In February 2022, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) first announced details of its Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities (PCSC). The PCSC is a centerpiece of the Biden Administration’s strategy to help farmers and ranchers address climate change. In late 2022 USDA announced further details about projects, and more recently debuted the Partnerships Network. As the PCSC ramps up in earnest, now is an important moment to take stock of where the program stands and gauge its future promise. … Read More →
NSAC’S Blog
Bipartisan Agrivoltaics Bill Introduced in Senate
On May 31, 2023, Senators Heinrich (D-NM) and Braun (R-IN) introduced the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023 (S. 1778). Featuring a proposal first outlined in the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), the bill provides for the Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to jointly focus on advancing research on agrivoltaics and demonstrations of the value of such systems…. Read More →
What the debt-ceiling deal means for food and agriculture
Over Memorial Day weekend, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) struck a “tentative” deal intended to avoid a catastrophic default on the United States’ debt. In the days since the initial announcement, more details about the deal – now known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, H.R. 3746 – have continued to emerge. As of posting, Congress is expected to pass H.R. 3746 without amendment before June 5, when the Treasury Department would have “insufficient resources to satisfy the government’s obligations.” In this post, NSAC examines several major components of the deal to better understand these impacts, including annual appropriations and the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization. … Read More →
Following the Money: A Look at the Billions Behind CBO’s Farm Bill Baseline
Every spring, CBO – Congress’s official budgetary scorekeeper – publishes its ten-year projection (or “baseline”) for government spending. CBO’s baseline covers everything funded by the federal government – including farm bill spending. Published most recently on May 12, 2023, CBO’s baseline will be adopted as the official baseline for the 2023 Farm Bill. In this post, NSAC digs into the latest CBO changes to the four largest funding items within the farm bill – Commodity (Title 1), Conservation (Title 2), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, in Title 4), and Crop Insurance (Title 11). It also looks through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, PL 117-169) spending projections included in CBO’s most recent updates…. Read More →
House FY24 Appropriations Draft Undermines Farmers and Food System
Last week, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee released their proposal to fund the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for fiscal year (FY) 2024. At the Subcommittee markup on May 18, House Agriculture Appropriations Chair Andy Harris (R-MD-01) released the text of the House’s FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. … Read More →
The Country’s Largest Climate Change Planning Effort Needs Input from Agricultural Organizations
This guest blog post, authored by Jeanne Merrill, policy consultant representing NSAC on the US EPA’s Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, discusses the states and municipalities participating in developing Climate Pollution Reduction Plans under the new Inflation Reduction Act-funded program. This is the first federal program of its kind to support the comprehensive development and implementation of plans aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions…. Read More →
Grazing Lands Awards Bolster Sustainable Conservation Practices
Last month, USDA NRCS announced awards for 49 new projects under the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). This post gives an overview of the most recent round of cooperative agreements and makes the case for why continuing to fund the GLCI is critical to ensure that all farmers and ranchers with grazing operations can access the resources they need to implement conservation on the land…. Read More →
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Subcommittee Markup of FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
NSAC is deeply disappointed to see the initial draft FY 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. There is no surer way to undermine the success of farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and In its current form, this bill represents a consequential step backward for market access, fair competition, climate resilience, equity, and food security…. Read More →
Why Congress Should Mandate a Farm Credit Grant
The Farm Credit System (FCS), agriculture’s government sponsored enterprise (GSE), is a nationwide network of customer-owned lenders with a mission to support rural communities and agriculture. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) 2023 Farm Bill Platform includes a proposal that requires FCS, agriculture’s GSE, to grant 15 percent of its annual profits to support underserved producers and food systems enterprises. These grants will build upon successful programs already facilitated by some Farm Credit associations and help fulfill its mission and public mandate to serve young, beginning, and small farmers and ranchers. … Read More →
Historical Perspectives on Food System Transformation
This blog post is the culmination of a fellowship research project by NSAC Grassroots Fellow Anthony Singh-Reynoso and highlights three case studies: the struggle for farmworker justice and the United Farm Workers; the necessity of community-based methods of self-sufficiency and the Freedom Farm Cooperative; and the origins of the Farm Bill and the farmer response to the Dust Bowl…. Read More →
Release: Taxpayer, Farm, and Environmental Advocates Urge Congress to Reject Farm Subsidy Increases
A diverse group of taxpayer, agriculture, and environmental organizations held a press conference at the National Press Club to urge Congressional leaders to reject attempts to increase reference prices for covered commodity crops as Congress debates the farm bill. The organizations participating in the press conference included the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), Environmental Working Group (EWG), Rural Coalition, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Taxpayers for Common Sense, R-Street, and Farm Action. … Read More →
$45 Million Available for Outreach and Assistance to Underserved Producers
The USDA announced $45 million in funding for 2501 grants, almost $10 million more than was available last year, to help organizations conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers. This post details the program, eligibility requirements and features some of the 2022 projects. … Read More →
Senate Hears Commodity and Industry Perspectives on Farm Safety Net and Credit
This week, the Senate Agriculture Committee held two hearings featuring commodity and industry perspectives on the farm safety net and credit…. Read More →
Release: USDA Announces Details of 12 Regional Food Business Centers and $420 Million for the Regional Food System Initiative
The USDA shared details of two of its programs, the Regional Food Business Centers (RFBCs) and the new Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). USDA has announced the lead organizations selected for each of the twelve RFBCs. These Centers will provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources. … Read More →
Local Farms and Food Act Strengthens Regional Food Economies Across the US
Senator Brown (D-OH) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (S.1205, H.R. 2723) that would offer reforms to LAMP among other programs, to respond to lessons learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, sustain investments in impacted communities, and promote a resilient local and regional food system. In this post, NSAC outlines how the bill will strengthen local and regional food systems. … Read More →
Release: Farm Safety Net House Subcommittee Hearing Yields Red Flags
The House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee held a hearing entitled: “Producer Perspectives on the 2023 Farm Bill.” The two-part hearing featured 10 witnesses representing major commodity producers, who shared perspectives on federal crop insurance, commodity price support programs, disaster assistance, and access to lending. … Read More →
Release: Farmer Letter in Support of Agriculture Resilience Act Delivered to Bill Sponsor Representative Pingree
NSAC delivered to Representative Pingree (D-ME) a letter in support of the Agriculture Resilience Act. Signed by over 1,000 farmers from 48 states and Puerto Rico, the letter outlines the fundamental threat that climate change presents to agriculture. However, it also points to the ways in which agriculture offers solutions to climate change. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Applauds Support for Working Land Conservation Programs in Senate Subcommittee Hearing
Today, the Senate Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources held a hearing entitled: “Conservation in the Farm Bill: Making Conservation Work for Farmers and Ranchers.” Witnesses spoke about the importance of federal conservation programs that support soil health and on-farm infrastructure, and that provide streamlined access opportunities to help build future generations of farmers prepared to meet the challenges of climate change…. Read More →
Release: New Grant Programs Offer Targeted Funding for Food Sovereignty and Local Processing
USDA announced the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, aimed towards increasing the resilience of local food systems and investing in indigenous food sovereignty. $50 million will be available for the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat processing grant program, and $75 million for the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, both with application deadlines on July 19, 2023. … Read More →
Release: Local Farms and Food Act Introduced in Both Houses
Today, Representatives Pingree (D-ME-1), Newhouse (R-WA-4), Caraveo (D-CO-8), Tokuda (D-HI-2) and Senators Brown (D-OH), Smith (D-MN), Welch (D-VT), and Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (LFFA) in both the House and the Senate. The LFFA is a comprehensive bill that offers reforms to the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). … Read More →
Growing SARE’s Impact
Last week the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), together with over 40 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. This request echoes the President’s FY24 Budget Request for SARE…. Read More →
Farmers, Communities and Congressional Leaders Seek Full Funding for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
This week, NSAC, together with over seventy organizations and farm businesses, delivered a letter to Congressional Appropriators to urge them to fully fund the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) and the urban agriculture data collection initiative. This request echoed one made by over 50 Senate and House leaders in a separate letter to agriculture appropriators. … Read More →
Funding for Rural Energy for America Program Now Available
On March 31, USDA announced that applications for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are now open. REAP offers grants and loans for energy audits, the creation of renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency improvements. It serves farmers, rural businesses, state and local governments, tribal governments, universities, rural electric cooperatives, resource conservation and development councils, and electricity providers and transmitters. The REAP programs currently accepting proposals for funding offer assistance only to agricultural producers, small businesses, and electricity retailers, wholesalers, and transmitters…. Read More →
Secretary Vilsack Underscores Priorities for USDA to House Agriculture Committee
In a hearing before the House Agriculture Committee, Secretary Vilsack highlighted the importance of climate investments, efforts to better support underserved producers, the need for increased staffing at USDA, and how funds allocated through the IRA will address conservation backlogs for farmers across the nation…. Read More →