On Tuesday, July 14, the House Agriculture Committee approved the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, also known as the “Deny Americans’ Right to Know” or DARK Act by opponents. The passage of the most recent version of the bill gives more authority to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to oversee voluntary non-GMO […]
Obama Administration Tackles Biotechnology Regulatory Process
On Thursday, July 2, the Obama Administration released an executive memorandum requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reconsider and update their regulatory process for biotechnology products. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy initially tasked these three federal agencies with oversight […]
Guest Post: RAFI Producer Survey on Whole Farm Revenue Protection
We are pleased to run this guest post co-authored by Annie Segal (RAFI Americorps VISTA), Viola Glenn, and James Robinson of the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA. RAFI-USA is an NSAC represented member group. Note that USDA’s Risk Management Agency has just issued a Request for Proposals that calls for projects that will offer training and education to advance the […]
Sustainable Agriculture Research Falling Further Behind
Farmers are constantly innovating on their farms, and experimenting with new ways to control pests or boost yields or conserve water on their fields. Farmers’ bottom lines are at stake, especially new farmers getting started out. They have no choice but to find better, more effective ways to address the many challenges that Mother Nature […]
USDA Compass Tool Highlights Local Food Programs
Under the Obama Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has focused in a consistent and substantive way on investments in local and regional food systems. Its innovative online tool — appropriately named the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass Map” — allows organizations and individuals to search an online database and map to […]
Farmers Travel to DC to Support Funding for Sustainable Agriculture Programs
On June 25th, farmers, farm advocates, and agricultural researchers from around the country flew to Washington, DC to share their stories with decision-makers in Congress, the White House, and at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Participants hailed from California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Maine, Kansas, and Georgia. NSAC hosted this fly-in at a critical juncture as […]
GMO Labeling Hearing Misses the Mark
With GMO labeling a heated issue at the state and federal level, the House Committee of Energy and Commerce hearing on “A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food” drew quite a crowd. The House hearing, on Thursday, June 18, focused on Representative Mike Pompeo’s (R-KS) Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, known as the […]
USDA Invests $6.7 Million in Rural Energy Projects
On Wednesday, June 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of $6.7 million in 544 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through the farm bill’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP grants and loans help farmers, ranchers, and small business owners reduce energy use and develop and install renewable energy sources. […]
Honey Bee Protection Proposal: New EPA Rule Limits Toxic Pesticides but Fails on Neonics
On Thursday, May 28, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule that would create temporary pesticide-free areas and restrictions on pesticide application to mitigate exposure on contracted managed honeybees. As this language indicates, it specifically aims to protect “honey bee colonies that are under contract to provide pollination services.” This rule comes […]
Farm Conservation Client Gateway Now Open for Use!
On Wednesday, May 27, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released their long anticipated online portal for conservation activities. This new Conservation Client Gateway, is a streamlined online approach to be used by farmers, ranchers, and private landowners who have or are looking to secure NRCS funding for conservation programs. This Client Gateway is a […]
FDA Rule on Food Animal Antibiotic Use Data Now Open for Comment
On May 19, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule that will enable more detailed data collection on antibiotic use in livestock production in the United States. This rule would require drug companies to obtain and report estimates of sales by major food producing species – namely cattle, chickens, turkeys, and pigs. The additional […]
White House Pollinator Strategy Released
The importance of pollinators in food security and agriculture across the country has been a topic of national interest for the last few years. We can thank pollinators for every third bite of food we take, and our nation’s food supply is largely dependent on the health of pollinator insects, birds, bats, and other animals. […]
Strategic Economic and Community Development Rule – Open for Comment!
On Tuesday, May 19, the US Department of Agriculture published an interim rule on the Strategic Economic and Community Development program under Section 6025 of the 2014 Farm Bill. This rule, which goes into effect on June 19, sets aside up to 10 percent of funds appropriated to a handful of Rural Development (RD) programs to focus some […]
Upcoming Deadlines for Federal Farm and Food Programs
With seeds in the soil and summer approaching, deadlines for federal farm and food grant programs are coming up as quickly as your seedlings! For farmers, ranchers, and groups who work with producers, the next few months are critical to ensure timely and successful completion of applications, so read on! NSAC has compiled a list of upcoming deadlines […]
USDA Awards $2 Million for Energy Audits and Renewable Energy
On Wednesday, April 22, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the first round of fiscal year 2015 awards for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP). The $2 million will go out to 25 intermediary entities such as universities and electric cooperatives to provide energy audits and renewable energy development assistance to producers and small businesses in […]
USDA Awards $10 Million in Water Quality Assistance through Mississippi River Basin Initiative
On April 7, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack awarded $10 million through the Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) for 27 new conservation projects, each located in a watershed new to the Initiative, as well as 13 ongoing projects that have previously received MRBI funding. These new awards build upon $18.5 million that was invested through […]
$31 Million Awarded for Programs Assisting Fruit and Vegetable Purchases by SNAP Participants
Today in Orlando, Florida, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced $31.5 million in funding for the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program. FINI grants are awarded to organizations to advance incentive programs to improve the nutrition and health status of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households. Authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, FINI is a joint effort […]
Budget Resolutions Set Stage for Appropriations; Farm Bill Re-Opening Still a Possibility
This week the House and Senate both passed their respective budget resolutions for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The House passed its budget on Wednesday, March 25 while the Senate passed its budget in the wee hours of Friday morning. Budget resolutions provide the blueprint for the appropriations process that will take place in the coming […]
Digging Deeper into Continuous CRP Enrollments
Earlier this month, NSAC teamed up with water quality, conservation, and grain and oilseed processor groups to encourage the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to set aside at least a third of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the State Acres for Wildlife […]
Sustainability and Diet – A Linkage Whose Time Has Come
This guest post is by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) policy intern for the spring term, Katie Merritt. Katie is currently a graduate student in Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University and holds a BA from the University of Colorado in Psychology and Neuroscience, Integrative Physiology, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. We […]
Rural Community-based Research Receives $14 Million in Funding
Earlier this week, the USDA announced $14 million in funding towards research projects aimed at strengthening rural economies. The awards encompass a wide variety of issues affecting rural communities and small and medium-sized farms including food safety, conservation, marketplace economics, local food systems, and pollinator health. The funding comes from the Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities […]
Program Roundup – Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
Editor’s Note — This is the latest in a series of periodic blog posts on the latest happenings in each Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) regions as they roll out project solicitations and announce grant awards. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education or SARE program is a farmer driven research and education competitive grants […]
Attack on WOTUS Continues
In the latest congressional attack on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulation of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS), the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a two-part joint hearing on the Impacts of the Proposed Waters of the United States Rule on State […]
Plant Breeding and Food Security Research Funding Available
On Monday, February 1, USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Food Security Challenge Area. The AFRI Food Security Program provides grants for research, education, and extension projects, with the long-term goal to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and the availability and accessibility […]