Recently, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), alongside 100 food, farm, conservation, and rural organizations, delivered a letter to Congressional appropriators urging them to fully fund the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) at $60 million in fiscal year (FY) 2026. SARE was one of NSAC’s first legislative accomplishments over 35 years ago, and […]
Budget and Appropriations
Comment: Partisan Senate Reconciliation Bill Ends Decades-Long Era
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Partisan Senate Reconciliation Bill Ends Decades-Long Era Washington, DC, June 12, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s title of the […]
Comment: NSAC Unpacks the House FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: NSAC Unpacks the House FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Washington, DC, June 10, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, ahead of Wednesday’s House Appropriations Committee markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Subcommittee’s FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: NSAC Responds to House Subcommittee’s FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Washington, DC, June 4, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, […]
Examining the House Agriculture Committee’s Reconciliation Bill
On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives approved its budget reconciliation legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB, HR 1), by a vote of 215-214-1. Just a week earlier, on May 15, the House Committee on Agriculture approved, by a party line vote of 29-25, components of OBBB that fall within its jurisdiction. […]
We Took Action to Defend Our Food System — Now It’s Your Turn
In anticipation of President Trump’s 100th day in office, a coalition of organizations from across the nation participated in a Week of Action between April 22 and April 29, 2025, to collectively highlight the disruption and attacks the administration has made on our food system and farmers. During the Week of Action, organizations coordinated efforts […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Budget Reconciliation Approval
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Budget Reconciliation Approval Washington, DC, May 15, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the House Agriculture Committee’s 29-25 […]
Release: Budget Bill Steamrolls Farm Bill Future, Slashing Billions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Budget Bill Steamrolls Farm Bill Future, Slashing Billions Washington, DC, May 13, 2025 – Yesterday evening, the House Agriculture Committee released its budget reconciliation bill text. Although a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score was not yet available, summary materials provided by […]
Release: On the Eve of House Agriculture Committee Markup, Farmer-Serving Organizations Urge Congress to Stand for a New, Full Farm Bill over Budget Reconciliation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: On the Eve of House Agriculture Committee Markup, Farmer-Serving Organizations Urge Congress to Stand for a New, Full Farm Bill over Budget Reconciliation Washington, DC, May 8, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) joined 160 farmer-serving organizations from across […]
Comment: Proposed USDA Budget Undermines Farmers and Rural Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: Proposed USDA Budget Undermines Farmers and Rural Communities Washington, DC, May 2, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued a statement in response to the Trump Administration’s release of its “skinny” budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 discretionary […]
Comment: NSAC Calls for Comprehensive Farm Bill, Addresses Likely Long-Term Cuts to Farm and Food Programs in Budget Process
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Email: press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: NSAC Calls for Comprehensive Farm Bill, Addresses Likely Long-Term Cuts to Farm and Food Programs in Budget Process Washington, DC, April 3, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following statement after yesterday’s release of the fiscal year […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal Washington, DC, March 15, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) reacted following Senate approval of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (H.R. 1968) on a vote of 54-46. Earlier this week, the […]
Sifting Through the 2024 Spending Deal, and Looking Ahead to 2025
The 2024 calendar year ended with a flurry of Congressional activity. In the early morning of December 21, 2024, Congress passed, and the President signed the American Relief Act, averting a government shutdown. Beyond extending government funding, the American Relief Act also included – and excluded – numerous policy provisions that will bring lasting impacts […]
2024 Year in Review: Key Wins, Challenges, and What’s Next for Sustainable Agriculture
There’s no such thing as a ‘quiet’ year when it comes to federal food and farm policy, and 2024 proved to be no exception! As the year comes to a close, we are reflecting on the progress we have made toward building a more resilient and equitable farm and food system. Amidst endless delays in […]
Release: Funding Deal Delivers Disaster Relief but Fails to Support Farmers in Building Resilience Against Future Crises
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Funding Deal Delivers Disaster Relief but Fails to Support Farmers in Building Resilience Against Future Crises Washington, DC, December 18, 2024 – Yesterday, Congressional leaders reached an agreement to fund the government, extend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), and […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal Congressional Agreement Omits Key Conservation Funding for Farmers Washington, DC, December 17, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following comment in response to a deal reached by Congressional leaders to fund the […]
Government Funding and Farm Bill’s Future Top Congress’ September To-Do List
On September 9, 2024, Congress will be back in session in Washington, DC for the first time since early August. Yet, their return will be short lived. In an election year, Members of Congress spend all of October and early November in their states and Congressional districts. In total, Congress will be in session for […]
FY25 Agriculture Spending Bills: What You Need to Know
On July 11, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill with unanimous, bipartisan agreement. The Senate Appropriations Committee skipped subcommittee markup this fiscal year, and the full committee’s unanimous approval took less than 10 minutes (59:00 – 1:07:54). This outcome […]
Agriculture Spending Bills Must Address Broad Demand for Research and Conservation Programs
The post highlights the critical need for increased funding in the FY2025 Agriculture Appropriations Act to support research and conservation programs vital for addressing climate challenges and supporting diverse farming operations. The post emphasizes the critical need for funding to support Conservation Technical Assistance, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), and the Office of Urban Agriculture to enhance resilience, profitability, and equitable access across agricultural sectors…. Read More →
SARE Delivers for Farmers. Will Congress Deliver for SARE?
NSAC and 97 other organizations have urged Congressional Appropriators to fully fund the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at $60 million for fiscal year 2025. SARE, established over 35 years ago, focuses on farmer-driven research and education initiatives but has yet to reach its fully authorized funding amount. Despite its proven effectiveness in addressing agricultural challenges, demand for SARE funding surpasses available resources, making increased funding crucial for addressing issues such as soil health, rural economy, and climate change resilience…. Read More →
CBO’s Farm Bill Baseline, Explained
The Congressional Budget Office releases annual baseline projections for federal agriculture policy, including the farm bill, which significantly influence policy debates and outcomes. The latest projections show a decrease in the ten-year cost of farm bill-related programs, primarily due to a drop in SNAP costs but countered by a substantial increase in the crop insurance program’s expenses. Changes in these projections impact the cost and effectiveness of policy proposals, especially regarding crop insurance reform and commodity programs, while also affecting conservation programs and nutrition assistance, ultimately shaping the direction and scope of future farm bills…. Read More →
Everything You Need to Know About FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations
On March 8, 2024, Congress finally approved a final FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 funds USDA and FDA – alongside numerous other departments and agencies – through September 30, 2024. This blog post examines the food and agriculture components of the CAA and its significance amidst Congress’s delayed appropriations process. … Read More →
Release: President Releases Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture Spending
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). The proposal for FY25 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025) outlines the Administration’s spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and requests $29.2 billion in discretionary budget authority for USDA in FY25, roughly $900 million less than the Administration’s FY24 request…. Read More →
Comment: NSAC Welcomes FY24 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Congressional leaders released the text of the FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill would fund the USDA and FDA at a total of just over $26 billion through September 30, 2024. NSAC members are relieved to have in hand a final FY2024 bill that will at last bring stability. Under tremendous constraints, appropriators delivered a bill that has some bright spots alongside painful cuts.
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