Dear Supporter, What’s scarier than a food system built on industrial mega-farms that’s rigged to favor corporations and processed junk over family farmers and healthy local food? Not much. Last month, Congress left town just as the current farm bill expired, leaving critical farm programs high and dry with no funding – and dodging the […]
Archives for October 2012
What’s at Stake: Organic Food Production
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without mandatory funding. This is the fifth post in our 10-week “What’s at Stake?” […]
FDA, Congress, and Courts Take Up Aresenic in Rice Issue
Background The November 2012 issue of Consumer Reports includes a report on arsenic in rice products that concludes that the levels of inorganic arsenic in rice products, including baby food, are at levels that trigger public health concerns. Ingestion of inorganic arsenic can result in cancer and other health disorders. There are federal drinking water […]
Celebrate Farm to School Programs through Kids Dig Farmers Day!
To commemorate National Farm to School Month, NSAC is sponsoring Kids Dig Farmers Day – a time to celebrate the connections happening around the country between schools and local food producers! NSAC advocates for farm to school policies that increase the supply of fresh, local food to schools – a win for farmers and for […]
Stories from the Field: “New Farmer’s Guide: Cultivating Success at Farmers Markets”
Due to inaction in Congress, the 2008 Farm Bill expired on September 30. While the big ticket items such as food stamps, crop insurance, and commodity support will continue to receive funding in the interim, there is no support for the lower profile programs that drive innovation, create jobs, and support the next generation of […]
Make Food Day Matter
Today is Food Day — a nationwide celebration and a movement toward healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Today we join citizens from across the country in celebrating farmers who produce food sustainably, rural and urban communities that are rebuilding their food systems, and individuals who are working to improve the health of their families and […]
A Food Day they won’t forget.
Dear Supporter, Our message to Congress has been clear all year: we need an equitable, sustainable farm bill, and we need it this year. Unfortunately, either Congress didn’t hear us, or they just didn’t listen. Congress left town just as the current farm bill expired, and they didn’t bother to finish a new bill or […]
What’s at Stake: Direct Farmer-to-Consumer Marketing
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without mandatory funding. This is the fourth post in our 10-week “What’s at Stake?” […]
New $22 million Investment in Organic Farming Research
On October 22, USDA announced the latest round of awards for organic research, education, and extension as part of two competitive grant programs administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Over $22 million in federal grants were awarded under the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) and Organic Transitions Program to […]
Farm Energy: USDA Announces $16 Million in Rural Energy Grants
On Friday, October 19, USDA announced that it is awarding $16 million in grant and loan awards in FY 2012 through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The award will fund 244 projects aimed at helping farmers, ranchers, and small businesses conserve energy and produce renewable energy. In August of this year, USDA awarded […]
Stories from the Field: Breeding Seeds of Success
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding. This post is part of our 10-week blog series which will feature […]
Calling All Researchers!: AFRI RFA Finally Released, Warts and All
On Monday, October 15, USDA announced the availability of $136 million in funding for basic and applied research as the “foundational program” portion of its Agriculture, Food, and Research Initiative (AFRI). The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is the federal agency that has overseen and administered this grant program since its creation in […]
Investing in Food Hubs and Rural Coops: 2012 RBOG and RCDG Awards Announced
On Wednesday, October 17, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the recipients of USDA’s 2012 Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG) and Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG). Both of these programs seek to spur growth and create jobs in rural communities. Out of the 42 total RBOG projects funded, five projects address agricultural and food system development: […]
What’s at Stake: Organic Research
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding. This is the third post in our 10-week “What’s at Stake?” series […]
Stories from the Field: Seizing Economic Opportunities
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding.* This post is part of our 10-week blog series which will feature […]
What’s at Stake: Value-Added Agriculture
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without mandatory funding. This is the second post in our 10-week “What’s at Stake?” […]
USDA Releases Results of 2011 Certified Organic Production Survey
On Thursday, October 4, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the results of its 2011 Certified Organic Production Survey. NASS conducted the survey in conjunction with USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) in order to collect data that RMA requires to develop certain organic crop insurance products. The survey focused on some — but not […]
Stories from the Field: Training My Generation
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding. This post is part of our 10-week blog series which will feature […]
What’s at Stake: Beginning Farmers
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding. This is the first post in our 10-week “What’s at Stake?” series […]
FY 2013 Enrollment Deadlines for Conservation Programs May Be Fast Approaching
As the new fiscal year begins, states have begun to set Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 “ranking deadlines” for enrollment in farm bill conservation programs and initiatives. These dates are important for farmers and ranchers to be aware of if they are considering applying for conservation funding. While many USDA conservation programs offer continuous enrollments, meaning […]
Life Without a Farm Bill: What’s at Stake?
As of today, our nation’s food and farm policy in the form of the 2008 Farm Bill has officially expired, with no workable replacement. There are many who see this as a better course of events than the passage of one of the new, admittedly imperfect, bills passed by the Senate and proposed in the […]
2012 Specialty Crop Block Grants and Specialty Crop Research Initiative Grants Announced
On Monday, October 1, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced a total of $101 million in funding for specialty crops through the 2012 Specialty Grant Program (SCBG) awards and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) awards for 2012. The 2012 funding includes specialty crop block grants to each state funding 748 projects nationwide for a total of […]