For Immediate Release

Contact: 

Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: NSAC Responds to the Retirement Announcement of Senator Leahy 

Washington, DC, November 15, 2021 –  The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following statement regarding the retirement announcement of Senator Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT), attributable to Eric Deeble, NSAC Policy Director:

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) congratulates Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on his upcoming retirement and thanks the Senator for his many years of service and commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and local food systems. We are grateful to Senator Leahy for his dedication to improving the sustainability of our farms, ranches, and forests and his tireless efforts to improve the health of our rural communities.

Senator Leahy has been a giant when it comes to supporting sustainable and organic farmers, local food systems, and agricultural conservation.  Through his leadership as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Congress initiated the NSAC-backed Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the National Organic Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program, and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, among others.  As Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Leahy helped establish the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Organic Research and Extension Initiative, and the Risk Management Education Program. Senator Leahy has also been the foremost Congressional champion of farm to school programs, leading efforts to create the USDA Farm to School Grant program and expand funding for the program. As a long-time agricultural appropriator, he championed sustainable and organic funding priorities over and over again.” 

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/