Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) signaled his intent late Wednesday night to move the Food Safety Modernization Act forward when Congress returns to session in mid-November. The bill, which has strong bi-partisan support, has been held up for weeks by the objection of one lone Senator, Tom Coburn (R-OK). Reid filed for “cloture,” a […]
Archives for September 2010
Child Nutrition Reauthorization on Hold until at least November
With the adjournment of Congress late last night, among the pieces of legislation left unresolved is the Child Nutrition reauthorization bill. The bill inched closer to passage in past weeks, and the White House continues to urge lawmakers to act — see Politico’s recent article on Michelle Obama’s involvement — but those watching the progress […]
Congress Extends FY2010 Spending Levels through December 3
Just before midnight this morning, Congress passed a continuing resolution to extend this year’s federal spending levels into fiscal year 2011. The Senate approved the continuing resolution yesterday evening before sending it to the House for a final vote. The House sent the bill to the President early this morning. The continuing resolution will fund […]
USDA Announces 2010 Recipients of Specialty Crop Block Grants
On Friday, September 17th, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan announced the awards made under this year’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops are made in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. […]
Update: Pigford Settlement Letter Sent to Senate
On Monday, September 27, the Network of Black Farm Groups and Advocates delivered a letter to all Senators urging “immediate action” regarding the passage of a measure providing funding for the settlement of Pigford vs. Vilsack, a class-action lawsuit filed by Black farmers against USDA more than a decade ago. The current measure, which has […]
Four RBOG Grants Support Local and Regional Food
On Thursday, September 23, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the recipients of USDA’s 2010 Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG), which support regional planning activities to improve economic conditions in rural areas. Out of 27 total funded projects, the program awarded grants to four projects pertaining to local and regional food system development: California Association of […]
USGS Releases National Analysis of Nutrients in Streams and Groundwater
On Thursday, September 23, the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) released a comprehensive national analysis of the occurrence and distribution of nutrients in streams and groundwater based on water-quality data collected from 1992 through 2004. The report indicates that despite major federal, state, and local efforts to control point and non-point sources and transport […]
Photos: Michelle Obama and UN Spouses Visit Stone Barns Center
First Lady Michelle Obama treated the spouses of world leaders participating in the UN General Assembly to a local, organic luncheon at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, an NSAC member group (see last week’s post). The 31 “first spouses,” representing a diversity of countries including Cameroon, Estonia, Gabon, Norway, Panama and Sierra […]
Rural Community Development Grants Available
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced yesterday the availability of $6.2 million in grant funding through the USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) for fiscal year 2011. The RCDI program funds non-profits and other qualifying organizations that provide financial and technical assistance to recipients in rural communities to develop their capacity and ability to undertake economic […]
NSAC Delivers AFRI Recommendations to USDA
At its annual summer meeting, the member organizations of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition adopted a set of eight recommendations in support of USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). Those recommendations were forwarded to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and his agricultural research leadership team today. NSAC has been a key supporter of AFRI and of […]
FSA Proposes Expansion of Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Program
On Thursday, September 23, USDA’s Farm Services Agency (FSA) issued a proposed rule to implement the Land Contract Sales Program pursuant to the 2008 Farm Bill. The proposal makes permanent the Beginning Farmer and Rancher (BFR) Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program from the 2002 Farm Bill. As required by the new Farm Bill, the new […]
EPA and Agriculture in the Spotlight
EPA and agriculture issues are in the spotlight this week and next week, with a Senate oversight hearing and the first meeting of the EPA Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Committee appointed by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. On Thursday, September 23, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing to examine the impact of Environmental Protection […]
Conservation Stewardship Program 2011 Sign-Up News
NSAC learned today (September 24) that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to hold the farmer and rancher sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) between October 1 and December 31, 2010. CSP is a continuous sign-up program, meaning that farmers and ranchers can apply to participate in the program at any time. However, […]
Congress Set to Pass Continuing Resolution on Final Day of FY2010
Congress is likely to wait until the last day of the fiscal year to pass a continuing resolution extending this year’s federal spending levels into Fiscal Year 2011. The current 2010 fiscal year ends on Thursday, September 30. The House will not be in voting session again until Wednesday so will not be in a […]
Over 50 Organizations Express Discontent over RMAP Interim Final Rule
On Thursday, September 23, NSAC and 56 other organizations delivered a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressing concern over USDA’s Interim Final Rule for the Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program (RMAP). The letter was organized by the Center for Rural Affairs. Interim rules for RMAP were published to the Federal Register on May 28, 2010. […]
Food Safety Bill Remains Stalled In Senate
The Senate Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510) remains deadlocked over Senator Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) objections to the bill’s potential $1.4 billion price tag, despite Senator Harry Reid’s (D-NV) decision to “hotline” the bill yesterday in order to check for any remaining Democratic objections, a critical step toward speeding the bill’s progress. Lawmakers at a hearing […]
Michelle Obama to Host “First Spouses” at Stone Barns Center
First Lady Michelle Obama will host a Farm-to-Table luncheon this Friday, September 24, for the spouses of world leaders participating in this week’s UN General Assembly at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, an NSAC member group. The Center is a non-profit working farm and education center in Pocantico Hills, NY, dedicated to […]
Secretary Vilsack Announces Recovery Act Funding to Improve Water Quality
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced this week that the USDA will disperse $445.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funding to 89 projects to improve water quality and sanitation. The USDA has provided $3.26 billion in Recovery Act funding for water quality and environmental projects since the Act was enacted in […]
Last Opportunity for a Better School Lunch
Friday Update — The House will not be taking any votes again until next Wednesday, September 29. A vote on the child nutrition bill will likely occur on Wednesday or Thursday, so there is still time to act! ACTION ALERT September 22, 2010 Urge Your Representative to Move Forward Now on Farm to School Funding […]
Sustainable Ag Symposium a Success
On Thursday, September 16, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Farm Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, and USDA sponsored an all-day symposium on the recently published National Research Council report Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century. The event, held at the National Press Club, was attended by 125 people, including […]
Legislative Update and Action
One week down, three weeks maximum left to go before the congressional recess prior to the November elections. The Senate this week passed the small business tax cut bill and draft bills and trial balloons are circulating on the big tax cut extension bill, but on the four bills left on the NSAC agenda – […]
Senate Confirms Hagen and Woteki at USDA
On Thursday, September 16th, Senate voted to confirm Elisabeth Hagen as USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety and Catherine Woteki as USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. The appointments are encouraging, not least because the position of Under Secretary for Food Safety has remained unfilled for over a year. Hagen was appointed back […]
Healthy Food Center Announces First-Year Grant Recipients
The Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development (HUFED) Center, administered by the Wallace Center at Winrock International, announced this week the first ten recipients of HUFED grants. The 2008 Farm Bill established the HUFED program to increase food access and economic vitality by stimulating the development of food enterprises in urban and rural areas. According to […]
Freshwater Summit’s Call to Action
On September 15, the participants in The Johnson Foundation’s Freshwater Summit issued a report entitled Charting New Waters: A Call to Action to Address U.S. Freshwater Challenges. Participants in the Summit held earlier this year included businesses, environmental non-profit organizations, a Western farming organization, and government officials, who reviewed the findings of numerous earlier meetings […]