FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Endorses SOIL Stewardship Act of 2018 Washington, D.C. March 6, 2018 – Few things in agriculture are more fundamental to success than healthy soil. Today, Representative Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced a bill that will make on-farm conservation easier and more accessible for family […]
Conservation, Energy & Environment
Soil Health Briefing Digs Into On-Farm Conservation
From the microorganisms down in it to the food that grows from it, farmers care deeply about the health of their soil. Cultivating and maintaining healthy soils on working lands has benefits far beyond crop production, however. The healthier the soil, the less a farmer has to use chemical inputs, which is both a cost […]
President’s Budget Proposal Threatens Food, Farm, and Nutrition Programs
The deeply problematic proposals of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget, released on Monday of this week, include devastating cuts to critical farm and food programs. The budget, if enacted, would reduce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) budget by a whopping 25 percent, from $24 billion to $18 billion. In addition to cutting […]
Regional Conservation Partnership Program: 2018 Awards and Farm Bill Opportunities
Whether we produce food, or just enjoy eating it, we all benefit from farming practices that keep our water, air, and soil clean and healthy. The path to and challenges of sustainability, however, varies greatly from region to region. In order to target resources toward the areas of greatest need and impact in each region, […]
New Resource for Conservation Stewardship Program Applicants
The deadline for those interested in the 2018 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation’s largest conservation program, is less than one month away. CSP is a valuable resource for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners interested in increasing the sustainability and long-term profitability of their lands. More than 72 million acres of farmland, ranchland, and forestland […]
Racial Equity in the Farm Bill: Recommendations and Opportunities
Editor’s Note: This blog post is the third and final post in a three-part blog series by NSAC Policy Intern Noah McDonald, which examines how the Farm Bill can take steps to advance racial equity within the food system. The first post discussed the historical context and foundations for racial inequities with the food system. […]
Hundreds of Groups Support the American Prairies Conservation Act
Earlier this month, roughly 200 conservation, agriculture, wildlife, taxpayer and sportsmen organizations signed on to a letter of support for the American Prairies Conservation Act (S. 1913, H.R. 3939), introduced by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representatives Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Tim Walz (D-MN). This […]
RELEASE: Window for 2018 Conservation Stewardship Program Enrollment Opens
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Window for 2018 Conservation Stewardship Program Enrollment Opens National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition urges farmers to apply before the March 2018 deadline Washington, DC, January 18, 2018 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that farmers and ranchers […]
RELEASE: Healthy Fields and Farm Economies Act to Strengthen Federal Conservation Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Healthy Fields and Farm Economies Act to Strengthen Federal Conservation Programs National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds effort by Representatives Faso (R-NY) and Fudge (D-OH) Washington, DC, January 10, 2018 – The Healthy Fields and Farm Economies Act, a bipartisan bill introduced today in the […]
Welcome Back Congress: New Year, Long To-Do List
Less than two weeks into the new year, and Congress already has an incredibly full plate. Both the House and Senate return to work this week (the Senate has officially been back since last week), and will need to immediately dig in their massive to-do lists, not least of which include finalizing fiscal year (FY) […]
RFA Roundup: Funding Opportunities in the New Year
The New Year may have just started, but there are already many federal funding opportunities available for eligible farmers, ranchers, non-profits, and universities. Several of these opportunities opened last year and have rapidly approaching deadlines. Others have been more recently posted, and you may have missed the Request for Application (RFA) announcement during the end-of-year […]
USDA Commits $10 Million to Support Conservation Innovation
In the United States, we face very serious environmental issues, including water quality impairment, climate change, soil loss, and the decline of wildlife species. Farmers and ranchers have a critical role to play in addressing these challenges, and many have been using on-farm conservation systems for years. As conservation threats and challenges evolve, however, so […]
PRESS COMMENT – Organic Agriculture, Soil Health, and Sustainable Grazing Prioritized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Organic Agriculture, Soil Health, and Sustainable Grazing Prioritized in FY 2018 Conservation Innovation Grants Washington, DC, December 18, 2017 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for supporting organic farmers, grazing lands conservation, and soil health opportunities […]
Iowa Cover Crop Initiative Offers “Good Farmer Discount” on Crop Insurance
Editor’s Note: This blog is a guest post written by Ann Y. Robinson, Agriculture Policy Director for the Iowa Environmental Council, an NSAC member organization. Cover crops are catching on in Iowa. Over the last decade, farmers in the state have significantly increased the acreage of cover crops; as of 2016 an estimated 600,000 acres […]
NSAC Special Report: Conservation Stewardship Program
In just under a decade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has enrolled over 87 million acres of farmland, ranchland, and forestland in conservation contracts. According to preliminary enrollment data, over 72 million acres are currently enrolled in CSP active contracts – combined that’s a landmass equal to the entire size […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Comprehensive Conservation Reform
Editor’s Note: On October 24, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released its 2018 Farm Bill policy platform, An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill, which provides a comprehensive vision for a more sustainable farm and food system based on the recommendations and experience of American family farmers and the organizations that represent them. This is the third post […]
Farmers Answer the “Call to Farms”
Last week, farmers from across the nation descended upon Washington, DC for NSAC’s first 2018 Farm Bill “fly-in”. NSAC’s farmer fly-ins provide farmers and farm/food advocates with the opportunity to speak with directly with decision makers in Congress about the issues that most affect their lives, businesses, and communities. On November 8th, NSAC held our […]
RELEASE: Farmers Take the Fight for the Farm Bill to the Capitol
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754 rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farmers Take The Fight for the Farm Bill to the Capitol National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition leads farmer/advocate fly-in in advance of 2018 Farm Bill Washington, D.C., November 8, 2017 – This week, 20 farmers and farm advocates representing 13 agricultural states flew into Washington D.C. as part […]
Pocket Guide Outlines How Agriculture Can Help Stave Off Climate Catastrophe
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Brian DeVore of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP), a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition member organization. Brian manages media and communications for LSP, and is the author of “Soil Health, Water & Climate Change: A Pocket Guide to What You Need to Know“. At a time of skyrocketing water […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: A Comprehensive Approach to Food and Farm Policy
Editor’s Note: On October 24, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released its 2018 Farm Bill policy platform, An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill. NSAC has been a leader in agricultural policy for over 30 years, and has been instrumental in helping to develop some of our nation’s most successful agricultural programs for conserving […]
RELEASE: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Releases 2018 Farm Bill Platform
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Releases 2018 Farm Bill Platform Washington, DC, October 24, 2017 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released its comprehensive 2018 Farm Bill policy platform, An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill. NSAC has been a leader in […]
Land Tenure Provision Provides Opportunities for Current and Future Farmers
For producers enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Land Tenure Provision provides an opportunity to bring land back into production and give a hand up to the next generation. The Land Tenure Provision, which is only available for the least environmentally sensitive CRP acres, incentivizes producers to transfer (by […]
Clock Ticking On FY 2018 Appropriations
The end of the fiscal year (September 30) has come and gone, and with fiscal year (FY) 2017 funding levels extended through December 8, the time Congress has to negotiate final spending levels for FY 2018 is quickly running out. There is a lot on the line in this appropriations package for farmers and consumers […]
RELEASE: NSAC Endorses American Prairies Conservation Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Kanika Gandhi, 202-547-5754, kgandhi@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Endorses American Prairies Conservation Act Washington, DC, October 4, 2017 – The American Prairies Conservation Act, a bipartisan bill introduced today by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Representatives Kristi Noem (R-SD) […]