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, […]
Farm Bill
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 […]
What’s at Stake: Organic Agriculture
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 […]
With the Farm Bill’s Future Uncertain, USDA Announces Local Food and Specialty Crop Awards
Local and regional food chains have long been part of the social and economic fabric for some American communities. With the American farm economy is in a multi-year downturn and commodity prices at historic lows, interest has peaked and family farmers nationwide are realizing that big economic opportunities can be found close to home. The […]
What’s At Stake: Farm and Rural Business Development
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 […]
Note to Congress: Be Responsible, Don’t Let the Farm Bill Expire
This month, we have been drawing attention to a set of programs that run out of funding at the end of this fiscal year, and that will cease to fund new projects and applicants if no new funding is provided. These “tiny but mighty” programs are some of the most innovative, far-reaching programs in the […]
What’s at Stake: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
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 […]
COMMENT: Support for Local Food Farm Bill Programs Builds in the House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Support for Local Food Farm Bill Programs Builds in the House NSAC applauds efforts to ensure new LAMP program is included in 2018 Farm Bill Washington, DC, September 11, 2018 – Today, 43 Congress members, led by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME), stood up […]
What’s at Stake: Local and Regional Food 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 […]
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 […]
LAMP Promises to Brighten Future for Family Farmers
With the 2018 Farm Bill moving into conference and the first conference committee meeting now set for September 5, both the House and Senate will have many difficult decisions before them. One decision that should be easy to make is the decision to support our nation’s farmers markets and local and regional food economies. Once […]
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 […]
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. […]
Celebrating Local Food by Taking Action for Family Farmers
Editor’s Note: This blog is a guest post written by Ben Feldman of the Farmers Market Coalition, a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Member group, and edited by Reana Kovalcik. Ben Feldman currently serves as the Policy Director for the national Farmers Market Coalition. He has spent his career working with farmers’ markets and the farmers […]
House and Senate Appoint Farm Bill Negotiators
The 2014 Farm Bill expires in two months. Both the House and Senate have passed their respective versions of a new farm bill, and will now begin the process of formally negotiating the two bills with the goal of finalizing a 2018 farm bill before the 2014 bill expires. For an overview of the major […]
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 […]
NSAC Members Highlight Importance of Farm Bill’s Largest Conservation Program
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is the nation’s largest conservation program and the only one that tackles resource concern protection and enhancement from a comprehensive approach. National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)’s member organizations work directly with the farmers and ranchers who utilize this program, and recently three NSAC member organizations helped tell the story […]
Senate Farm Bill Offers Hope to Sustainable Agriculture Advocates
On June 28, the Senate passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with strong, bipartisan support – 86 Senators voted in favor of passage, and only 11 against it. The Senate’s swift movement on their bill keeps hope alive that a final bill might be finished before the 2014 Farm Bill expires on September […]
COMMENT: Senate Farm Bill Paves the Way for Farmer-Forward Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Senate Farm Bill Paves the Way for Farmer-Forward Farm Bill National Sustainable Agriculture praises bill, but laments lack of action on crop insurance reform Washington, DC, June 28, 2018 – Upon passage today of the Senate farm bill, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition […]
Farmers Take Sustainable Agriculture Priorities to Congress
Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) hosted our second farmer fly-in of 2018, bringing in farmer advocates from across the country to make their priorities known on Capitol Hill. Ten growers and advocates from Alabama, California, Mississippi, Montana, Georgia, Kansas, North Dakota, Oregon, Michigan, and Vermont took time out of their busy schedules […]
COMMENT: NSAC Cheers Inclusion of “Actively Engaged” Amendment in Senate Substitute
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net NSAC Cheers Inclusion of “Actively Engaged” Amendment in Senate Substitute Washington, DC, June 27, 2018 – The inclusion of Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) “Actively Engaged in Farming” amendment in the Senate substitute package is a critical first step toward ensuring more equitable commodity […]
Senate Rejects Rescissions Cuts to Farm Bill Programs
On June 20, the Senate rejected the Administration’s rescissions package – an attempt to cut billions of much-needed dollars from vital programs, including farm bill programs – by a vote of 48-50. The House had already passed it on a party line vote, meaning that had the rescissions package made it through this initial procedural […]
Action Alert: Reforms for a Stronger Food & Farm System
The 2018 Farm Bill is on the move again! You helped us achieve some great progress over the past several months: this Senate version of the farm bill largely does right by sustainable agriculture, local food, beginning farmers and farmers of color, organics, and more. It is overall a step in the right direction on […]