In March 2000, the Kerr Center awarded nine grants through its Oklahoma Producer Grant Program.

Six grants went to producers interested in researching or demonstrating sustainable agriculture, as defined by eight priority areas: conserving and creating healthy soil, conserving water and protecting its quality, managing organic wastes and farm chemicals so they don't pollute, managing wastes with minimal environmental impact, selecting adapted crops and livestock, encouraging biodiversity, conserving energy resources, and increasing profitability/reducing risk.

Three grants went to organic producers who applied for funding under a separate special organic call/program. The organic call focused on projects using organic production techniques. Producers did not need to be organically certified, but did need to follow the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's organic certification rules.

Steve Cryer of Cimarron County received a three-year, $7340 grant, to conduct a variety trial to identify wine grape varieties adapted to the Oklahoma panhandle. The priority area: selecting adapted crops. Three hybrid varieties will be tested for adaptability to conditions in the panhandle. Cryer has a 3500-acre farm and ranch operation in Cimarron County. The farm was started 50 years ago by his father. The farm and ranch raises wheat, corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, and cattle. Cryer, his wife, and two children will be involved in the grant research project. The cooperator on this project is Cherrie Brown of the Cimarron County NRCS.

Thurston Kraich of Cimarron County received a two-year, $2510 demonstration grant, to examine the potential of using goats to control bindweed on dryland wheat ground. The priority area: managing pests with minimal environmental impact. Electric fencing will be used to control the goats. The goal of the project is to keep the bindweed at a tolerable level without using herbicides. Cooperators on the grant include Steve Kraich, Texas County OSU Extension and Rick Kakenower of Oklahoma Panhandle Research and Extension.

Richard Ortez of Glencoe received a two-year, $7380 research grant, to explore the production of dry edible beans as an alternative crop for small producers in north central Oklahoma. The priority area: selecting crops adapted the environment. Ortez's grant will look at cultivating, harvesting, cleaning, storing, processing, and marketing dry edible bean seeds. Value-added marketing is seen as an important part of making this production system work. Cooperators on this project are Tom Denny, an independent farmer, Nathan Anderson, Payne County Extension Director, Vincent Russo, Experimental Plant Physiologist, and William McGlynn, OSU Horticultural Products Processing Specialist.

Graydon and Craig Trible of Ripley received a two-year, $6300 demonstration grant, addressing the priority area of increased profitability and reduced risk. They operate Idle Knot Farm, a small vertically-integrated dairy that produces and sells cheese directly to the public. Due to the small scale of the operation and the close customer contact, the grant will look at developing a more comprehensive waste management system that will reduce odor and better use the manure to enhance the overall intensive grazing system. A solid's separator will be used to remove the solids from the dairy waste and an irrigation system will test nutrients and then pump the remaining fluid onto pastures at the correct amount based on soil test results. Cooperators on the project include Dr. Doug Hamilton and Dr. Mike Kizer of OSU Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering.

Robert Wall of Perkins received a one-year, $2361 demonstration grant, for using multispecies second grazers to harvest remaining dairy paddock residues. The priority area: increase profitability and reduce risk. The objectives are to implement a "lead-follow" multispecies grazing system. Chickens in an "eggmobile" share the pasture with beef cattle, and scratch in and break up manure patties. This improves nutrient cycling and reduces parasite levels. Sheep and goats will follow the dairy herd to utilize forage the cattle do not favor. Cooperators on this grant include Nathan Anderson, Payne County Extension agent, Don McLemore, Field Technician for Heart of America DHIA, Roger Jennings, Perkins-Tryon Vo-Ag Instructor, and Steve Hart, Langston University Goat Research.

Alan and Jonna Way of Madill received a two-year, $7372 demonstration grant, to explore alternative marketing strategies to increase on-farm sales. The Ways' farm is 30 tillable acres. They direct market some produce in the local area and have school groups tour the pumpkin patch in the fall. Much of the produce, however, must be shipped off-farm to other markets and would like to sell more at the farm. The grant would establish a three-acre corn maze for children and adults. The maze would be used as a customer draw to the farm. A web site will be established to help advertise the operation. Customer numbers will be tracked to determine any change in on farm visits and sales. Cooperators on this grant include Steve Upson, Horticulturist at the Noble Foundation and Steve Swigert, Economist at the Noble Foundation.

Glen Ledbetter currently raises organic alfalfa seed near Foss for the sprouting market and is developing a pecan orchard. The pecan orchard is the focus of this $7500 grant. Ledbetter will be using a hairy vetch to supply the pecan trees with nitrogen and will be addressing the issue of water conservation by drip irrigating the pecan trees utilizing municipal waste water. He feels pecans can offer growers a way of diversifying their income sources which should create a more sustainable farming system. Cooperators on this two-year project include Larry McConnel, Business Development Coordinator at the Western Technology Center, Mark Gregory, OSU Area Extension Agronomy Specialist, and Gary Bledsoe, Assistant Director of Market Development at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

Doug Walton of Muskogee will be evaluating summer and winter annual cover crops for no-till, no-herbicide vegetable production systems. He feels that cover crops can provide many benefits to the farm landscape including soil and water conservation, catching and accumulating nutrients, and altering weed and pest cycles. Information is currently lacking on cover crops suitable for use in a reduced-tillage system in Oklahoma. Walton currently uses organic production techniques on 2 acre of an 8 2 acre farm. Produce is marketed directly to customers at the Muskogee Farmers' Market and to a local restaurant. Cooperators on this three-year, $7345 grant, are Dr. Vincent Russo and Dr. Charles Webber of the OSU Lane Agricultural Center and Dr. Brian Kahn and Dr. Warren Roberts of Oklahoma State University Horticulture Department.