NSAC Archives for November, 2011
Rural Tax Education Website Launched
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Utah State University Cooperative Extension recently launched a Rural Tax Education website to provide farmers and ranchers and Extension educators with agriculturally-related income tax information. The homepage of the website includes information about upcoming free-of-charge webinars related to agricultural taxes, as well as a highlighted hot topic in the farm tax field. It also includes Read the Rest…
The Farm Bill is Dead! Long Live the Farm Bill! – Part Two
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
In part one of this post, we discuss what might be next for the ongoing congressional budget debate and in turn for the new farm bill. In part two we turn to details about what was in the short-lived and now dead 2011 Farm Bill deal. What We Know About the Farm Bill that Did Read the Rest…
2011 Farm Bill – R.I.P. – Part One
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
After missing their original November 1 deadline, the House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders continued to work on hammering out a deal on what might have become the 2011 Farm Bill. Things really heated up late Thursday and early Friday, November 18, when the new farm bill deal appeared imminent. Friday came and went, however, Read the Rest…
Funding Available for Outreach to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Monday, November 21st, 2011
On November 17th, USDA’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Grant Program (OASDFR), also known as the “Section 2501″ program. For purposes of this program, USDA defines a socially disadvantaged (SDA) farmer, rancher, or agricultural producer as someone from Read the Rest…
WTO Panel Rules Against Basis of COOL Regulations
Monday, November 21st, 2011
On Friday, November 18, a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute panel released a ruling against the major underpinnings of U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations that let consumers in the U.S. know the origins of meat products from cattle and hogs. The U.S. Trade Representative has not yet announced whether the U.S. will appeal this Read the Rest…
President Signs FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Friday, November 18th, 2011
On Friday, November 18, President Obama signed the FY 2012 agriculture appropriations bill into law. The bill was passed as part of a “minibus” (H.R. 2112) which also includes the Commerce-Justice-Science and the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development funding bills as well as a new continuing resolution, which extends FY 2011 funding levels through December 16, Read the Rest…
Senate Bill Would Promote Lending to Local Food Entrepreneurs
Friday, November 18th, 2011
On November 17, an innovative bill that would establish a revolving loan fund program that would support local farm businesses and market gardens was introduced in the Senate. The Growing Opportunities for Agriculture and Responding to Markets (GO FARM) Act of 2011 (S.1888) was introduced by Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA). The Read the Rest…
“Dirty Water” Amendment to FY2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
Friday, November 18th, 2011
On Thursday, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition joined over 170 organizations on a letter to Senators urging that they vote against a “dirty water” amendment to the FY2012 appropriations bill for water and energy development. The letter is being circulated by the Clean Water Network. The dirty water measure, sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) Read the Rest…
USDA Blogs about Farmers Market Data
Friday, November 18th, 2011
In the last month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted two blogs about exciting farmers market research and initiatives. USDA has updated its geo-coded dataset for farmers markets based on the 2011 National Farmers Market Directory. In a blog posted on October 27, 2011, titled “Data-Lovers Rejoice: More Farmers Market Geocodes Available,” USDA Read the Rest…
EQIP Organic Initiative Bulletin Published
Thursday, November 17th, 2011
On Monday, November 14, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released the fiscal year (FY) 2012 National Bulletin on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. This bulletin provides guidance to State Conservationists for administering the EQIP Organic Initiative in FY 2012. The Organic Initiative provides funds and technical assistance to certified organic, exempt Read the Rest…
