Only once every 5 years do you have the opportunity to truly change our food and farm system through the farm bill! The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 will be introduced in Congress next week – this is our chance to ensure food security for future generations and new farming enterprises that […]
Conservation, Energy & Environment
New ERS Report on Nitrogen Loss and Conservation Policy
Last week, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) released a new report entitled, Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy. The 89-page report “explores the use of nitrogen in U.S. agriculture and assesses changes in nutrient management by farmers that may improve nitrogen use efficiency.” It “reviews a number of policy approaches for improving nitrogen […]
Future of Food, Farming, and the Environment At Stake
Photo Credit: NRCS Working together, we have achieved important successes for sustainable agriculture through our advocacy on past food and farm bills. Much could be lost, or gained, now that Congress has established the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the “Super Committee.” The Super Committee is tasked with cutting at least […]
Obama Announces Deficit Reduction Plan
On Monday, September 19, President Obama unveiled a new deficit reduction plan that will reduce the deficit by an additional $3 trillion over the course of the next 10 years through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases. You can find the full report, “Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future-The President’s […]
Second Round of FY2011 Rural Energy for America Program Awards
Back on September 16, USDA announced the second round of FY2011 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loans, with over $27 million to fund more than 500 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. REAP funding is provided to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses. REAP grants can fund up to 25-percent of a […]
New Project Priority for Biomass Crop Assistance Program
On September 15, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued an Interim Rule, effective immediately, that gives Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) “Projects” a funding priority over funding for “Collection, Harvest, Storage & Transportation” (CHST) activities. The BCAP project component provides for establishment and annual payments to agricultural and forest landowners who are participating in BCAP […]
Final RCA Appraisal and New Data Viewer Released
On Thursday, September 15, USDA announced the creation of an interactive website that allows the public to view and download a variety of data from the Resource Conservation Act (RCA) Appraisal of 2011. The Appraisal, part of USDA’s implementation of the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, assesses the status of soil, water, […]
USDA and FDA Data on Antibiotic Resistance Is Deficient
Industrialized livestock and poultry operations are the major users of antibiotics and related drugs in the U.S. A Food & Drug Administration (FDA) assessment estimated that in 2009, 29 million pounds of antibiotics were given to food-producing animals. These drugs are routinely used at low doses in overcrowded Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) to […]
Congressional Supercommittee Will Shape Future of Food, Farming, and Conservation
NSAC policy associate Greg Fogel writes for Rodale Voices about the threats to organic and sustainable agriculture and the food systems movement. To find out you can stand up for the health, prosperity, and security of our food and farming system sign up for our action alert list today!
Rural Business Enterprise Grant Awards Announced
On Wednesday, September 14, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced grant awards to development organizations and producers in 40 states and Puerto Rico to promote rural job growth and business development. All together, 69 Rural Business Enterprise Grants (RBEGs) and Intermediary Relending Program loans, totaling a combined $14.7 million, will be granted through USDA to stimulate […]
Senate Agriculture Spending Bill Unveiled
On Wednesday, September 7, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its fiscal year (FY) 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill by voice vote. The Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee received an overall allocation of $19.78 billion for discretionary spending in FY 2012, translating to a $192 million reduction below the already low FY 2011 levels. The House bill passed earlier […]
Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition For Immediate Release September 7, 2011 Contact: Greg Fogel or Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program Washington, DC September 7, 2011 – Today the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) releases an updated version of our popular Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program. The Guide is intended […]
Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill Markup Set for September 7
Congress returns to Washington, DC on Tuesday with two major funding activities ahead — the deficit reduction “super committee” process and FY 2012 appropriations. The former has enormous consequences for the farm bill and the latter for the farm bill and for food, rural and agricultural spending for the coming year. Deficit Reduction Committee One […]
New ERS Conservation Articles and Report
On Monday, August 22, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) issued a new edition of its Amber Waves magazine, featuring two important agricultural conservation stories. “Reducing Agriculture’s Nitrogen Footprint: Are New Policy Approaches Needed?” is a helpful quick review by Marc Ribaudo of earlier ERS publications on nutrient management and the array of possible policies to […]
2011 Conservation Innovation Grant Awards Announced
On Monday, August 22, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the 2011 recipients of the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). Approximately $22.5 million will be awarded to 52 non-profit, private and public organizations addressing natural resource concerns in 40 states across the country. Conservation Innovation Grants leverage multi-stakeholder partnerships to address a variety of natural resource […]
New USDA Report Highlights Successes of the Wetlands Reserve Program
On Monday, August 22, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released a new publication highlighting the success of the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) over its 20-year history. The Wetlands Reserve Program According to the report, more than half of all wetland acres in the continental United States have been lost. In some states, this number […]
USDA Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Grants
On Wednesday, August 17, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $11.6 million in FY2011 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants to over 900 agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country. The grants can be used to finance up to 25-percent of the project costs, not to exceed $500,000 for renewable […]
Wild Farm Alliance and Community Alliance with Family Farmers Guide to Food Safety and Wildlife Conservation
The Wild Farm Alliance (WFA), in collaboration with Community Alliance with Family Farmers, has released a new brochure, Farming With Food Safety and Conservation in Mind, that provides an overview of how producers can co-manage the goals food safety and wildlife conservation through their farming practices. Unfortunately, outbreaks of food-borne illness in recent years have […]
Conservation Stewardship Program Update – Part III
Note: This is the third and final blog post summarizing initial data we are receiving from USDA National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) on the Conservation Stewardship Program. You can read the first blog post in this series here and the second blog post here. This blog post highlights participation of specialty crop producers and beginning, […]
Conservation Stewardship Program Update – Part II
Note: This is the second of several blog posts that summarizes initial data we are receiving from USDA National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) on the Conservation Stewardship Program. You can read the first blog post in this series here. In last week’s blog Update on the Conservation Stewardship Program – Part I we highlighted data […]
Conservation Stewardship Program Update – Part I
Note: This is the first of several blog posts that will summarize some initial data we are receiving from USDA on the Conservation Stewardship Program. In January of 2011, the third sign-up period for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) closed and in June National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Dave White reported to the House […]
New Biomass Crop Assistance Program Projects Announced
On Tuesday, July 26, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of four new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) projects. BCAP provides funding to farmers and other landowners who enter contracts to establish crops and trees suitable for use as biomass feedstock on land included in biomass project areas. Payments are made for the establishment […]
Hearing on Clean Energy, Biofuels and Rural Development
This week Congress hosted a number of advocates on Capitol Hill for briefings on the state of federal policy supporting the production of biofuels and other energy products from agricultural crops. On Wednesday July 21, the House Agriculture Committee convened a hearing to examine energy and forest programs administered by USDA. Judith Canales, Administrator of the […]
A Hard Week in Congress for Clean Water
On Tuesday, July 12, the House Appropriations Committee approved an appropriations bill for the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies that would slash the Environmental Protection Agency’s funding by 18-precent. The full House is expected to vote on the bill the week of July 25th. The bill also includes several riders to severely limit […]