During the 117th Congress, congressional legislators have introduced a number of bills that aim to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in agriculture and transform farms and the food system to better address climate challenges. In this post, NSAC summarizes those bills.
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CRP Signup: Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel
For more than 35 years, the Farm Bill’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has paid farmers and landowners to take highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive lands out of crop production and enroll them in conserving practices instead. Through CRP, USDA pays farmers to set aside land for grass or tree cover for a period of 10 or 15 years. This May, the Farm Service Agency announced that it had accepted over 2 million new acres into the FY22 CRP General Signup. This included more than 1.75 million re-enrolled acres, over 85% of the total accepted…. Read More →
What’s in the President’s Budget Request for Sustainable Agriculture?
The Biden-Harris Administration released the President’s Budget Request (PBR) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 on March 28, 2022. The $5.8 trillion budget request comes several months late and includes the President’s discretionary spending plans and builds on the PBR FY 2022. NSAC outlines the Administration’s proposed budget as it pertains to the sustainable agriculture community and specifically: climate and conservation, research and food safety, local food and rural development, and farm loans and beginning and socially disadvantaged producers. … Read More →
PLANS TO BOOST COMMODITY PRODUCTION A HOUSE OF CARDS
Recent executive actions and proposals in Congress to boost commodity production will only perpetuate a failing food and farming system…. Read More →
New $25 Million Funding Opportunity to Provide Technical Assistance to Underserved Farmers Closes Soon
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new investment of $25 million in grants for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Technical Assistance Investment Program (ARPTAI) – a new program to provide historically underserved farmers, ranchers and forest landowners technical support in accessing USDA programs and services…. Read More →
Recent Reports Highlight Barriers and Opportunities for Organic Farming
Organic agriculture continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors of American agriculture. Two reports from Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA), the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) and State of Organic Seed (SOS) examine organic farming challenges across the US and provide comprehensive assessments and recommendations for ensuring the ongoing growth and success of organic farming…. Read More →
Getting into the Meat of it: 2020 Small Plant Report Developments
The Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network, in cooperation with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), released a report to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in December of 2020. The report found that Small and Very Small (SVS) meat processors are underrepresented in the regulatory and policy making process and experience a disproportionately higher number of regulatory sanctions than large processors. In response, the report outlined several recommendations aimed at improving the food safety and inspection system for SVS processors. … Read More →
Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Analysis: A Few Bad Apples
Due to complicated rules, farmer skepticism, and insurance agent disinterest, the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program is not performing near its optimal potential. … Read More →
THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATION AND THE GRAZING REVOLUTION: FARMERS AND RANCHERS ASK CONGRESS TO FUND THE GRAZING LANDS CONSERVATION INITIATIVE (GLCI)
Graziers, or producers who utilize systematic grazing management in raising livestock, are making the case for the widespread adoption of pasture based practices that demonstrate synchronous benefits for both local food systems and ecosystems. The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) enters the landscape provides local and regional resources for farmers and ranchers – both established and beginning – who are interested in understanding and utilizing grazing management practices…. Read More →
Inside the FY22 Appropriations Package: Wins for Sustainable Agriculture
On March 15th President Biden signed H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, also known as the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Omnibus. In this blog post, NSAC examines the content of the FY 2022 agriculture appropriations bill and how NSAC’s appropriations priorities fared in the process…. Read More →
CSP RENEWAL DEADLINE COMING UP QUICKLY!
Did you know that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications for contract renewals in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)? CSP is a comprehensive working lands conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to actively manage and maintain existing conservation systems and to implement additional conservation activities on land in production. The deadline to apply for a renewal is fast approaching! … Read More →
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Releases New Resources for Small Processors
In February 2022, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) announced that their Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Validation webpage was updated to include validation studies that can be used to support HACCP plans for fermented products, salt-cured products, and dried products. This was based on recommendations from a 2020 report addressing guidance, tools, outreach, and responsiveness to the needs of smaller-scale meat processors…. Read More →
$19 Million Available to Support Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in 2022
USDA announced $19 million for the BFRDP in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Request for Application (RFA). Applicants have until May 19, 2022, to apply for this year’s round of grants…. Read More →
USDA Awarded $10.5 Million for Farmer Risk Management Training
In 2020 and 2021, USDA awarded almost $10.5 million to fund over 200 risk management education grants for universities and community-based organizations to help farmers learn how to better mitigate risk on their farms. Awardees included a number of NSAC members, whose projects are highlighted in our latest blog post…. Read More →
A Record $35 Million Now Available to Support Historically Underserved and Veteran Farmers
Earlier this month, USDA announced a record $35 million in funding for 2501 grants, almost $20 million more than was available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, to help organizations conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers. The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, more commonly known as the “2501 Program,” and administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), helps to ensure that historically underserved producers have equitable access to the information, programs, and opportunities that will help them to find success in agriculture. June 8, 2022 is the deadline for applications. … Read More →
USDA Opens Latest Round of Funding to Support Local and Regional Food Economy Development Projects
NSAC looks at USDA’s recently announced round of grant funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) and Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) program to build and expand local and regional food and agriculture markets. The deadline to apply for the FMLFPP and RFSP program is Monday, May 16, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Full details on the NSAC blog. … Read More →
Heart and Soil: Farmer Advocate Rosie Burroughs Calls on Congressmembers to Take Climate Action
“Anytime you want to talk about enthusiasm on soils, talk to Rosie,” affirmed Representative Jim Costa (D-CA), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. At the February 3rd hearing “Sustainability in the Livestock Sector: Environmental Gain and Economic Viability” regenerative agriculture took center stage through the eyes and voice of Rosie Burroughs, matriarch of Burroughs Family Farms in the San Joaquin Valley of California…. Read More →
Value-Added Producer Grants Are Now Open
On March 1, 2022, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $19.75 million in total funding for VAPG projects. … Read More →
New Partnerships Between USDA Climate Hubs and Cooperative Extension to Boost Climate Research
$9 million in new grants for climate-friendly research through partnerships between USDA Climate Hubs and Cooperative Extension…. Read More →
$1 billion Available for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide $1 billion in funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.) to fund pilot projects aimed at “creat[ing] market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices.”… Read More →
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM SIGNUP BEGINS JANUARY 31, 2022
For more than 35 years, the Farm Bill’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has paid farmers and landowners to take highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive lands out of crop production and enroll them instead in conserving practices. CRP signups begin January 31, 2022…. Read More →
The “Sweet Spot” for Farms to Enhance On-farm Biodiversity
In this guest blog post Patrick Baur and Kenzo Esquivel discuss their newly published study that shows how some diversified farms have found a “sweet spot” to expand their crop portfolio and adopt ecologically based practices like hedgerows or cover crops. … Read More →
Center for Rural Affairs report looks at spending under Conservation Stewardship Program
“Mapping the Money: An Analysis of Spending Under the Conservation Stewardship Program,” is a new report from the Center for Rural Affairs that traces the path of the funding, from Congress to on-the-ground conservation. … Read More →
A Year in Review: Wins and Reflections for Sustainable Agriculture in 2021
As this unpredictable year comes to a close and we look to the future, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition takes a look back at our coalition’s hard-fought wins towards building a more sustainable, equitable food and farm system in 2021…. Read More →