Marketing, Food Systems & Rural Development
The surge in consumer demand for organically-produced food and agricultural products from local and regional markets form a unique set of opportunities and challenges. Rising demand for these kinds of foods is an important incentive for farmers and ranchers, but many still face the high cost of transitioning to organic production or live in an area that lacks appropriate processing and distribution infrastructure necessary to enable a local or regional food system to fully emerge.
Federal policies and programs have been slow to respond to this changing market environment, but the 2008 Farm Bill does take some important steps toward better addressing the gaps and needs of producers and organizations who want to supply the growing demand for good food. NSAC and its members are working to ensure that these new programs are properly implemented at the administrative level and funded.
Over half of all new jobs created in the most rural regions of the nation come from small, non-farm business ventures. In addition to providing producers with the resources they need to access markets for organically and regionally-produced foods, non-agriculture job creation is imperative for the survival of rural communities. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is working with its members to help promote rural entrepreneurship and small business success in rural communities. This is part of the larger strategy to revitalize agricultural communities in an equitable manner that provides meaningful employment and gives people a lasting stake in their communities.
Major Priorities for the Marketing, Food Systems & Rural Development Committee for 2009:
Ag and Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants, including Farm-to-School, Value Added Producer Grants (also a grassroots appropriations campaign priority), RMAP (also a grassroots appropriations campaign priority), B&I, and FMPP.
Minor Priorities for the Marketing, Food Systems & Rural Development Committee for 2009:
Planting Flexibility for Local Food in Context of Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Meat Label Claim Standards for Sustainable Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
Local Foods Study & Project at Economic Research Service
Action Taken Recently:
NSAC recently submitted these Comments on Rural Development Guaranteed Loans Interim Rule.