Major comprehensive federal legislation to deal with the global climate crisis is long overdue. While no bills are likely to become law this year, the time is ripe for piecing together the key components of a new law for consideration in the 117th Congress (2021-22). Even before next year, the House of Representatives will engage […]
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SBA Loan Deadline Extended — Recent Changes Make Aid a Better Fit for Farmers
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post written by the Farmers’ Legal Action Group, and updated as of April 25, 2021. Find earlier reporting from FLAG on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on their website, and find NSAC’s initial reporting on PPP on our blog. The deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program, a COVID-19 relief […]
Is There Help from Congress on the Horizon?
The Food Supply Protection Act Americans continue to grapple with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and can now see its impacts on every aspect of their own lives and on the lives of others in their community. An uncoordinated and inconsistent federal response to the pandemic has caused great harm to the most vulnerable among us […]
Enrollment Alert! Farmers Encouraged to Apply for CLEAR and CLEAR30 to Promote Healthy Waters
For better and for worse, farmers know how water flows through their land. When rain falls, it must go somewhere – usually into local streams that eventually flow into larger bodies of water such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, or the Chesapeake Bay. In recent years, there have been reports of increased […]
There is No Future for Sustainable Food and Farming Without Racial Justice
Last month, the world witnessed yet another killing of a Black person in America at the hands of police. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition grieves the murder of George Floyd and stands with those calling for justice for Mr. Floyd, for Ahmaud Arbery, for Tony McDade, for David McAtee, for Breonna Taylor, and for every […]
New Hub of Activity for Good Food Policy
In May, as the country grappled with an emerging global pandemic and unprecedented demand for food assistance, a national collaboration of organizations working on food systems and healthy food access officially launched the Nutrition Incentive Hub. Funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute for Food and […]
New Team At USDA To Help New Farmers
USDA has finally filled key new positions to ensure beginning farmers are fully supported and able to get the help they need to grow their farm…. Read More →
Farmers Impacted by COVID-19 Now Eligible to Defer FSA Loan Payments
USDA recently announced changes to federal farm loan programs that may provide immediate, short-term relief to some farmers impacted by the COVID pandemic. However, there are important details and restrictions that farmers need to know about to see if they are eligible for relief…. Read More →
What Farmers Need to Know About the USDA COVID-19 Aid Program Opening Next Week
USDA recently announced details of the new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) which will open for enrollment on May 26, 2020. CFAP will provide $16 billion in aid to farmers who suffered economic losses due to the pandemic. NSAC is glad to see relief begin to flow to farmers, but there are several shortcomings in the program that will make it more difficult for some farmers to seek relief. In this blog, we break down what farmers need to know about this new program…. Read More →
Farmers Feeding Families Act Would Prioritize Local Relief Efforts
With the official unemployment rate approaching 15 percent, the number of food insecure families is growing. This can be seen in a dramatic increase in applications for SNAP benefits and in the long lines at food banks and emergency feeding sites across the country. This difficult situation is made even worse because as the demand […]
Will the HEROES Act Rescue Farmers?
As farmers and communities across the country continue to struggle to adapt to the new normal that is life amidst a global pandemic, Congress set the stage this week for the fourth round of federal aid to combat this crisis. And while previous aid packages have addressed some of the most urgent relief, our nation’s […]
National Guide to Finding Local Food
Editor’s Note: This post was developed in spring 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so some links may be outdated or no longer active! We’re in the process of reviewing and updating it in early 2025 — but in the meantime, feel free to look around! Just do expect some broken or outdated […]
USDA COVID Aid Program Raises More Questions than Answers
USDA recently announced plans to distribute $19 billion in aid to farmers impacted by COVID, raising serious concerns about which farmers will benefit. … Read More →
A Closer Look at Legal Experts’ Helpful COVID-19 Resources for Farmers
Note: This post has been updated since its original publication and is current as of April 28. We will continue to update this post as more information becomes available. As farmers and communities across the country continue to face health, safety, and business impacts as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, many grassroots organizations […]