Since January, the Trump Administration has frozen vast swathes of federal spending under a series of Executive Orders, including at the United States Department of Agriculture. Hundreds of thousands of lawful, signed, active contracts and grants – supporting critical conservation payments, farmer technical assistance, sustainable agriculture research, market infrastructure, and so much more, and representing […]
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Rural Businesses, Farmers Lose While USDA’s Rural Energy Program is Frozen
The recent freeze to federal grants and loans has impacted countless federal programs and simultaneously left rural businesses and farmers in a lurch. Among the most impacted programs has been the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). As a result, farmers and businesses alike may be on the hook for millions of dollars of energy […]
Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds
Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an array of executive orders, a practice that has become common in recent years. However, abnormally, several of these executive orders triggered a pause on broad swaths of federal funding. As a result of this pause, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now […]
The Farm Safety Net: A Closer Look at ARC and PLC
As the 119th Congress begins, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) reauthorization is again on the agenda after numerous extensions. The farm safety net, which includes commodity support programs and federal crop insurance, is a fundamental component of any farm bill. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has long supported a federal […]
Sifting Through the 2024 Spending Deal, and Looking Ahead to 2025
The 2024 calendar year ended with a flurry of Congressional activity. In the early morning of December 21, 2024, Congress passed, and the President signed the American Relief Act, averting a government shutdown. Beyond extending government funding, the American Relief Act also included – and excluded – numerous policy provisions that will bring lasting impacts […]
2024 Year in Review: Key Wins, Challenges, and What’s Next for Sustainable Agriculture
There’s no such thing as a ‘quiet’ year when it comes to federal food and farm policy, and 2024 proved to be no exception! As the year comes to a close, we are reflecting on the progress we have made toward building a more resilient and equitable farm and food system. Amidst endless delays in […]
Sowing impact: Latest crop of LAMP awards continue to bolster farm economies
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced $33.5 million in awards that will strengthen and improve access to local and regional food markets by investing in a diverse range of businesses, organizations, markets, and communities. This latest announcement of funds for 113 projects across 43 states is a part of the Agricultural Marketing Service’s […]
Census of Agriculture Reveals the Promise of Regional Food Systems
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has promoted the sale of foods locally for over two decades via business and community investments made by Value-Added Producer Grants, Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Grants, and most recently Regional Food System Partnership grants. However, the impact of these investments has only recently been better understood […]
Guest Post: Is the Future of Organic Food at Risk? Research Funding Holds the Answer
Editor’s Note: This blog post is a guest post authored by Gordon Merrick, Senior Policy and Programs Manager at the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Mark Schonbeck, Research Associate, also at OFRF, which is an NSAC member. The world is increasingly recognizing the value of sustainable food systems, and organic agriculture plays a vital role in […]
A Regional Approach Creates Fairer Competition
Editor’s Note: This blog post is the third in a series taking a deeper look at how federal market opportunities support the success of efficient regional food systems. Part one details USDA’s recent supply chain infrastructure investments and how they have equipped regional processors and distributors. Part two describes the essential role that community partners […]
Stewarding Success: How Did CSP Perform in My State?
EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 3, 2024, NSAC released Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]
Stewarding Success: CSP Renewals Suffered in the 2018 Farm Bill Period
EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]
Stewarding Success: Enhancing Access for Underserved Farmers in CSP
EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]
Stewarding Success: IRA Funding is Cultivating New Conservation Acres and Farmers
EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]
Stewarding Success: Conservation Stewardship Program
EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including […]
Path to the Farm Bill: Expanding Access to Credit
Editor’s Note: This post is the sixth post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Sustainable and Organic Research
Editor’s Note: This post is the fifth post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given […]
Promising Conservation Results in the 2022 Agricultural Census
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part blog series. Our first post in this series explored initial themes from the Census, while this post offers a deeper dive into conservation practices. Our next post in the series will explore what the Census shows us about local and regional food systems. In early 2024, […]
Government Funding and Farm Bill’s Future Top Congress’ September To-Do List
On September 9, 2024, Congress will be back in session in Washington, DC for the first time since early August. Yet, their return will be short lived. In an election year, Members of Congress spend all of October and early November in their states and Congressional districts. In total, Congress will be in session for […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Increasing Access and Affordability in Local Food Systems
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and our recommended […]
Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 4
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm Food and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA), which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on Friday, May 24. The first post details an overview of the markup process, the bill as a whole, and its likely (or […]
Summer in Saint Paul: NSAC Members Meet, Reenergize in Minnesota
NSAC members gathered once again for our annual summer Coalition meeting, this time on the banks of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota on August 5-8, 2024. Over the course of the meeting, NSAC members and staff strategized collectively about current campaigns and future Coalition activities. NSAC members also had the chance to hear […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Crop Insurance Access
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and […]
Path to a New Farm Bill: Securing Resources for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and […]