NSAC submitted comments on the proposed rule for the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP). The program, crafted by NSAC as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, strives to improve and expand producer-to-consumer activities including farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, roadside stands, and agritourism. Public comments on the proposed rule are due Monday, March 21. […]
Court Rules Clean Water Act Permits Not Required for CAFOs Likely to Pollute
On Tuesday, March 15, the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling in the lawsuit National Pork Producers Council v. EPA, in which livestock and poultry trade associations challenged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2008 Clean Water Act regulation for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The plaintiffs included the National Pork Producers Council, […]
House Agriculture Sends Budget Letter
On Tuesday, March 15, the House Committee on Agriculture adopted a letter to the House Committee on the Budget containing recommendations for the fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget cycle. The Agriculture Committee’s recommendations focus on (1) oversight of regulations affecting jobs and the economies of rural communities, and (2) preparations for the 2012 farm bill. […]
Congress Gears Up to Pass Three-Week Budget Extension
On Friday, March 11 the House of Representatives released a draft three-week continuing resolution (CR), which would fund most federal programs at fiscal year (FY) 2010 levels until April 8. Conforming to House Republicans’ pledge to cut $2 billion per week until a long-term FY 2011 CR is passed, the three-week extension would cut $6 […]
Eight Organizations Receive Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program Funds
Last week the USDA announced new awards under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP). A component of the agency’s Rural Development work since passage of the 2008 Farm Bill, RMAP awards loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs). These MDOs then use their RMAP funds to provide training and technical assistance to and to […]
House Ag Committee Serves Up Bipartisan Criticism of EPA
On Thursday, March 10, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on EPA regulations and agriculture with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson as the sole witness. The tone for the hearing was set earlier in the week when House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) told a meeting of commodity group leaders that Administrator Jackson […]
USDA Officials Testify on FY12 Budget at Two Congressional Hearings
On Thursday, March 10, top officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) testified at two Congressional hearings, the first held by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the second held by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. Both hearings focused on the Obama Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget proposal. The House Agriculture […]
Agricultural Research Community Responds to Proposed Budget Cuts
Earlier this week the food and agricultural research community issued appeals to Congress urging that already low funding for USDA-sponsored research, education and extension not be cut. The letters came in response to the House-passed continuing resolution to fund all government functions for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The House bill, H.R. 1, […]
USDA to Hold Resource Conservation Act Report Round Tables
USDA is getting ready to submit to Congress a national appraisal of the status of soil, water, and related natural resources on non-Federal land. The appraisal is part of USDA’s implementation of the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA), which authorizes USDA to assess the status of the country’s natural resources, evaluate current policies […]
Senate Dems Counter H.R. 1 with Their Own Half-Year Continuing Resolution
On Friday, March 4, the Senate Appropriations Committee released draft Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 appropriations legislation to fund all federal government functions for the last half of the current fiscal year. The bill is the Senate’s counter offer to H.R. 1, the House CR that passed on February 19 and included roughly $60 billion in […]
House Holds Two Hearings on Agriculture Appropriations
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held two hearings with top officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). On Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, along with Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, Chief Economist Joe Glauber, and USDA Budget […]
154 Grassroots Groups Call Budget Cuts Reckless and Unjust
154 grassroots organizations sent a letter to the United States Senate on Monday in opposition to a government funding bill that would slash more than $60 billion from the federal budget for the last half of fiscal year 2011. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) circulated the letter, and the Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural circulated it […]
House Passes Two-Week Budget Extension with $4 Billion in Cuts
Earlier this afternoon, the House passed 335-91 a two-week extension of the existing short-term “continuing resolution” (CR) that is keeping the government running at fiscal year 2010 levels. The House extension includes $4 billion in immediate budget cuts, intended to be a down payment on the much deeper cuts contained in H.R. 1, the House […]
Over 185 Groups Urge Congress to Oppose H.R. 1 Cuts to Sustainable Agriculture
On Tuesday, March 1, NSAC delivered two letters to Senate offices in opposition to the sustainable agriculture cuts contained in H.R. 1, the House-passed Continuing Resolution (CR). The first letter was signed by 154 grassroots organizations from throughout the country, while the second letter was signed by 35 national conservation organizations. The common thread, running […]
New Movement on Government Funding Negotiations
There were several important new developments on Thursday in the continuing saga of arriving at a government funding bill for the rest of fiscal year 2011. House Republican leaders are getting ready to file a short-term extension of the existing short-term “continuing resolution” (CR) that is keeping the government running at fiscal year 2010 levels. […]
Comments and Video from Merrigan on VAPG Interim Rule
On Wednesday, February 23, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan held a press conference call regarding today’s release of the interim final rule for the Value-Added Producer Grant program. Calling VAPG “one of my all time favorite programs,” Merrigan spoke about how the grants fund innovation and entrepreneurship among American farmers and ranchers and provide […]
USDA Publishes Interim Rule for Value-Added Producer Grants
In June 2010, the USDA solicited public comments on the proposed rule for implementation of the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. This morning, after months of anticipation, the agency released the interim final rule. Later this morning USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will hold a press call regarding the interim rule for VAPG. With the […]
Take Action: Oppose Reckless Spending Cuts
Call Your Senators In the early hours of Saturday, February 19, the House of Representatives approved a government funding bill that would slash more than $60 billion from the federal budget for the last half of fiscal year 2011. The bill (H.R. 1) unfairly targets programs that serve sustainable and organic farmers. It makes steep […]
House Approves $60 Billion in Budget Cuts
In the early hours of Saturday, February 19, the House of Representatives approved on a near party-line 235-189 vote the government funding bill for the last half of fiscal year 2011. The bill, H.R. 1, would slash roughly $60 billion from the federal budget relative to fiscal year 2010 spending. Three Republicans voted against the […]
Love Your Farmer Day A Huge Success
With your help, over 1,000 calls were made to the White House this week in response to the Love Your Farmer Campaign launched on Valentine’s Day. The callers urged the Obama Administration to quickly implement a rule that promises to improve the lives of farmers and ranchers and the prosperity of rural communities by making […]
Obama USDA Budget Proposal a Mixed Bag
On Monday, February 14, President Obama submitted his budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. For sustainable agriculture interests, the budget proposal is a mixed bag, with big cuts to farm bill conservation programs, though mostly good news on discretionary spending accounts. Mandatory Farm Bill Spending President Obama’s proposed budget calls for deep, […]
NSAC Comments on Obama Cuts to Conservation
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition For Immediate Release February 14, 2011 Contact: Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on Obama FY 2012 Agriculture Budget Comments of Ferd Hoefner, NSAC Policy Director: The President’s FY 2012 budget calls for deep cuts to farm bill mandatory spending for farm conservation with over $1 billion in permanent rescissions. As in […]
A Valentine for Farmers and Ranchers
Fighting against the corporate concentration of our food supply is an ongoing battle. Today, you can make a difference. A small handful of giant meatpackers and processors have been underpaying and unfairly treating farmers and ranchers for decades. Please take a few moments of your day this Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to call the White […]
House GOP Funding Proposal Would Cut NSAC Priority Programs
Post updated 2/15/11 Following a revolt by some of their rank and file on Thursday, House Republican leaders on Friday night released their draft bill to cut government funding for the remainder of the fiscal year that end September 3 by a significantly larger amount then they planned for earlier in the week. The bill […]