http://sustainableagriculture.net Supporting economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:55:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Agricultural Credit Act of 2009, approved for consideration earlier this month by the House Agriculture Committee. The Agricultural Credit Act of 2009 (H.R. 3509) would reauthorize funding for the USDA’s State Agricultural Mediation Program, which administers grants for certified state agricultural mediation ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/house-passes-agriculture-credit-act-of-2009/ The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will be holding its next meeting in Woodland, CA, from April 26 to 29.   The NOSB was established by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and is charged with making recommendations on allowed and prohibited substances in organic production and handling, assisting ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/organic-standards-board-meeting-announced/ The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock production, and the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, is a topic of increasing interest among policymakers.  After delving into the topic less than a week before at the Atlantic Food Summit, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg returned to the antibiotics question again during the ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/antibiotic-use-facing-growing-scrutiny-by-fda-congress/ This morning, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) unveiled her “markup vehicle” for Child Nutrition Act reauthorization and scheduled Committee markup of her draft bill for next Wednesday, March 24.  The proposal is titled “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” Farm to School would receive just $25 million in the ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/lincoln-introduces-child-nutrition-bill-for-mark-up/ Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today introduced the Growing Farm to School Programs Act (S. 3123),  a popular proposal to authorize $50 million to USDA to provide start-up funds to communities across the country linking farmers and ranchers to the school lunch program.  Senator Leahy's bill  is designed to improve the ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/farm-to-school-bill-introduced-in-senate/ We are thrilled to feature this blog post written by Kristina Hubbard, board member of NSAC member group, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO).  Kiki attended the first in a series of hearings sponsored by the USDA and Department of Justice about concentration in the agriculture industry.  Kiki is the ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/farmers-seek-justice-in-the-heartland/ On Thursday, March 11, USDA announced that Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loan policies already in place for contract poultry production will be extended to contract pork operations as well. The aim of the guidance is to try to put an end to the practice of FSA financing new hog or ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-adds-pork-to-existing-poultry-loan-rules-aimed-at-preventing-contract-abuse/ The cut-off date for the 2010 Organic Initiative sign-up was last Friday, March 12, in most states.  At least eight states, however, have extended the 2010 sign-up period.  These include: Colorado:  April 16, 2010 Illinois:  March 26, 2010 Louisiana:  March 26, 2010 Missouri:  March 19, 2010 Nebraska:  April 1, 2010 Nevada:  March 19, 2010 Ohio:  March 19, ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/organic-initiative-sign-up-extended-in-certain-states/ by Kara Slaughter, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute “With reference to individual or national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance.”  -George Washington So reads one of the three quotations at the top of the stone edifice at the U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Part of what prompted me to quit ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/10-days-of-sustainable-ag-advocacy-an-interns-perspective/ At a hearing on March 10, members of the House Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee had high praise for the FDA’s stepped-up food safety enforcement efforts during Commissioner Margaret Hamburg’s tenure.  Inspection efforts will undoubtedly increase even further if Congress moves forward with pending food safety legislation.   Hamburg thanked the House members ... http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/fda-commissioner-hamburg-fields-questions-about-food-safety-fees/