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National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

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Conservation, Energy & Environment

The Country’s Largest Climate Change Planning Effort Needs Input from Agricultural Organizations

May 22, 2023

This guest blog post, authored by Jeanne Merrill, policy consultant representing NSAC on the US EPA’s Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, discusses the states and municipalities participating in developing Climate Pollution Reduction Plans under the new Inflation Reduction Act-funded program. This is the first federal program of its kind to support the comprehensive development and implementation of plans aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Grazing Lands Awards Bolster Sustainable Conservation Practices

May 19, 2023

Last month, USDA NRCS announced awards for 49 new projects under the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). This post gives an overview of the most recent round of cooperative agreements and makes the case for why continuing to fund the GLCI is critical to ensure that all farmers and ranchers with grazing operations can access the resources they need to implement conservation on the land…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Sustainable Livestock

Release: Farmer Letter in Support of Agriculture Resilience Act Delivered to Bill Sponsor Representative Pingree

April 21, 2023

NSAC delivered to Representative Pingree (D-ME) a letter in support of the Agriculture Resilience Act. Signed by over 1,000 farmers from 48 states and Puerto Rico, the letter outlines the fundamental threat that climate change presents to agriculture. However, it also points to the ways in which agriculture offers solutions to climate change. … Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

Release: NSAC Applauds Support for Working Land Conservation Programs in Senate Subcommittee Hearing

April 20, 2023

Today, the Senate Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources held a hearing entitled: “Conservation in the Farm Bill: Making Conservation Work for Farmers and Ranchers.” Witnesses spoke about the importance of federal conservation programs that support soil health and on-farm infrastructure, and that provide streamlined access opportunities to help build future generations of farmers prepared to meet the challenges of climate change…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

Funding for Rural Energy for America Program Now Available

April 12, 2023

On March 31, USDA announced that applications for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are now open. REAP offers grants and loans for energy audits, the creation of renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency improvements. It serves farmers, rural businesses, state and local governments, tribal governments, universities, rural electric cooperatives, resource conservation and development councils, and electricity providers and transmitters. The REAP programs currently accepting proposals for funding offer assistance only to agricultural producers, small businesses, and electricity retailers, wholesalers, and transmitters…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Largest Federally-Funded Climate Change Planning Effort Gets Underway

March 30, 2023

This guest blog post authored by Jeanne Merrill, policy consultant representing NSAC on U.S. EPA’s Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, discusses plans and next steps related to EPA-funded climate planning efforts resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Local & Regional Food Systems

Release: Agriculture Resilience Act Delivers Farming’s Solutions to the Climate Crisis

March 28, 2023

Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) in both the House and Senate. The ARA outlines a farmer-focused, science-based path to agricultural climate mitigation and adaptation. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is proud to endorse this bill which delivers a bold vision for the future of agriculture. The ARA would refocus Farm Bill conservation, research, renewable energy, and rural economic development programs on climate resilience and empower farmers and ranchers eager to drive climate change solutions on the ground…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

Release: Broad Coalition of Conservation Organizations Endorses Recommendations to Strengthen Conservation in the 2023 Farm Bill

March 22, 2023

Thirty-one members of the Conservation Coalition, a group of national and regional organizations collaborating on Farm Bill conservation policy and advocacy, delivered a list of comprehensive farm bill priorities to members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

FARMERS AND ADVOCATES MARCH FOR CLIMATE ACTION IN THE 2023 FARM BILL

March 15, 2023

With the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization underway, action is necessary to ensure that the biggest piece of food and agriculture legislation in the United States advances farmer-led climate solutions, centers racial justice, and prioritizes communities over corporations. With these central tenets at the core, over 500 farmers and farmer-advocates from 40 US states and 2 territories gathered in Washington, DC last week for the Farmers for Climate: Rally for Resilience. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Guest Post: Still Closed Out

March 2, 2023

This guest post by Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, (IATP), provides an update on the federal conservation agriculture policy landscape since it’s 2021 publication, Closed Out: How U.S. farmers are denied access to conservation programs. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Release: Broad Coalition Calls on Congress to Defend Climate Spending in Conservation Programs

February 27, 2023

Advocates of conservation programs delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership calling for the defense of climate focused conservation spending in the Farm Bill. The letter, signed by 644 organizations, businesses, and farmers, makes clear to Congress that the historic investment in conservation programs made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 must be preserved in the 2023 Farm Bill. The IRA provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. … Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

IRA Rollout Begins: Conservation Program Application Dates Change

February 24, 2023

As of February 13, USDA began enrolling producers in working lands conservation programs using IRA funding. This blog post covers a few points farmers and food and agriculture system professionals need to know about how to access IRA funds in CSP and EQIP, and how these conservation programs will be affected…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Release: USDA Announces Implementation Plans for Inflation Reduction Act and Plans Around Western Water

February 13, 2023

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced plans for the implementation of the agricultural conservation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, an act that provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. NSAC welcomes the Administration’s approach that encompasses both direct greenhouse gas benefits and the many co-benefits that accompany effective conservation practices…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases

Record-High Crop Insurance Subsidies Are Unsustainable

January 27, 2023

Record-high subsidies to the federal crop insurance program are unsustainable and must be curbed in the 2023 Farm Bill…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, General Interest

DON’T HARM CROP INSURANCE, IMPROVE IT!

January 19, 2023

Barriers in program design and implementation leave small and nonconventional farmers without access to crop insurance…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Organic

NSAC’s Top 10 of 2022: A Year in Review

December 22, 2022

The end of a year signifies a time to reflect on all the most important accomplishments and tribulations of the past year. At NSAC, we had the opportunity to celebrate and find new reasons to expand our advocacy to support sustainable agriculture practices, small-scale producers, diversified farming, local food systems, and beginning and underserved farmers and ranchers. This post shares NSAC’s Top 10 accomplishments of 2022. … Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Coronavirus, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

Climate and Agriculture Policy Recommendations from House Climate Leaders

December 21, 2022

Two different bodies within the House of Representatives recently released recommendations for how to address climate change in agricultural legislation. Members of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) provided recommendations to House leadership on how to address climate change in the 2023 Farm Bill reauthorization. In addition, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (HSCCC) released a final report on its accomplishments as well as additional opportunities–including those that can be included in the next Farm Bill…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Research, Education & Extension

NSAC’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform: Building a Climate-Resilient Future

December 15, 2022

This is the fourth post in our series covering key pillars of NSAC’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform which details how conservation programs and research centered on ecologically beneficial approaches can support farmers and their communities, contributing to a climate-resilient future. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill

Release: USDA Announces Second Round of Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Awards

December 12, 2022

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the second-round awardees of the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities, a USDA effort to combat the climate crisis by partnering with agriculture, forestry, and rural communities to provide climate solutions that strengthen rural America. NSAC is pleased to see that the Administration’s latest round of awards will benefit more than 30 minority-serving institutions and more than 20 Tribal partners…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Press Releases

Big Wins on Whole-Farm Revenue Protection

October 5, 2022

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently announced significant changes to improve the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Organic

RCPP Grants: A New Take on Alternative Funding

September 2, 2022

USDA recently announced the availability of up to $40 million for nutrient management projects funded through grant agreements, called RCPP Grants. Applications for RCPP Grants will be accepted until October 31, 2022. In this post, NSAC provides background on RCPP, highlights some FY 2022 awards, and provides details on this new iteration of RCPP…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

$15 Million Available for Conservation Innovation Grants

August 25, 2022

On August 10th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of $15 million for the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. This funding is in addition to the $25 million in funding that was previously announced for on-farm trials (a CIG sub-program established under the 2018 Farm Bill), and […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Grants and Programs

Comment: NSAC Applauds USDA Investment in New Organic Transition Initiative

August 22, 2022

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued a comment applauding today’s announcement of an up to $300 million investment into the new Organic Transition Initiative. … Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Organic, Press Releases

Diversified Growing: Farmers Cultivating Community and the Necessity of Federal Funding for Farmer-led Education and Research Programs

August 22, 2022

Cultivating and substantiating farmer leadership through education and research initiatives is essential to generating an equitable and resilient food and farming system…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development, Sustainable Livestock

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