With only six days left in the current fiscal year (FY), Congress is slowly but surely making progress on a final funding package for FY 2020. Last week, the Senate moved the ball forward by “marking up” and passing their agriculture appropriations bill out of both the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and full Senate Appropriations […]
Budget and Appropriations
RELEASE: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Urges Congress Not to Shortchange Farmers in FY 2020 Appropriations Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Urges Congress Not to Shortchange Farmers in FY 2020 Appropriations Bill Washington, DC, September 20, 2019 – Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced their funding priorities for several spending bills (including agriculture) for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Disappointingly, the Senate bill […]
Congress Returns from Recess, Another Shutdown Threat Looms
Every August, Members of Congress head home for a month long legislative break known as “August recess” – which typically spills over through the Labor Day holiday. Now that August has come and gone, Members in both the House and the Senate are returning to the capital with a full schedule ahead of them. What’s […]
COMMENT: Mandatory Farm Bill Funds Traded Away in Budget Negotiations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Mandatory Farm Bill Funds Traded Away in Budget Negotiations Washington, DC, August 1, 2019 – After months of handwringing and tense negotiations, today Congress passed – and the President is expected to sign – a two-year budget deal that sets overall funding levels […]
Two-Year Budget Deal Includes Major Offsets, Impacts Farm + Food Programs
After months of uncertainty and start-and-stop negotiations between Congress and the White House, last week congressional leaders finally announced a two-year budget agreement. In addition to setting top-line funding levels so that the government can keep running, the budget deal sets annual discretionary spending caps for defense and non-defense programs for fiscal years (FY) 2020 […]
From the Farm to the Hill: NSAC Hosts FY 2020 Farmer Fly-in
Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) brought in over a dozen farmers and advocates for the Coalition’s second “farmer fly-in” of 2019. Fly-in advocates from ten different states across the country came to DC to champion the federal programs important to them and their communities before congressional appropriators. Currently, Congress is negotiating federal […]
House Funding Bill Includes Strong Support for Sustainable Agriculture
Appropriations season is well underway in the nation’s capital, with the House clearing the way for a bill that would boost funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration for the next fiscal year, starting on September 30. The fiscal year (FY) 2020 “minibus” appropriations bill passed this week by […]
Appropriations Victories in Sight, Farmers Flock to DC to Keep Momentum Going
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionP: 202-547-5754, E: rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Appropriations Victories in Sight, Farmers Flock to DC to Keep Momentum GoingNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition fly-in participants hope to secure FY 2020 appropriations wins in final spending package Washington, D.C., June 27, 2019 – With big wins already secured for sustainable agriculture in […]
Appropriations Committee Sends Agriculture Funding Bill to House Floor
Editor’s Note: The House passed their FY 2020 minibus appropriations bill (including agriculture) 227:194 on June 24, 2019. This week, the House Appropriations Committee debated and advanced their Agriculture Appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The bill passed in Committee 29-21 along party lines, and will now be sent to the floor of the […]
Farmers and Policy-Makers Need USDA Research Agencies in Washington
On Wednesday, June 5, 2019, Congress hosted its second hearing on the proposed relocation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The issue is raising serous concern among the agriculture and research communities, as well as a growing number of Members of […]
RELEASE: House Appropriators Advance FY 2020 Agriculture Spending Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net House Appropriators Advance FY 2020 Agriculture Spending Bill National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds House appropriators for advancing FY 2020 spending bill that invests in critical priorities and would block proposed relocation of USDA research agencies Washington, DC, June 4, 2019 – This morning […]
House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Advances FY 2020 Funding Bill
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee passed its fiscal year (FY) 2020 bill just ahead of Congress’ Memorial Day recess, bringing them one step closer to providing funding for food and agriculture programs for FY 2020. The agriculture appropriations bill includes funding for a wide range of farm and food programs, including conservation initiatives, beginning farmer […]
FY 2020 Budget Update – What’s at Stake?
Congress is back from their April recess with an extensive to-do list of urgent items to be addressed. Several agenda items are tied to the annual appropriations process for fiscal year (FY) 2020, including coming to agreement on a new budget deal (no small feat!). Whether or not Congress is able to come together to […]
FY 2020 Agriculture Appropriations and Sustainable Agriculture Priorities
Members of Congress headed home this week for a two-week recess, taking a pause from the busy legislative session. In the weeks leading up to recess, Members (as well as food, agriculture, and other advocacy organizations) were rushing to send their complete funding requests for fiscal year (FY) 2020 to the House and Senate Agriculture […]
RELEASE: Leading Farm, Conservation, and Wildlife Groups Unite to Protect Conservation Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik Associate Director for Communications, NSAC 202-547-5754; rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Leading Farm, Conservation, and Wildlife Groups Unite to Protect Conservation Funding Appropriators urged to build on the farm bill’s commitment to conservation Washington, DC, April 2, 2019 – Having succeeded in protecting funding for the Conservation Title in the 2018 Farm Bill, […]
RELEASE: Farmers Look to Appropriators to Build Upon 2018 Farm Bill Victories
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionP: 202-547-5754, E: rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farmers Look to Appropriators to Build Upon 2018 Farm Bill VictoriesNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition helps farmers become champions of sustainability Washington, D.C., March 28, 2019 – Having helped successfully deliver major victories for sustainable agriculture in the 2018 Farm Bill, family farmers are keeping […]
President’s FY 2020 Budget: Sustainable Agriculture Perspective
For each year President Donald Trump has been in office, he has put forward an annual budget request to Congress that included substantial cuts to federal food and farm programming. This year was no different. Last week, the President released his fiscal year (FY) 2020 budget, which recommended slashing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) […]
RELEASE: President’s Budget Puts Agriculture Back on the Chopping Block
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net President’s Budget Puts Agriculture Back on the Chopping BlockFamily farmers, rural communities, and food insecure families face $2 billion cut to services Washington, DC, March 11, 2019 – Seemingly unphased by Congress’ resounding rejection of his previously proposed budget cuts to agriculture spending, today the President recommended […]
Sustainable Agriculture Priorities in the FY 2019 Appropriations Bill
Last week, the House and Senate were finally able to agree on and finalize spending levels for the seven remaining appropriations bills not yet signed into law – including funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The final appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2019 passed by […]
RELEASE: Long-awaited Wins for Sustainable Agriculture Finally Delivered in FY 2019 Appropriations Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Long-awaited Wins for Sustainable Agriculture Finally Delivered in FY 2019 Appropriations Bill “Minibus” increases funding for core sustainable agriculture programs, rejects Administration’s planned relocation of USDA research agencies Washington, DC, February 14, 2019 – After months of suffering through the longest government shutdown in history, America’s family farmers and ranchers are finally seeing movement on […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]