NSAC Archives for April, 2011
NIFA Director Roger Beachy to Resign
Friday, April 29th, 2011
On Friday, April 29, USDA announced that Roger Beachy, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), will leave his post on May 20 of this year. USDA Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics, Cathie Woteki, announced Beachy’s resignation today in a memo to her staff. Beachy intends to return to St. Louis. Read the Rest…
EPA and Army Corps Release New Guidance on Scope of Clean Water Act
Friday, April 29th, 2011
On Wednesday, April 27, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers issued a proposed guidance for determining which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. A notice of the release of the proposed guidance will be published in the Federal Register on May 2, which starts a 60-day public comment period on the proposed Read the Rest…
Congressional Bioenergy Briefing
Friday, April 29th, 2011
On Tuesday, April 27, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute hosted a congressional briefing entitled Developing Sustainable Biomass Supplies. Presentation slides and an audio recording of the briefing are posted on the Institute’s website. The briefing began with an overview and update on implementation of the Farm Bill Energy Title programs administered by the Rural Read the Rest…
Challenge to EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard Regulation
Friday, April 29th, 2011
On April 18, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) filed a petition with the federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in a challenge to EPA’s 2010 final regulation for changes to the renewable fuel standard program (also known as RFS2). In 2010, NWF had petitioned EPA asking the agency to reconsider the final Read the Rest…
USDA Releases Assessment of Natural Resources in the United States
Friday, April 29th, 2011
On Wednesday, April 27, USDA released a pre-publication copy of its long-awaited 2011 Resource Conservation Act Appraisal. The appraisal, part of USDA’s implementation of the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA), assesses the status of soil, water, and related natural resources on non-Federal land and analyzes the effectiveness of current conservation policies and programs. Read the Rest…
The Atlantic Holds Annual Food Summit in Washington, DC
Friday, April 29th, 2011
Earlier this week The Atlantic held its annual Food Summit in Washington, DC. USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan gave the keynote address. Merrigan started by acknowledging that it is an exciting time for people working in the food and farm sectors since Americans are increasingly interested in where their food comes from, how it is Read the Rest…
Results of Nationwide Analysis of Food Hubs Released
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
On April 19, at the Making Good Food Work Conference in Detroit, Michigan, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan released the results of a nationwide analysis of food hubs. Merrigan focused on the economic opportunities of food hubs, an emerging set of business models to provide additional outlets for small and medium sized farmers and bring Read the Rest…
Proposed National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement Released
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
On Tuesday, April 26, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released its proposal for a National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (NLGMA). If adopted, the program would be used to govern the production, handling, and manufacturing of leafy green vegetables, including spinach, lettuce, and cabbage, for handlers who sign on and for all the farmers who supply Read the Rest…
USDA Sets Deadline for Biomass Crop Assistance Program Project Proposals
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
On April 19, USDA’s Farm Services Agency (FSA) issued a Notice that the agency was setting a deadline for Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) project proposals. Farmers participating in approved projects are eligible for payments to establish bioenergy crops as well as an annual payment. Project proposals must be submitted by May 27 to FSA Read the Rest…
NSAC Submits Comment on Development of Guidelines to Measure GHGs and Carbon Sequestration
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
On Tuesday, April 19, NSAC responded to a request for comments by USDA on its intent to develop technical guidelines and methods to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon sequestration for agricultural and forestry activities. The 2008 Farm Bill directed USDA to prepare technical guidelines that outline methods to measure the carbon benefits from Read the Rest…
