This week was originally the week the House Agriculture Committee was going to debate and approve its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), however, postponed Committee “markup” after House Republican leadership indicated that the annual agricultural appropriations bill would be on the floor this week, realizing that Committee members would be […]
Archives for June 2012
Commodity Payment Limitations – Weak System, Weak Report
On Thursday, June 28, USDA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report on the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA’s) implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill commodity program payment limitation provisions. The 2008 Farm Bill severely weakened payment limits by increasing the amount of subsidies any one farm can receive and removing limits altogether in the […]
Beginning Farmer Development Program Workshop
On Tuesday July 24, USDA will hold an online workshop for participants and stakeholders of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). The purpose of this workshop is to obtain stakeholder feedback on the last three years of the program for use in the preparation of future Request for Application (RFA), should the program […]
Poll Finds Midwest Farmers Support Conservation in Farm Bill
This week, the National Farmers Union released a poll confirming that farmers believe conservation programs and environmental stewardship are integral parts of the farm bill. Two research firms (one Democratic and one Republican) developed a survey and polled 502 farmers across 13 states in the American Heartland about their opinions on the inclusion of conservation […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: Senate Passes its Farm Bill, House Delays
Today, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act by a vote of 64-35. NSAC supported passage of the bill as amended after three days of Senate debate and voting on amendments. Ahead of final passage, Chairwoman Stabenow (D-MI) said, “There are 16 million people whose jobs depend on the strength of the […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC BACKS PASSAGE OF SENATE FARM BILL, ENCOURAGES URGENT HOUSE ACTION
For Immediate Release June 20, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC BACKS PASSAGE OF SENATE FARM BILL, ENCOURAGES URGENT HOUSE ACTION Washington, DC – Today, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act by a vote of 64-35. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition supported passage of the farm bill as amended after three […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Pleased with Senate Farm Bill Amendment Votes
For Immediate Release June 20, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Pleased with Senate Farm Bill Amendment Votes Washington, DC – Today, the Senate voted on a series of amendments to its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. NSAC Policy Director Ferd Hoefner commented, “The bill reported by the Committee has been significantly improved these […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: Success Continues on Day Two of Senate Farm Bill Deliberations
The good news continues! Yesterday we reported on major farm bill floor victories on amendments to improve funding for rural economic development and beginning farmers and to cap commodity subsidies. Today, on the second full day of the Senate’s “vote-o-rama” on the 2012 Farm Bill, NSAC-supported amendments to reform federal crop insurance were victorious, against […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: Successful Day One of Farm Bill Voting in Senate
We are delighted to report that the U.S. Senate today passed an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill providing $150 million in critical funding for rural economic development and new farmer programs. The amendment, introduced and championed by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), was approved on a 55-44 vote, with Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) […]
House Appropriations Committee Passes FY13 Ag Funding Bill
On Tuesday, June 19, the House Appropriations Committee passed its FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee passed on June 6. The full Committee bill, which we outlined in detail in an earlier post, is nearly identical to the Subcommittee bill. However, the Committee did adopt a number of amendments, including: An […]
Update on Soil and Wetlands Conservation Amendment
Last week, Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) filed an amendment (S.A. 2438), which is identical to Senator Cardin’s (D-MD) Soil and Wetlands Conservation Amendment (S.A. 2219), detailed in a previous blog post. This amendment would reattach basic soil and water conservation measures to premium subsidies for crop insurance. Chambliss’s version will be considered on the Senate […]
USDA Announces Awards for Mississippi River Basin Initiative
Today, June 19, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced nearly $8.4 million in funding for a new round of partnership projects as part of USDA’s Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). Twenty three projects in nine Midwestern and Southern states were awarded funding. MRBI is a voluntary Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program administered by […]
VOTE-O-RAMA!
Dear Supporter, Your action has gotten us this far – we can’t stop now! This is crunch time for the 2012 Farm Bill: the Senate will vote on farm bill amendments in a big VOTE-O-RAMA* today, including several that are make or break for beginning farmers, rural communities, and conservation. Voting is happening TODAY – […]
Groups Ask Senate to Support Jobs, Beginning and Disadvantaged Farmers
On June 18, NSAC joined nearly 100 organizations from across the country on a letter which was sent to Senators encouraging them to support socially disadvantaged, beginning, veteran, and limited resource producer programs in the 2012 Farm Bill, which is currently being debated on the Senate floor. The letter was spearheaded by the Rural Coalition and […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: Bill Hangs in Balance
UPDATE: Tuesday, June 19, 2012: the Senate will begin voting on amendments today. Take action now! Consideration of the 2012 Farm Bill moved ahead this week but progress in the Senate was slower than agriculture committee leaders had previously expected. It is unclear whether and by which path the bill moves forward next week, and […]
Small Business Innovation Research Program Accepting Application for Projects
On June 14, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program released this year’s request for applications. SBIR is a division of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This program supports scientific and technological innovation “in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy, one small business at a time.” SBIR’s objectives focus […]
3 Days, 3 Actions. Because our children deserve better.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. Our nation’s schoolchildren deserve to eat fresh, local food in schools – and with it, the opportunity to develop healthy eating habits for […]
USDA Funds New and Expanded Biomass Crop Assistance Program Projects
On June 13, USDA announced that it using $9.6 million to fund two new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) projects, in New York and North Carolina, and to expand an existing project in Arkansas. The sign-up period for these project areas will begin June 18, 2012 and end on Sept. 14, 2012. USDA’s Farm Service […]
Over 90 Organizations Urge Senate to Support Conservation Amendment
On Wednesday, June 13, more than 90 organizations from around the country delivered a letter to the Senate to urge Senators to support the Soil and Wetlands Conservation Amendment (S.A. 2219) introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and cosponsored by Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Al Franken (D-MN). This bill would amend the Agriculture Reform, Food […]
3 Days, 3 Actions: Congress just can’t leave out beginning farmers and rural America.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. Our nation’s farmers are aging, and we can’t afford to wait any longer to help the next generation of farmers and ranchers get […]
RCDG and RBOG Accepting Applications for Rural Development Grants
On Tuesday, June 12, 2012, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) and Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) programs are accepting applications. Both of these programs seek to spur growth and create jobs in rural communities. Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) USDA may award up to $5.8 million in this FY12 […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: “Hold the Line” on Conservation Cuts
On June 11, NSAC and nearly 30 NSAC member groups joined over 520 organizations in sending a letter to the Majority and Minority leaders of both Houses of Congress asking them to protect the Conservation Title from more cuts. In the Senate version of the 2012 Farm Bill, the Conservation Title sustained heavy cuts to programs […]
3 Days, 3 Actions: Because Real Reform is Overdue.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. We can’t afford to subsidize the nation’s wealthiest farmers – and insurance companies – any longer. Now’s the time – amidst the hustle […]
Path to the 2012 Farm Bill: Full Senate Takes Up Farm Bill
This week, the full Senate started its consideration of the Senate Agriculture Committee-passed version of the 2012 Farm Bill — the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act (S. 3240). On Thursday, after several hours of floor statements, the Senate voted 90-8 to proceed with the bill’s consideration and begin debating the bill. The eight Senators […]