Farmers and ranchers seeking 2017 funding under the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) have five more days to submit their initial applications. CSP, which is the nation’s largest working lands conservation program, supports farmers and ranchers in their efforts to actively manage and expand conservation activities on their agricultural lands. The 2017 CSP sign-up period […]
Archives for January 2017
Organic Animal Welfare Final Rule – What It Says and What’s Next
Animal living conditions and well being have long been a key component of organic livestock production systems, including allowing animals to exhibit their natural behaviors and have access to their natural diets. However, inconsistencies in organic livestock and poultry production standards have emerged in recent times, causing confusion in the organic marketplace and jeopardizing the […]
Growing Demand for FSA Loans in 2016 Shows Importance of Credit
Editor’s Note: This is the first post of a 3-part analysis of the FSA loan program throughout FY 2016. Click here to see part 2 (on beginning farmers and ranchers) and here for part 3 (on socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers). Whether a farmer’s goal is to start up a new operation, expand their farm, […]
FSA Cooperative Agreements Connect Farmers to USDA Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dedicated to helping farmers start, grow, and improve their businesses. Farmers are busy people, however, and cannot always easily access information and programs from USDA. This has been especially challenging for farmers of color, military veteran farmers, women farmers, and farmers who utilize less conventional practices and […]
How Sustainable Agriculture Advocates Can Take Action in 2017
With a new president and the 115th Congress recently sworn in, farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates around the country have been asking: What does this new Administration and Congress mean for agriculture and food policy? How can we most effectively advocate and continue to make change on the issues that we care about? Here at […]
PRESS RELEASE: Executive Order Delays All Pending Final Rules
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net Executive Order Delays All Pending Final Rules Farmer Fair Practices Rules, designed to protect rights of contract farmers, included among those delayed Washington, DC, January 23, 2017 – On Friday, January 21, the Trump Administration directed agencies to delay by 60 days […]
COMMENT: Uphold Promises to American Family Farmers and Rural Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net Uphold Promises to American Family Farmers and Rural Communities National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Comments on Nominee for Secretary of Agriculture In his selection of Sonny Perdue as nominee for the next Secretary of Agriculture, President-Elect Trump has chosen a candidate with substantial experience […]
$252 Million for Conservation Partnerships in FY 2018
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the results of the fiscal year (FY) 2017 competition for conservation project funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). As we reported in a previous post, USDA’s investment of $225 million was met with a non-federal investment of $500 million from a variety of local […]
New Conservation Initiative Will Combat Dead Zones and Help Keep Waterways Healthy
Our rivers, lakes, and oceans are teeming with life, and just like the human body they require oxygen to sustain that life and stay healthy. Many waterways in the U.S., however, suffer from hypoxia – a condition in which oxygen levels are depleted to such a degree that fish and other wildlife are stressed or […]
New Funding for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion
USDA Farmers Market. Photo credit: USDA Over the past decade, the growth in local and regional food systems has been tremendous: farmers markets have shot up by 180 percent, regional food hubs have expanded by 288 percent, and school district participation in farm to school programs has increased by 430 percent. These systems are fast […]
Cover Crops and CAFOs: An Analysis of 2016 EQIP Spending
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) awarded more than $1 billion in financial assistance (FA) to American farmers and ranchers in fiscal year (FY) 2016. These funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and offer financial cost-share and technical assistance to help growers implement conservation practices on working […]
Local Food: From Grassroots Movement to Mature Marketplace
The term “local food” means many things to many people. For some it defines a particular geographic area, while for others it means good, high quality food. A recent survey published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) reveals that, varying conceptions aside, the local food market has matured into […]
CRP Land Transfer Option Provides Opportunity for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
In a 2011 survey by National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) member organization, National Young Farmers Coalition, access to land was ranked as the biggest challenge by 68% of responding farmers. With the average age of American farmers steadily rising, supporting the cultivation and success of our next generation of growers must be prioritized. The U.S. […]
USDA Microloan Program is a Good Fit for Small Family Farms
America is a nation of family farmers – nearly half of all production comes from small and medium-sized family farms. Like any small business owner, these farmers occasionally need infusions of relatively small amounts of capital to sustain and grow their operations, but often have trouble accessing funds through traditional lenders because of a lack […]