Editor’s Note: This is the third post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts will detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Previous posts focused on: working lands conservation and local/regional food programs. Our final post of […]
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A Closer Look at the 2018 Farm Bill: Local Agriculture Market Program
Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts will detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Previous posts focused on: working lands conservation. Subsequent posts will focus on: nutrition incentive and anti-hunger […]
COMMENT: Latest Attempt by House to Reopen Government Includes Language to Delay Reorganization of Core USDA Research Agencies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Latest Attempt by House to Reopen Government Includes Language to Delay Reorganization of Core USDA Research Agencies NSAC Praises House Effort, Urges Senate to Support Previously Conferenced Appropriations Language Washington, DC, January 18, 2019 – Yesterday, in the midst of the largely stalemated […]
A Closer Look at the 2018 Farm Bill: Working Lands Conservation Programs
Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts will detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Subsequent posts will focus on: local/regional food systems, nutrition incentive and anti-hunger programs, and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers. With the 2018 Farm […]
New “Bioengineered” Labeling Rule Will Cause Further Confusion
The new year may seem off to a sluggish start with the partial government shutdown stalling programs and delaying implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, but there is some new news out there. At the end of 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) highly anticipated “GMO” labeling rule was […]
Democrat-led House Passes Bill to End Shutdown, Support Sustainable Agriculture
Editor’s Note: On Thursday, January 10, the House passed their fiscal year 2019 (FY) Agriculture Appropriations bill on the floor as a standalone bill. This was the same bill that was included as part of a package of six bills, which was passed by the House (though not taken up by the Senate) last week […]
Fight for Border Wall Blocks Farm Funding, Triggers Shutdown
Just one day after the President signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – the department tasked with implementing the new law – was forced to close its doors as part of a partial government shutdown. Last night at midnight, funding expired for both USDA and the Food and […]
2018 Farm Bill by the Numbers
The farm bill is complex package of legislation – like other authorizing bills, the bill’s primary focus is on policies and programs, but unlike many authorization bills, the farm bill also provides direct funding for many of the programs it authorizes. Farm bill programs, therefore, have two ways to receive funding: mandatory (or direct) funding through the […]
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COMMENT: Just in Time for the New Year, a New Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Just in Time for the New Year, a New Farm Bill National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds swift action on final 2018 Farm Bill,readies for next stages Washington, DC, December 20, 2018 – Following nearly two years of intense debate and several suspenseful months in farm […]
RELEASE: New Bill Insists USDA Research Agencies Remain in Nation’s Capital
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net New Bill Insists USDA Research Agencies Remain in Nation’s Capital Agriculture Research Integrity Act of 2018 (HR 7330) introduced today Washington DC, December 20, 2018 – Responding to the Trump Administration’s plan to relocate and reorganize the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Commodity Programs and Crop Insurance
Editor’s Note: This is the sixth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, organic agriculture, conservation, and research and plant breeding. The bill was passed by the House […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Research and Plant Breeding
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, organic agriculture, and conservation. The bill was […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Conservation
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, and organic […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Organic Agriculture
Editor’s Note: This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged […]
COMMENT: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill Wins
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill WinsApplauds Congress for moving swiftly, urges President to do the same Washington, DC, December 12, 2018 – With less than a month left in the year, Congress has moved forward a bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill and […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: organic agriculture, conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers. […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Local/Regional Food Systems, Rural Development
Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, organic agriculture, conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies. The […]
RELEASE: Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food Concerns remain over long-term loss in conservation funding,failure to close farm safety net loopholes Washington, DC, December 11, 2018 – After two months of negotiations, the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders yesterday released a final bill that makes […]
Congress Averts Shutdown, Delays FY 2019 Appropriations Decisions
With the clock on their last Continuing Resolution (CR) quickly running down, Congress last week managed to avoid a partial government shutdown by giving their extension an extension – pushing their deadline to set spending levels from December 7 to December 21. Earlier in the year, it seemed that Congress might be able to pass […]
Leveraging Conservation Dollars: Agricultural Practices that Deliver
Editor’s Note: This guest blog was written by Duane Hovorka, Agriculture Program Director at the Izaak Walton League of America, which is a long-time member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. To download a copy of the full report, a summary, and the League’s 10 Steps to Leverage Conservation Dollars, visit the Izaak Walton League […]
Stories from the Field: From Food Safety Training to Audit Day
An audit or inspection can be a nerve-racking experience for any business owner. Farmers in North and South Carolina, however, have greatly benefited from having a trusted ally – the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) – to help them through the process. Through their Local Produce Food Safety Initiative, CFSA, an NSAC Member, provides farmers […]
RELEASE: New Food Safety Support Available to Farmers Across Sixteen States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net New Food Safety Support Available to Farmers Across Sixteen States Pending the Outcome of the 2018 Farm Bill, Support Could be Extended Nationwide Washington, DC, December 4, 2018 – Starting next year, produce growers in 16 states will gain access to no-cost voluntary Harmonized Good […]
Is American Agriculture Prepared to Tackle the Climate Challenge?
The 4th National Climate Assessment – “Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States,” released by the Administration just after Thanksgiving, underscores the very real climate change-related challenges that American producers can expect to face in the coming years. The extensive report includes a close examination and peer reviewed analysis of the implications for agriculture […]