Small and mid-scale family farms operating in burgeoning local and regional food markets received some welcome news from the USDA today… Read More →
Beginning and Minority Farmers
Stories from the Field: Empowering Latino Farmers
Despite a demonstrated track record of success in supporting innovative outreach, training, and technical assistance programs, the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as “Section 2501”) remains severely underfunded. The 2014 Farm Bill cut funding for the program in half, while at the same time expanding the program’s user […]
Over 100 Groups Urge Congress to Increase Support for Veteran and Minority Farmers
For farmers of color and military veterans in this country, the barriers to and risks of starting a successful farm… Read More →
RELEASE: Agriculture Programs Help Veterans Launch Successful Careers in Farming
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, NSAC, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Evan Eagan, FVC, (530) 419-6740, evan@farmvetco.org Agriculture Programs Help Veterans Launch Successful Careers in Farming U.S. Air Force Veteran and Montana Farmer Testifies Before Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Washington, DC, April 5, 2016 – Spring is not just cherry blossom season here in the capital […]
Conservation Stewardship Program Recap; 2016 Sign-Up Ends in 10 Days!
The Conservation Stewardship Program has been supporting farmers and ranchers for more than seven years … Read More →
Representatives Signal Support for Minority and Veteran Farmers
The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the “Section 2501” program) is the only farm bill program dedicated to addressing the specific needs of minority and veteran farmers and ranchers. As annual appropriations request deadlines closed earlier this week, 18 Members of Congress signed a letter supporting full […]
Conservation Stewardship Stories: Cornelius Joe
This post is the second in a series chronicling stories from farmers and ranchers who have experienced success with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The first story, highlighting Alabama farmer Miguel Otero can be found here. As a third-generation farmer in Greensboro, Alabama, Cornelius Joe knows firsthand the importance of taking care of working lands today, so […]
Tomorrow’s Table: The Rise of Local and Regional Food Economies
Commodification is on the rise in many sectors of the American economy, but lately many consumers have been bucking that trend when it comes to their food. Increasingly Americans are interested in food that is not only good for them, but also in food that is grown sustainably, by local and regional farmer and ranchers. […]
Direct Marketing and Local Food the Focus of House Agriculture Committee Hearing
Farmers, ranchers, and advocates from across the country gathered yesterday, February 2, 2016, to speak with members of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research about their experiences in direct farmer to consumer marketing, farm to institution marketing, and other local food strategies. The subcommittee convened six expert witnesses, with support from […]
Innovative Grazing Apprenticeship Program Attracts Young Farmers
The aging of America’s farmer population has become of increasing concern in the last several decades as older farmers retire without a new generation ready to take their place. Given the challenges inherent in farm life– hard work, high risk, and unreliable earnings– younger generations have been leaving rural areas for more secure career opportunities, […]
Expanded USDA Microloans Program Increases Opportunity for Small and Beginning Farmers
Access to credit continues to be an urgent need for farmers across the country, especially for small and beginning farmers. Starting a new farm is not unlike starting any other small business–it can require significant upfront capital to get off the ground. USDA recently announced exciting changes to their Microloan Program, including launching a new […]
Top 15 Wins for Sustainable Agriculture in 2015
All that we have to be grateful for in 2015, from promoting conservation to empowering beginning farmers… Read More →
Massive Year-End Funding Bill A Mixed Bag But Includes Significant Wins for Sustainable Agriculture
Final appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2016 will fund programs supporting sustainable agriculture… Read More →
High Demand for Farm Loans in 2015 with Even Greater Demand on Horizon for 2016
Just like any small business, starting and running a farm is no small feat, and can be quite expensive. Everything from purchasing or leasing land to farm, seeds, equipment, and breeding stock, add up. Often, the timing of farm expenses required at the beginning of a growing season don’t line up perfectly with when revenue […]
USDA Provides 2016 Guidance for Organic, High Tunnel and Other Conservation Initiatives
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) recently provided its state NRCS offices with instructions on how and when to administer various conservation initiatives for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The guidance, Instructions for Implementing National Program and Landscape Conservation Initiatives, covers initiatives that are funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program […]
Funding Available to Support New Farmer Training Programs
USDA announced the availability of $18 million to fund new farmer training and education programs across the country. These federal grants are made available to non-profit and community-based organizations, as well as academic institutions and government entities, through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)…. Read More →
USDA Releases New Commitments, New Website for New Farmers
On October 29, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden announced the launch of new commitments and a new website for new and aspiring farmers. The new USDA goals focus on boosting funding for and participation in USDA programs and services that support new and beginning farmers, including prioritizing $5.6 billion within key USDA programs over the next two […]
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 […]
Additional Support Needed for Veteran and Minority Farmers
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded over $8 million in grants to provide outreach and technical assistance to minority, tribal, and veteran farmers and ranchers. These grants were funded through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, also known as the Section 2501 Program. In total, roughly […]
Treasury Awards Announced to Help with Farm and Food Business Financing
Last week the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund announced its latest round of awards for three programs: the CDFI Program, the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program, and the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). The $224 million awarded to the 206 CDFIs around the country invests in and builds the capacity […]
Who Owns U.S. Farmland, and How Will it Change?
Earlier this month, USDA released new findings that shed some light on who exactly owns the 911 million acres of farmland in the U.S. (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), and how they are managing that land now and in the future. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Economic Research Service (ERS) jointly conducted the […]
USDA Announces $20 Million in Awards for Innovative Conservation Projects
On Tuesday, September 15, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will award $20.5 million across 45 conservation projects through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. The CIG program supports the development and testing of promising new conservation technologies and approaches, with the goal of making them available for use as quickly as […]
Groups Urge White House to Increase Support for Minority Farmers
Last week, NSAC joined over a hundred other organizations in delivering a letter to the White House, urging the President’s support for increased funding to assist minority, tribal, and veteran farmers and ranchers. Among the 113 community-based, state, and national organizations that signed onto the letter, were long-standing groups who have been working with traditionally underserved communities, […]