After three continuing resolutions (CR), which cumulatively delayed the fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations package by over seven months, Congress has finally reached an agreement on funding levels for the remainder of FY 2017. Despite a particularly contentious political environment, one area on which Congress was largely able to agree in the omnibus spending bill […]
Budget and Appropriations
COMMENT: NSAC Applauds Congress for Supporting Family Farmers in FY 2017 Omnibus Budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754 National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Applauds Congress for Supporting Family Farmers in FY 2017 Omnibus Budget Washington, D.C., May 1, 2017 – With this final FY 2017 spending bill, House and Senate appropriators have sent a clear message: our rural and agricultural communities need to be built up, […]
A Late Start Doesn’t Have to Mean a Slow Start: 10 Things Secretary Perdue Can Do Now to Support Family Farmers
On his first day on the job, Sonny Perdue – a former two-term governor and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited new Secretary – addressed two very important audiences. The first, a formal introduction to USDA staff, was an opportunity for the Secretary to lay out his general vision for the department’s next four […]
A Big Week Ahead for Agriculture: Decisions Will Shape the Landscape for 2018 Farm Bill
The annual process for funding federal programs — known in Washington D.C. as the appropriations cycle — should be a fairly cut and dry process of allocating money (or not) to previously authorized programs; however, in recent years the appropriations process has often been used as a backdoor method to legislate. Rumors have abounded over […]
NSAC’s FY 2018 Appropriations Priorities: Standing Up for Sustainable Agriculture
As Members of Congress prepare to take a pause from the busy legislative session and head home for a two-week recess, one thing they – as well as business, consumer, and nonprofit organizations across the country – were likely prioritizing was sending their completed budget requests for fiscal year (FY) 2018 to the House Agriculture […]
RELEASE: Over 220 Organizations Urge Appropriators to Protect Conservation Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: National Association of Conservation Districts: Whitney Forman-Cook (202) 595-9139, Whitney-Forman-Cook@nacdnet.org National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Reana Kovalcik (202) 547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Wildlife Federation: Casey Skeens (202) 797-6808, SkeensC@NWF.org Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Kristyn Brady (617) 501-6352, kbrady@trcp.org Over 220 Agriculture, Wildlife, and Conservation Organizations Urge Appropriators to Protect Conservation Funding Washington, D.C., […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Programs with Expiring Funding
Editor’s Note: As a lead up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is previewing some of the major programs and policies that advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The fourth post in our series, “Path to the 2018 […]
Senate Agriculture Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for USDA Secretary
Since January, the Senate has been holding confirmation hearings for President Trump’s cabinet nominees. On Thursday, March 23, the Senate Agriculture Committee held its confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, Sonny Perdue, the last of Trump’s cabinet nominees to be vetted by the Senate. The Committee will soon schedule […]
Appropriations on the Agenda: Farmer-Advocates Fly-in to Washington DC
Each spring, the blossoming of the district’s famous cherry blossom trees draws visitors from across the country to the nation’s capital. For a select set of dedicated advocates, however, a very different annual event brings them to DC – the annual appropriations process. Every year, Congress takes up its annual appropriations process in order to […]
RELEASE: Appropriations on the Agenda: Farmer-Advocates Fly-in to Washington DC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Appropriations on the Agenda: Farmer-Advocates Fly-in to Washington DC National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition hosts first “farmer fly-in” of FY 2018 season Washington, DC, March 17, 2017 – This week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) hosted its first “farmer fly-in” of the fiscal year (FY) 2018 season. Growers from […]
Administration’s Inaugural Budget Request Guts Food and Agriculture Programs
President Trump’s budget proposal, issued early Thursday morning, calls for draconian cuts to food and agricultural programs on a historically unprecedented scale. Adoption of the “skinny” budget – so called because it is just a few brief pages of bullet points, rather than the traditionally detailed budget proposal put forth by the President – would result in […]
PRESS COMMENT: “Skinny Budget” Misses the Mark, Ignores Needs of Rural America
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net “Skinny Budget” Misses the Mark, Ignores Needs of Rural America National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Press Comment on Trump Budget Request “The President’s first budget request misses the mark entirely when it comes to the needs of rural America,” said Greg Fogel, Policy Director at […]
Farm, Food, and Conservation Communities Urge Congress to Respect Farm Bill Process
The 2014 Farm Bill was the only reauthorization bill of the 114th Congress that voluntarily offered savings, an estimated $23 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years. Despite significant cuts made to farm bill conservation programs in that bill – roughly $4 billion over ten years, and more than $6 billion when sequestration is included […]
PRESS COMMENT: Farm and Food Groups Oppose Attempts to Reopen the 2014 Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net Farm and Food Groups Oppose Attempts to Reopen the 2014 Farm Bill Coalition asks House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees to protect mandatory funding for critical farm and food assistance programs Washington, DC, February 21, 2017 – Today, a broad alliance […]
Growing Demand for FSA Loans in 2016 Shows Importance of Credit
Editor’s Note: This is the first post of a 3-part analysis of the FSA loan program throughout FY 2016. Click here to see part 2 (on beginning farmers and ranchers) and here for part 3 (on socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers). Whether a farmer’s goal is to start up a new operation, expand their farm, […]
How Sustainable Agriculture Advocates Can Take Action in 2017
With a new president and the 115th Congress recently sworn in, farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates around the country have been asking: What does this new Administration and Congress mean for agriculture and food policy? How can we most effectively advocate and continue to make change on the issues that we care about? Here at […]
$252 Million for Conservation Partnerships in FY 2018
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the results of the fiscal year (FY) 2017 competition for conservation project funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). As we reported in a previous post, USDA’s investment of $225 million was met with a non-federal investment of $500 million from a variety of local […]
NSAC’s Sweet 16: Top Wins for Sustainable Agriculture in 2016
If some years are rollercoasters, 2016 was more like the tilt-a-whirl – a lot of effort spent to turn just slightly in one direction or another, much spinning in circles, and a headache at the end for your trouble. Despite all the stop and starts, however, the sustainable agriculture community came out of the last […]
Congress Prepares to Pass Funding Extension, Includes Provision to Fill Farm Loan Shortfall
In order to keep the country’s lights on, Congress will need to pass – and the President will need to sign – new appropriations legislation before midnight tonight. Yesterday, the House passed a “continuing resolution” (CR) 326-96, to extend last year’s funding levels for a second time until April 28 (the first CR was passed […]
Post-Election: What’s Next for Food and Agriculture?
As we prepare for our first Administration change in eight years, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) wants to ensure that a diverse coalition of family farmers and ranchers, conservationists, and local and regional food enthusiasts have a place at the table. The election of any new President comes with many challenges and opportunities. In […]
Congress Passes Funding Extension, Postpones Action on Child Nutrition Bill
As the 2016 fiscal year comes to a close today, Congress is heading for the doors, and in many cases back out to the campaign trail. With a packed legislative calendar and a limited number of working days in September, Congress managed to attend to some important issues (like avoiding a government shut down, […]
USDA Invests in Tribal Food Business Development
Small rural businesses are vital to growing and sustaining rural jobs and economies, but starting and growing them isn’t easy. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) operates the Rural Business Development Grant Program (RBDG), which awards grants on a competitive basis to support the development and growth of rural small and emerging businesses […]
Welcome Back, Congress
Congress returns to Washington, D.C. this week with less than a month left to wrap up business for the current fiscal year (FY). Members are back in town until the end of the month, though many could leave even earlier to begin their fall campaign breaks. With so much to do in so little time, […]
Farmers Have Last Word Before Long Congressional Recess
Over the last few days, farmers from across the country have come to Washington to speak with their Senators and Representatives about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that help them employ conservation measures on their farms, create business and financial plans, and much more. With Congress set to leave town today for a […]