Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack for publishing another proposed rule to modernize the century-old Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act): “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets.” This is the fourth rule to implement reforms first announced in President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy in 2022. … Read More →
Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 3
This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA), which was reported out of the House Committee on Agriculture on Friday, May 24. This post provides a deep-dive analysis of the bill’s potential impacts on the farm safety net, farmers’ ability to access land and capital, fair competition, and treatment of food workers. … Read More →
Comment: NSAC Responds to Senate Republicans’ Draft Farm Bill Summary
NSAC responded to the Senate Republicans’ draft farm bill summary noting that for any farm bill to cross the finish line, all four corners must be fully engaged. The draft released today offers curated details suggesting significant similarities to the House’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act – a bill with no viable path to becoming law…. Read More →
Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 2
This is the second post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on Friday, May 24. This post explores the FFNSA’s impacts on local and regional food systems. … Read More →
Release: Senate Hearing Highlights Need for Broader View of Beginning Farmer Challenges
Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade held a hearing entitled, “Pathways to Farming: Helping the Next Generation of Farmers.” The almost two-hour hearing featured four witnesses who spoke to their experiences as beginning farmers and ranchers. In response to the hearing, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers) issued the following statements…. Read More →
Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 1
This is the first post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on May 24. The post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole, as well as its likely (or unlikely) path to becoming law. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Applauds Introduction of the Save Our Small Farms Act
Connecticut Representatives Hayes, Larson, Courtney, DeLauro, and Himes teamed up with Reps. Adams, Neal, McGovern, and Jackson to introduce the Save Our Small Farms Act which would meaningfully expand access to the farm safety net for small, diversified, and underserved farmers and ranchers who find themselves at the mercy of worsening storms but unable to access coverage…. Read More →
Release (Cross-Post): CCAR Praises Secretary Vilsack on the Proposed Rule to Infuse Basic Fairness Requirements into Poultry Grower Payments Systems and Capital Upgrade Requirements
In this cross-post, NSAC shares a press statement by Steve Etka, Policy Director for the Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform CCAR in support of the USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Act proposed rule on “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems.”… Read More →
Release: NSAC Welcomes Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act
Representatives Marilyn Strickland, Alma Adams, and Jimmy Panetta, alongside Senator Peter Welch, introduced the Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act in the House and the Senate, which directs FSA to develop a multi-year operating loan pilot for beginning farmers to finance initial assets and the development of production and management systems…. Read More →
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued a comment as the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture reported the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (HR 8467), out of committee on a vote of 33-21. … Read More →
Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward
In its latest release, NSAC notes how the Farm, Food, and National Security Act does not take meaningful steps toward building a fair, responsible, and accessible farm safety net and how it dismisses climate change – in part by decoupling the climate-focus from conservation investments – while countless farmers and ranchers nationwide experience the worsening impacts of a changing climate. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill Summary
On May 10, the House Agriculture Committee released the most detailed summary of its farm bill draft to date, ahead of the anticipated May 23 markup. The latest summary – released days before full legislative text is expected – offers insights into Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s (R-PA-15) approach to the House farm bill. NSAC is pleased to see continued momentum on both sides of Capitol Hill toward completing a farm bill. However, the summary released last week by the House Agriculture Committee offers little to alleviate our concerns that the bill will meaningfully address NSAC members’ priorities, including a more fair and accessible farm safety net, robust investments in local and regional food systems, and the full protection of climate-focused conservation resources. A bill that closely mirrors the latest House summary is not a bill that should become law…. Read More →
A Deep Dive on the Senate’s Farm Bill Proposal: the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a detailed section-by-section summary of her farm bill proposal. NSAC welcomed the pragmatic Senate bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024 (RPFSA), as an important step toward completing a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization this year. In this post, NSAC takes a deep dive into the proposals contained in the RPFSA. … Read More →
How People Power Local Food Systems
This blog post is the second in a series highlighting how recent supply chain investments were unique and pivotal in expanding infrastructure to respond to growing farmer demand, reducing costly wait times, and reaching diversified operations. … Read More →
Farmers and Ranchers Love the IRA’s Climate-Smart Funding. Will the House Farm Bill Pull the Rug Out from Under Them?
Farmers and ranchers across the US have been vocal in their support for the climate-smart agriculture funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act since its enactment in 2022, with demand far surpassing availability. Despite this overwhelming popularity and the demonstrated effectiveness of the IRA in addressing conservation needs, there are concerns that the House Agriculture Committee may undermine these efforts in the upcoming farm bill. Data from FY2023 shows continued oversubscription of key conservation programs and significant investment in climate-smart practices even alongside IRA funding, highlighting the ongoing need for and popularity of such initiatives. Congress is urged to maintain and even expand funding for these programs in recognition of their success and farmer demand…. Read More →
Release: NSAC Welcomes FDA’s Risk Based Approach to the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water
The FDA released the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water, which finalizes a series of updates to Subpart E of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. This final rule represents an impressive shift from the original one-size-fits-all approach to one that can be adapted to farms of varying types and sizes. NSAC has been actively engaged in this process, and welcomes this risk-based final rule, which reflects years of listening and learning on behalf of FDA and the broader stakeholder community…. Read More →
Release: NSAC Welcomes Pragmatic Senate Proposal as a Concrete Step Toward a Bipartisan Farm Bill Reauthorization
NSAC applauded the renewed momentum toward a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization prompted by the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) release of a detailed section-by-section description of its farm bill reauthorization proposal. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act framework charts a path for completing a farm bill this year. NSAC is extremely encouraged to see a pragmatic Senate farm bill proposal that includes numerous bipartisan policies. The proposal takes meaningful steps to build a fair and accessible farm safety net for farmers and ranchers, protect conservation and climate spending, and invest in local and regional food systems…. Read More →
Organic Research Funding: Examining and Refuting USDA’s Justifications for Decreasing Dedicated Organic Funding
This guest blog post highlights the critical role of organic agriculture in addressing sustainability and health concerns within food systems. It discusses the concerning decrease in funding specifically allocated for organic-dedicated competitive grant programs in the Presidential Budget Request for fiscal year 2025 and analyzes the justifications provided for this shift. The post emphasizes the importance of proactive engagement from the scientific community, legislators, and funding agencies to ensure robust support for organic agriculture research and development…. Read More →
USDA Announces Recipients of New Healthy Food Financing Expansion Grant
The USDA Rural Development, in collaboration with Reinvestment Fund, has announced the recipients of over $40 million in grants for the inaugural round of the Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program, aimed at expanding or creating new Healthy Food Financing Programs with technical and financial assistance; this program, funded partly through the American Rescue Plan, supports public-private partnerships to increase access to healthy food in underserved areas, emphasizing capacity building and credit enhancement activities…. Read More →
CBO’s Farm Bill Baseline, Explained
The Congressional Budget Office releases annual baseline projections for federal agriculture policy, including the farm bill, which significantly influence policy debates and outcomes. The latest projections show a decrease in the ten-year cost of farm bill-related programs, primarily due to a drop in SNAP costs but countered by a substantial increase in the crop insurance program’s expenses. Changes in these projections impact the cost and effectiveness of policy proposals, especially regarding crop insurance reform and commodity programs, while also affecting conservation programs and nutrition assistance, ultimately shaping the direction and scope of future farm bills…. Read More →
Everything You Need to Know About FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations
On March 8, 2024, Congress finally approved a final FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 funds USDA and FDA – alongside numerous other departments and agencies – through September 30, 2024. This blog post examines the food and agriculture components of the CAA and its significance amidst Congress’s delayed appropriations process. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Praises Expanding Access to Local Foods Act of 2024 Introduced in the Senate
Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Laphonza R. Butler (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King Jr. (D-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Expanding Access to Local Foods Act of 2024 (EAT Local Foods Act) in the Senate (S. 3982). The EAT Local Foods Act would create a permanent program to sustain the efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance (USDA’s LFPA) Program. The program would empower States and Tribal Nations to strengthen regional food supply chains by providing funding to purchase and distribute locally grown and produced foods to vulnerable communities and provide tailored technical assistance to help growers scale production. … Read More →
Release: President Releases Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture Spending
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). The proposal for FY25 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025) outlines the Administration’s spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and requests $29.2 billion in discretionary budget authority for USDA in FY25, roughly $900 million less than the Administration’s FY24 request…. Read More →
Media Advisory: Senator Stabenow and USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie Join LCV and NSAC for Farmer Expo and Roundtable
On March 14 at noon, ET, a group of farmers and ranchers will demonstrate and discuss how climate-smart agriculture programs benefit their work at an event in the Russell Senate Office building hosted by LCV Education Fund and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. They will be joined by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, who will make remarks, and by USDA Under Secretary of Conservation Robert Bonnie, who will lead a roundtable discussion. … Read More →