Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract holders who originally signed up for the program in fiscal year (FY) 2014 are now eligible to extend their contracts for an additional year of payments. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) first announced the extension opportunity earlier this week. CSP is the only federal […]
Conservation, Energy & Environment
Climate Action Heats up in Congress – What Does it Mean for Agriculture?
Now in their second month on the job, the 116th Congress is increasingly focusing their attention on the very real effects of climate change – as well as the need to develop and advance policy solutions to address pressing climate-related threats. Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities have endured increasingly frequent and devastating natural disasters, and […]
A Closer Look at the 2018 Farm Bill: Working Lands Conservation Programs
Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts will detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Subsequent posts will focus on: local/regional food systems, nutrition incentive and anti-hunger programs, and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers. With the 2018 Farm […]
2018 Farm Bill by the Numbers
The farm bill is complex package of legislation – like other authorizing bills, the bill’s primary focus is on policies and programs, but unlike many authorization bills, the farm bill also provides direct funding for many of the programs it authorizes. Farm bill programs, therefore, have two ways to receive funding: mandatory (or direct) funding through the […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Conservation
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, and organic […]
COMMENT: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill Wins
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill WinsApplauds Congress for moving swiftly, urges President to do the same Washington, DC, December 12, 2018 – With less than a month left in the year, Congress has moved forward a bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill and […]
RELEASE: Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food Concerns remain over long-term loss in conservation funding,failure to close farm safety net loopholes Washington, DC, December 11, 2018 – After two months of negotiations, the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders yesterday released a final bill that makes […]
Leveraging Conservation Dollars: Agricultural Practices that Deliver
Editor’s Note: This guest blog was written by Duane Hovorka, Agriculture Program Director at the Izaak Walton League of America, which is a long-time member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. To download a copy of the full report, a summary, and the League’s 10 Steps to Leverage Conservation Dollars, visit the Izaak Walton League […]
Is American Agriculture Prepared to Tackle the Climate Challenge?
The 4th National Climate Assessment – “Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States,” released by the Administration just after Thanksgiving, underscores the very real climate change-related challenges that American producers can expect to face in the coming years. The extensive report includes a close examination and peer reviewed analysis of the implications for agriculture […]
Expiring CSP Contracts Now Eligible for Extension in 2019
Farmers and ranchers troubled by the uncertainty of the 2018 Farm Bill received some good news this week when the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that producers with existing Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts would be given the opportunity to renew their contracts in 2019. When the 2014 Farm […]
Insights into the Unified Regulatory Agendas of FDA, USDA, and EPA
The Trump Administration recently released a snapshot of upcoming regulatory changes: the “Fall 2018 Unified Agendas of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.” Among these, the Unified Agendas of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) include major regulatory undertakings that will significantly impact the sustainable agriculture […]
Conservation Agriculture in the Delaware River Basin: Opportunities and Challenges
With the 2014 Farm Bill officially expired without a new bill in place, the fate of key federal conservation programs is now in limbo. Although much of the Farm Bill Conference Committee’s work is being done behind closed doors, farmers and farm advocates still have time to weigh in. Additionally, it is critical that family […]
Farm Bill Myth-Busting: the Conservation Stewardship Program
With the 2014 Farm Bill now expired without an extension in place, all eyes are now on the congressional leaders heading up the Farm Bill Conference Committee. The Committee leaders, which include Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Pat Roberts (R-KS), Ranking Member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Mike Conaway (R-TX), […]
Major Differences Remain over Farm Bill Commodity Title
As we approach the September 30 expiration date for the current farm bill, the negotiations over a new bill appear to be stalled on many fronts, including big looming issues pertaining to commodity, conservation, and nutrition programs. On the commodity program front, big differences remain, including, for instance, whether or not to penalize farmers who […]
Down to the Wire for Farm Bill Extension
Just three legislative days remain for Congress to find a way to miraculously complete the 2018 Farm Bill or, barring that, to pass a temporary extension of the 2014 Farm Bill. If lawmakers opt to do neither of these things, they will kick off a series of program implementation delays that will harm farmers, communities, […]
Guest Post: Agriculture Spotlights at the Global Climate Action Summit
Editor’s Note: The post below is from NSAC member organization California Climate & Agriculture Network (CalCAN) on the recent Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, California. CalCAN is a statewide coalition that advances state and federal policy to realize the power of climate solutions offered by sustainable and organic agriculture. As highlighted in the […]
Farm Bill Negotiators Hold First Public Meeting
Growing a more just and sustainable food and farm system through the farm bill, a massive package of legislation that is passed roughly every five years, is among the main priorities of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Congressional negotiators just held their first official public meeting to discuss the nation’s next farm bill, which […]
What’s at Stake: Tiny But Mighty Farm Bill Programs
Editor’s Note: The 2014 Farm Bill expires on September 30th. If the next farm bill is not finalized before that date, numerous “tiny but mighty” farm bill programs that support family farmers and food-producing communities will effectively shut down in terms of new funding and grant opportunities for fiscal year 2019. These workhorse programs, which […]
Democratic Congress Members, NGOs Rally for Farm Bill Conservation Programs
Over 100 House Democrats sent a unified message to farm bill conferees this week – the final 2018 Farm Bill must retain critical conservation programs and environmental protections. The letter, which was led by Representatives Donald McEachin (D-VA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Jared Polis (D-CO) and signed by 104 other House Democrats, underscored to House […]
RELEASE: Major Ag States Stand to Lose Billions in Conservation Dollars Under House Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Major Ag States Stand to Lose Billions in Conservation Dollars Under House Farm Bill New report shows losers far outnumber winners if 2018 Farm Bill eliminates CSP Washington, DC, August 23, 2018 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released a new […]
Sunny in Seattle: Recapping NSAC’s 2018 Summer Member Meeting
Editor’s Note: This piece was written by NSAC Grassroots Fellow Stephanie Henry with Associate Director for Communications Reana Kovalcik. Stephanie Henry is NSAC’s Summer 2018 Grassroots Intern. After her internship, Stephanie will be returning to Fort Wayne, Indiana where she is extensively engaged in the growth and development of the regional and statewide local food systems. […]
Time Running Out to Sign up for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program
Farmers and landowners have less than one week remaining to sign-up for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP), a federal conservation program that pays farmers to install partial field conservation practices, primarily conservation buffers or wildlife habitat. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) ended a nearly yearlong freeze […]
Sustainable Agriculture Groups Awarded USDA Conservation Innovation Grants
The natural resource and environmental challenges of agriculture are constantly evolving. In order to keep pace, farmers and ranchers must continuously innovate and implement targeted solutions to the specific challenges of their region, climate, and farm type. The federal farm bill’s Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program is designed to help farmers and farmer-focused organizations to […]
NSAC’s Guide to the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Process
As we barrel toward the expiration of the 2014 Farm Bill on September 30, both the House and Senate have now passed their respective versions of what they hope will become the next farm bill. The House passed its version on June 21 by a narrow and strictly partisan margin of 213-211. The Senate passed […]