For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers and Food Pantries Seek Secretary Vilsack’s Help Avoiding a Funding Cliff Groups Urge USDA to Sustain Local Food Purchase Assistance Program Funding Washington, DC, September 19, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) delivered a letter to Secretary of Agriculture […]
NSAC’S Blog
Path to a New Farm Bill: Sustainable and Organic Research
Editor’s Note: This post is the fifth post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given […]
Promising Conservation Results in the 2022 Agricultural Census
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part blog series. Our first post in this series explored initial themes from the Census, while this post offers a deeper dive into conservation practices. Our next post in the series will explore what the Census shows us about local and regional food systems. In early 2024, […]
Government Funding and Farm Bill’s Future Top Congress’ September To-Do List
On September 9, 2024, Congress will be back in session in Washington, DC for the first time since early August. Yet, their return will be short lived. In an election year, Members of Congress spend all of October and early November in their states and Congressional districts. In total, Congress will be in session for […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Increasing Access and Affordability in Local Food Systems
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and our recommended […]
Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 4
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth 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 Agriculture Committee on Friday, May 24. The first post details an overview of the markup process, the bill as a whole, and its likely (or […]
Summer in Saint Paul: NSAC Members Meet, Reenergize in Minnesota
NSAC members gathered once again for our annual summer Coalition meeting, this time on the banks of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota on August 5-8, 2024. Over the course of the meeting, NSAC members and staff strategized collectively about current campaigns and future Coalition activities. NSAC members also had the chance to hear […]
Release: New Lending Rule Signals More Savings for Farmers
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: New Lending Rule Signals More Savings for Farmers Washington, DC, August 7, 2024 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux for the announcement of a new final rule: Enhancing Access and Delivery for […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Crop Insurance Access
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Securing Resources for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Local and Regional Market Access
Editor’s Note: This post is the first post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given […]
FY25 Agriculture Spending Bills: What You Need to Know
On July 11, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill with unanimous, bipartisan agreement. The Senate Appropriations Committee skipped subcommittee markup this fiscal year, and the full committee’s unanimous approval took less than 10 minutes (59:00 – 1:07:54). This outcome […]
Agriculture Spending Bills Must Address Broad Demand for Research and Conservation Programs
The post highlights the critical need for increased funding in the FY2025 Agriculture Appropriations Act to support research and conservation programs vital for addressing climate challenges and supporting diverse farming operations. The post emphasizes the critical need for funding to support Conservation Technical Assistance, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), and the Office of Urban Agriculture to enhance resilience, profitability, and equitable access across agricultural sectors…. Read More →
Release: NSAC Welcomes Proposed “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets” Rule
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 →