On October 26, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced 1,100 renewable energy and energy efficiency awards totaling nearly $173 million through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP provides grants and loans to farmers and businesses for energy efficiency improvements, purchase and development of renewable energy systems, and energy audits. According […]
NSAC’S Blog
USDA Awards $7 Million for Risk Management Education
Last week, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced awards totaling over $7 million for risk management education and training programs through the Risk Management Education Partnerships Program and the Targeted States Crop Insurance Education Program. Although farming is risky business, farmers can take a variety of actions to mitigate the inherent risk in farming. This year, […]
Group Food Safety Certification Coming in 2016
Since 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has been partnering with the Wallace Center at Winrock International to pilot a group food safety certification option called GroupGAP. USDA recently previewed the planned expansion of the GroupGAP pilot to a full program, which will become available nationwide in the spring of 2016. […]
Congress and White House Reach Budget Deal: What it Means for Agriculture
As the clock struck 11pm on Monday, October 26, Congress and the White House announced that they had reached an agreement on raising the United States debt limit as well as discretionary spending caps for fiscal years (FY) 2016 and 2017. Debt Limit and Spending Caps The agreement suspends the U.S. borrowing cap (also known […]
Release: NSAC Comment on FY 2016 Budget Deal’s Implications for Agriculture
October 27, 2015, Washington, DC – The following are comments from Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director, on the fiscal year 2016 budget deal struck this week. “We are pleased that a budget bargain has been struck, providing impetus to finish the work of funding the government for the fiscal year that has already begun. Two things […]
Revitalizing the Farm through Organic Transition
Last week we highlighted two Iowa farmers who enrolled in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative while they transitioned to organic production. The Organic Initiative, administered by NRCS, provides financial assistance to organic and transitioning producers to implement and install conservation practices tailored to organic producers. Organic and transitioning producers can apply for funds through […]
Building on Farm to School Success: Act Today!
Looking at their school lunch trays, kids in northeast Iowa can now make a unique observation: “my dad grew that!” In a state where agriculture is one of its biggest economic drivers, “my dad grew that” was something kids couldn’t say about their school lunches until very recently: up to a few years ago, Iowa-grown […]
New Farm to School Census: Local Food Purchasing Increasing
On Tuesday, October 20, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new Farm to School Census data confirming the multiple benefits of farm to school programs for kids, communities, and farmers. These early results from the latest Farm to School Census provide data on the 2013-2014 school year. Early Results Are In – and […]
Food Safety Training Centers Announced
With one Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA) rule finalized, and another expected by the end of the month, the talk has turned to implementation. NSAC has long advocated that robust farmer education, outreach, and training are critical components to successful FSMA implementation. Particularly for produce growers, valued-added farming operations, and small food processors – many […]
Using EQIP to Go Organic
Farmers who transition to organic production gain environmental as well as economic benefits when they make the switch to organic. However, these producers take on significant costs during the transition when the organic price premium is not yet reflected in their sales. Transitioning producers also face a unique set of conservation challenges. This guest post from […]
USDA Awards $30 Million for Wetland Enhancement Projects
On October 15, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced six awards totaling $30 million through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). The 2014 Farm Bill authorized WREP as an enrollment option under the Wetland Reserve Easement component of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers WREP. Through […]
Over $25 Million for Organic Research Awarded
On Tuesday, October 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced over $25 million in grants to support organic farming research. The money was awarded through the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) — the flagship research competitive grants program dedicated to funding research relevant to organic producers […]
Funding Cycle Now Open for Next Year’s Community Food Project Grants
In addition to announcing awardees for the Community Food Projects Grant Program (CFP) on October 13, the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) posted on its CFP webpage the latest Request for Application for fiscal year 2016. NIFA anticipates awarding approximately $8.64 million in grants through CFP. The deadline for applications is 5:00pm EST on Monday, […]
$9 Million Awarded to Increase Community Food Security
On Tuesday, October 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $8.6 million through the Community Food Projects (CFP) competitive grant program to organizations dedicated to increasing food security in underserved communities through local solutions that also build up local food systems. The Community Food Projects program seeks to address food insecurity by supporting nonprofits, tribal organizations, […]
Guest Post: Touring Sustainable WA Farms with Representative Newhouse’s Staff and Tilth Producers
We’re pleased to share this piece from NSAC member organization Tilth Producers of Washington, written by Ariana Taylor-Stanley. It was originally published on Tilth Producers of Washington’s blog and has been reposted with permission. Congress on the Farm While Congress was on August recess, Tilth Producers hosted Kyle Kunkler, DC Agriculture Staffer for Congressman Dan Newhouse, for […]
NSAC Delivers 2016 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Requests
On Tuesday, October 6, NSAC delivered a letter to members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging them to support sustainable agriculture priorities in the final fiscal year 2016 appropriations legislation. Congress is currently debating funding levels for the remainder of 2016 fiscal year, which began on October 1. On the final day of […]
USDA Awards Millions to Support New Farmers
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced awards totaling $17 million through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). BFRDP is the only USDA program exclusively dedicated to training new farmers and ranchers, particularly in sustainable production practices. NSAC and our members who serve beginning farmers across the country originally conceptualized BFRDP nearly 15 […]
HFFI Award Promotes Local Sustainable Food System Growth
On October 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded over $5 million through its Community Economic Development Program’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). Republic Food Enterprise Center – Growing a Local, Sustainable Food System NSAC congratulates the nine CDCs in seven states that received awards this year from the HHS HFFI program. In […]
Grants Available to Incentivize SNAP Produce Purchases
USDA recently announced the availability of $16.8 million through the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives Grant program…… Read More →
Specialty Crop Grant Awards Announced by USDA
On October 5, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $63 million in grants for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and over $50 million in grants for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). These awards help support farmers growing fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops, also known as “specialty crops,” […]
Millions Now Available for Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Development
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a farm bill energy title program, is open for applicants at any time, but application cut-off dates are announced annually. For fiscal year (FY) 2016, the dates range from November 2, 2015 to May 2, 2016, and in limited cases into the summer of 2016, as detailed below […]
New USDA Awards to Build Local Food Systems and Food Security
On October 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced nearly $35 million in awards from three grant programs to support local and regional food systems, enhance the effectiveness of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operations at farmers markets, and improve marketing opportunities for farms through state-based research and innovation. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack made […]
Clean Water Act – News from the Week
This week brought increased attention to the Clean Water Act (“the Act”), with a court decision on information collection and large animal feeding operations, which are regulated under the Act, as well as a Senate subcommittee hearing on the Act’s “waters of the U.S.” finalized rule, which went into effect at the end of August. The […]
Congress Passes Funding Bill in Final Hours of Fiscal Year
On Wednesday, September 30, the final day of fiscal year (FY) 2015, Congress passed a two-and-a-half month funding bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to extend existing funding levels and policy riders through December 11. … Read More →