NSAC Archives for December, 2010
USDA Releases Farm Emissions Calculator
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
On Wednesday, December 15, USDA announced the release of an updated and expanded online tool to help producers estimate on-farm carbon emissions and sequestration associated with their farm management practices. The COMET-VR 2.0 calculator, developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, can estimate the carbon sequestration and emission reductions associated with the implementation of conservation Read the Rest…
Senate Omnibus Appropriations Bill Released
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
(Updated Version — 12/15/10 — of Original Post) The Senate Appropriations Committee released the long-awaited omnibus, government-wide appropriations bill the afternoon of December 14. The $1.1 trillion bill is a less than two percent increase over FY 2010, $26 billion less than what the Obama Administration requested in February, $18 billion more than the long-term Read the Rest…
USDA Issues FY11 Request for Proposals for CCPI and AWEP
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
On Tuesday, December 14, USDA published its FY 2011 Request for Proposals for the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) and the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP), both of which are administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Both CCPI and AWEP are partnership programs, through which NRCS partners with Indian tribes, State and local Read the Rest…
USDA Introduces Online Farm Link Tool for Beginning Farmers
Monday, December 13th, 2010
On Monday, December 13, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the release of TIP Net, an online tool to help link retiring farmers who have expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts with beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers who want to buy or rent land for their operations. CRP contracts covering millions of acres of Read the Rest…
Vilsack Reaffirms “Good Faith” Process for GIPSA Rule
Monday, December 13th, 2010
On Monday, December 13, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack held an open meeting reaffirming USDA’s commitment to a “serious” and “good faith” analysis of all comments received on the proposed GIPSA rule in order to produce a “fair, feasible and common-sense rule.” The Secretary gave an an overview of the rulemaking process for the proposed rule, Read the Rest…
Free USDA Webinar on Specialty Crop Block Grants
Friday, December 10th, 2010
On December 16, 2pm EST, USDA will conduct a free webinar on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The webinar will discuss the purpose of the program, the types of projects the program aims to fund, and how to apply for a grant. According to the webinar announcement, “USDA invites everyone who is currently engaged Read the Rest…
Tax Cuts Package Likely to Pass Senate
Friday, December 10th, 2010
UPDATE: The Senate passed the tax cuts package this morning (Wednesday, December 15) by a vote of 81-19; the House is expected to take up the bill for debate tomorrow. – A controversial package of legislation negotiated by President Obama with Republican legislators, including a 2-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for all income Read the Rest…
Rep. Frank Lucas Voices Plans for House Agriculture Committee
Friday, December 10th, 2010
In an interview with DTN agriculture policy editor Chris Clayton published on Friday, December 10, Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK) outlined his plans as chair of the next House Agriculture Committee. Lucas, who takes over the committee next month, appears determined and hopeful about completing a farm bill for President Obama to sign by mid-2012, just Read the Rest…
Farmers Speak Out for Fair Competition at DoJ-USDA Workshop
Friday, December 10th, 2010
Farmers and ranchers spoke out loudly and clearly about the need for fair competition during the fifth and final US Department of Justice-USDA workshops on Concentration and Regulatory Enforcement in Agriculture on Wednesday, December 8. The focus of this DC workshop was the negative impacts on farmers and ranchers arising from the drastically shrinking number Read the Rest…
Beginning Farmer Advisory Committee Meeting Next Week in DC
Friday, December 10th, 2010
USDA’s Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers will be holding a public meeting next Wednesday and Thursday, December 15th and 16th, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the Secretary of the USDA on the development, administration, and improvement of USDA’s beginning farmer programs. The meeting will Read the Rest…
