Since January 2025, farmers, agricultural organizations, and the communities they serve have experienced unprecedented instability in long-standing federal partnerships with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Lengthy funding freezes, unanticipated grant terminations, full program cancellations, and a woefully understaffed USDA have detrimentally disrupted the programs, services, and resources that farmers and rural communities leverage to […]
NSAC’S Blog
Release: NSAC and SAAFON Celebrate the Eighth Cohort of Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholars
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship honors the co-founder of the first network for African American organic farmers in the United States by providing $5000 scholarships to two undergraduate students and one graduate student who identify as Black and/or Indigenous. Washington, DC, June […]
Digging Deeper into the Senate’s Farm Bill ‘Discussion Draft’
On Tuesday, June 23, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the long-awaited text of the Agricultural Act of 2026 (the Agricultural Act). Clocking in at just over 900 pages, the Agricultural Act would update wide swaths of federal food and farm policy – yet NSAC’s initial analysis found that the draft falls well […]
Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential Washington, DC, June 24, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Agricultural Act of 2026 discussion draft released by Senate […]
Farmers React to House Farm Bill
“Farmers have waited far too long for a new farm bill while dealing with rising input costs, market volatility, and shrinking margins,” said Darin Von Ruden, a Wisconsin farmer and president of the state’s Farmers Union chapter. Farmers across the country agree and have been clear with Congress: they need a new farm bill that […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Losses Reduce Local Presence in Communities Nationwide
Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC. Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as enterprise lead for […]
450 Organizations Push Congress to Unlock Local Food Funding for Schools
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends roughly $4 billion buying food at the lowest price possible, and American family farmers are locked out due to high volume and complex federal contracting requirements. Yet there is a low-cost policy solution that would unlock this existing funding source for more farmers to compete. NSAC members […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Widespread Loss of Conservation Staff
Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC. Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as enterprise lead for […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Nationwide Losses
Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC. Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as enterprise lead for […]
Comment: USDA Small Processor Plan Highlights Recent Work, Future Opportunities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: USDA Small Processor Plan Highlights Recent Work, Future Opportunities Washington, DC, June 5, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) commends the release of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Processors Action Plan by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke […]
USDA Sows Trust and Farm Success in Urban Communities
Urban farms not only grow food, but they also build community, create green space, and increase access to healthy food. Yet, farmers in urban and suburban areas are not immune to the pressures of higher input costs and competition for resources. These issues simply present in different ways. Farmers in more residentially dense areas feel […]
RFA Roundup: Current Funding Opportunities
After a year of funding freezes, cancellations of programs, and disruptions to grant fund distributions, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened applications for several sustainable agriculture grant opportunities. This blog post provides an overview of each funding program currently open, the application deadline, and eligibility criteria. This list serves as a useful reference […]
NSAC Marks its Transition to an Independent 501(c)3
The year was 1988, and in rural Minnesota during the cold of winter, several dozen sustainable agriculture leaders across the Midwest gathered for the first time to build a policy campaign to address the aftermath of the farm crisis and build a more sustainable future for farmers. This first small gathering contained the seeds of […]
Inside the House’s FY27 Agriculture Spending Bill
On April 29, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by a 35-25 vote, the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The markup lasted nearly 6 hours, covering a wide range of issues – from staffing shortages at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), to cuts to […]
Release: Senate Bill Aims to Strengthen USDA Support for Urban and Innovative Farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Senate Bill Aims to Strengthen USDA Support for Urban and Innovative Farmers Washington, DC, May 4, 2026 – Late last week, Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Martin […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Farm Bill Passage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to House Farm Bill Passage Washington, DC, April 30, 2026 – Today, the US House of Representatives approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (HR 7567), 224-200. In response, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released […]
Release: More than 300 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject House Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: More than 300 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject House Farm Bill Washington, DC, April 24, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), along with hundreds of farmer‑serving, farmworker, farms, and other stakeholders engaged in the future of American agriculture […]
Release: Transparency and Oversight Needed to Ensure New USDA Reorganization Avoids Disrupted Services for Farmers, Processors, and the Public
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Transparency and Oversight Needed to Ensure New USDA Reorganization Avoids Disrupted Services for Farmers, Processors, and the Public Washington, DC, April 23, 2026 – Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the reorganization of the Research, Education, and Extension […]
GAO Reports on the Mixed Success of Food Safety Rules
In 2010, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law, initiating a shift in the US food safety landscape. FSMA spurred an array of regulations intended to reduce contamination, mitigate foodborne illness, and make it easier to halt and track foodborne illness or chemical contamination. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) engaged heavily […]
Release: Hundreds Call for Strong Investments in Farmer-Led Research, Urban Agriculture, and Conservation in FY2027 Appropriations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Hundreds Call for Strong Investments in Farmer-Led Research, Urban Agriculture, and Conservation in FY2027 Appropriations Washington, DC, April 16, 2026 – Yesterday, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), alongside hundreds of organizations, delivered letters calling for strong investments in Fiscal Year […]
Release: Coalition Urges Congress to Bolster Domestic Markets, Fund Local and Regional Food Procurement in Farmer Relief Package
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Coalition Urges Congress to Bolster Domestic Markets, Fund Local and Regional Food Procurement in Farmer Relief Package Washington, DC, April 15, 2026– Today, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), National Farmers Union, American Farmland Trust, and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture led […]
Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 4
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. The first post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole. The second post […]
Release: FY2027 USDA Budget Proposal is a Historic Setback for Farmers and Rural Communities
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: FY2027 USDA Budget Proposal is a Historic Setback for Farmers and Rural Communities Washington, DC, April 3, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) responded to the Trump Administration’s release of the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 […]
Release: Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Now Accepting Applications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Welcomes Applications for its Eighth Cycle The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship honors the co-founder of the first network for African American organic farmers in the United States Washington, DC, April 3, 2026 – Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture […]