On Friday, February 13, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15) released the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (FFNSA). The introduction of the bill comes amidst an historic moment in federal food and agriculture policy. More than seven years removed from the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers and ranchers […]
NSAC’S Blog
Comment: In Moment of Need, House Farm Bill Underdelivers with Empty Promises
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: In Moment of Need, House Farm Bill Underdelivers with Empty Promises Washington, DC, February 14, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Farm, Food, and National Security […]
Release: Farmers and Advocates Converge in DC for NSAC Lobby Day
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers and Advocates Converge in DC for NSAC Lobby Day Washington, DC, February 12, 2026 – Yesterday, nearly 150 farmers, ranchers, and food system advocates from Alaska to Florida, joined the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in Washington, DC to press for action […]
Release: 500 Farmers Urge Congress to Act Amid Growing Farm Crisis
Release: 500 Farmers Urge Congress to Act Amid Growing Farm Crisis Washington, DC, February 11, 2026 – Today, a letter signed by 500 farmers and ranchers from across the country was delivered to key members of Congress urging immediate action to address the ongoing farm crisis. The letter outlines the severe challenges facing farmers, including […]
Comment: Farm Assistance Framework Signals Need and Opportunity to Build More Robust Support
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura ZaksNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalitionpress@sustainableagriculture.netTel. 347.563.6408 Comment: Farm Assistance Framework Signals Need and Opportunity to Build More Robust Support Washington, DC, January 15, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment in response to the House Agriculture Committee Minority’s unveiling of a farm assistance framework, attributable […]
Guest Post: Thinking like a prairie – strategies for perennial conservation
Editor’s Note: This post is a guest blog authored by Mia Keady, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Soil & Environmental Sciences at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is part of our ongoing series on USDA staffing. Her research focuses on soil health, land stewardship, and conservation incentives. She’s passionate about […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: A Year of Losses and the Road Ahead
This is the final post in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)’s series documenting the ongoing staffing crisis across the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The scale and pace of staffing losses across the USDA, combined with the uncertainty introduced by a sweeping USDA reorganization plan, have weakened the Department at the very moment farmers […]
Chaos, Collaboration, and Courage: A Look Back at 2025
A Year Like No Other As 2025 comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on a year that reshaped the food and farm policy landscape: from major disruptions in federal agencies to stalled policymaking in Washington, farmers and communities continue to feel the impacts. The historic government shutdown this fall was just the most […]
Release: Congressional Members Reintroduce Legislation that Creates Fairer Competition, Advances Environmental Health, and Protects Workers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura ZaksNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalitionpress@sustainableagriculture.netTel. 347.563.6408 Release: Congressional Members Reintroduce Legislation that Creates Fairer Competition, Advances Environmental Health, and Protects Workers Washington, DC, December 15, 2025 – Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Cleo Fields (D-LA-4), Jill […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Rural Development Staff Cuts Leave Rural Communities Behind
This post examines the devastating loss of experienced staff within US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and the consequences for the agency’s ability to support farmers, rural businesses, and communities. As the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) continues to track the staffing crisis across USDA, Rural Development stands out not only for the depth […]
Guest Post: Remembering Michael Sligh, a champion for farmers and food justice
Editor’s Note: NSAC has been shaped for decades by creative, joyful, and smart leadership from hundreds of advocates and farmers. Today we mourn the recent loss of our longtime colleague Michael Sligh and are proud to celebrate his life and contributions to building a better world for farmers. This guest post was written by Kiki […]
Voices from the Field: The Real Costs of the Government Shutdown
While the longest federal government shutdown in US history has finally ended, its impacts on farmers, families, and communities nationwide are complex and ongoing. No two government shutdowns are identical since each Administration makes their own determination about what essential services and staff will continue to operate during the shutdown. Some federal services remain in […]
Joint Release: Fleeting Relief for Some Farmers, But ‘Bridge’ Payments Lack Long-Term Solutions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks Associate Director of Communications and Development National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net, 347.563.6408 — Contact: Jessica Manly Communications and Digital Advocacy Director National Young Farmers Coalition press@youngfarmers.org, 518-643-3564 x 722 Joint Release: Fleeting Relief for Some Farmers, But ‘Bridge’ Payments Lack Long-Term Solutions Washington, DC, December 9, 2025 – Yesterday, […]
Keeping Farmers on the Land
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) traces its earliest roots to the farm crisis of the 1980s, when cycles in the global economy and federal agricultural policy combined to push farmers losing their farms into the national spotlight. The 330,000 farm families who lost their farms between 1978 and 1992 were, unfortunately, not the last. […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Food Safety Agencies Struggle as Federal Workforce Shrinks
Federal food safety agencies have seen significant staff losses in 2025, threatening their ability to serve stakeholders and ensure the safety of our food supply Several federal agencies – including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service […]
Release: Farm Bill Extension, USDA Funding Bill Underwhelm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Farm Bill Extension, USDA Funding Bill Underwhelm Washington, DC, November 10, 2025 – After weeks of uncertainty, Congress has unveiled a one-year extension of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 as well as the fiscal year (FY) 2026 agriculture appropriations bill, […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Legal Oversight Cuts Undermine Fairness and Accountability
Several offices within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide legal guidance, oversight, and accountability for actions the Department takes, and these offices have endured significant staff losses in 2025. Their work, though often invisible to the public, is essential for ensuring that USDA follows its own rules and those set by Congress. It […]
Cross Post: The Organic Science and Research Investment Act: What It Is and How It Benefits All Farmers
Editor’s Note: This blog post was written by Gordon Merrick, Policy Program Director at the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), an NSAC member and first appeared on their site here. Ensuring that there are sufficient research resources for organic producers is central to OFRF’s mission and represents the backbone of a resilient food system. That’s why we’re […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Eroding Capacity Within the Foreign Agricultural Service
“I believe public service is my calling… The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) hasn’t received much coverage in the media, but they do important work in advancing American agricultural interests abroad. Given the current administration’s priorities, I thought they would double down on this mission by staffing departments like the FAS. However, despite receiving and signing […]
How the Government Shutdown is Impacting Farmers
The transition from one fiscal year to the next is not something that typically dominates headlines. In fact, as the calendar turns from September 30 to October 1 – when the federal government begins a new fiscal year – the less attention the better. Yet when Congress and the President are unable to reach an […]
SARE Roundup: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program Opportunities
*Despite the current government shutdown, these RFA’s will remain open, and the review process will continue. If the timeline changes, NSAC will update this blog post to reflect that. Since 1988, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has funded more than 9,380 farmer-driven research and education initiatives through competitive grant awards totaling nearly […]
REAP Must Remain Functional and Accessible to Farmers
Farmers and rural businesses are still waiting to find out if they can access one of the United State Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) most popular programs, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). This USDA program, which provides federal grants and loan guarantees for farmers and rural small businesses to invest in energy efficiency and […]
Guest Blog Post: The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant FY 2026 Cycle is Open!
Editor’s Note: This blog post is a guest post authored by the National Farm to School Network, which is an NSAC member. The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program has had an incredible reach, providing $100 million in awards to 1,275 projects since 2013. On September 10, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) […]
NSAC Counters DOE Claim: Climate Change is Harming, Not Helping, US Agriculture
On September 22, 2025, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) submitted comments opposing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding – one of the United States’ most critical tools in the fight against climate change. The Endangerment Finding established the scientific and legal basis requiring Clean Air Act regulation of […]