friendly, and it is organized so that new beekeepers are able to pick and choose the topics they want without having to go through irrelevant information. It was also designed to appeal to visual learners who prefer diagrams, videos, and photos instead of reading long paragraphs of text. Furthermore, the website provides information that will be useful to all interested parties, including youth who are interested in apiculture, beekeepers new and old, as well as extension agents.

SARE in Texas

Texas Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is a professional training program that is sponsored by the Southern Region SARE and coordinated by Texas A&M University and Prairie View A&M University. Their collaboration aims to provide a program to improve the state’s environmental, social, and economic sustainability through education and research. Texas SARE works with producers, researchers, extension faculty, and community groups to research and implement the best science-based practices in every aspect of the agricultural system of Texas. Furthermore, SARE provides education in sustainable agriculture through a variety of training each year.

You can also read more about Farm Certifications – SARE Southern.

Texas Impacts

  • $10.8 million in funding since 1988
  • 129 projects funded since 1988

You can also read about the Tennessee – SARE Southern and the U.S. Virgin Islands – SARE Southern.

Professional Development Program

In each state, agricultural educators work directly alongside farmers and ranchers to promote sustainable agriculture production and marketing. SARE state agricultural coordinators offer support in sustainable agriculture education and outreach strategies through a program called “The Professional Development Program” (PDP).

Fellows Program

The Sustainable Agriculture Fellows Program is offered by SARE and NACAA. It enhances Cooperative Extension staff’s knowledge of sustainable agriculture and gives them broad-based national exposure to unique and successful sustainable agriculture programs.

State Contacts

SARE State Coordinators play a vital role in expanding sustainable agriculture training for Extension, NRCS and other agricultural professionals. This will help producers transition to a more sustainable farming system.

Vanessa Corriher-Olson

Extension Professor and Forage Specialist

Texas A&M University

Email | (903) 834-6191

Nelson Daniels

AgNR Cooperative Extension Program

Prairie View A&M University

Email | (936) 261-5112

SARE Funded Projects in Texas

Southern SARE provides grant possibilities for individuals or institutions across the Southern region. Below is a comprehensive list containing the currently funded SARE projects in Texas. You may search the Project Database to find complete reports on Texas’ previously funded projects. Before you apply for a grant, it is helpful to read through the reports in order to understand the types of projects SARE funds and supports.

Large Systems Grants

Research and Education Grants

Professional Development Program Grants

Producer Grants

On-Farm Research Grants

Graduate Student Grants

You can see more Farm Grants for Females elsewhere on this website.

Hannah Stevens
Hannah Stevens