1. Helps the big get bigger and rich get richer Over the last three decades, American agriculture has become increasingly consolidated. As of 2015, a majority of our food (51 percent) came from farms with over $1 million in annual sales – up 20 percent since 1991. Federal policy has historically contributed to this consolidation […]
Farm Bill
RELEASE: Legislators Set Their Sights on the Future with Beginning Farmer Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Legislators Set Their Sights on the Future with Beginning Farmer Bill The Next Generation in Agriculture Act ensures America’s beginning farmers have skills, resources to succeed Washington, DC, April 26, 2018 – Today, a bipartisan coalition led by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Susan Collins […]
House Ag Committee Passes Farm Bill, Members of Congress Speak Out
The farm bill is a near trillion dollar, 600-plus page legislative package that governs all aspects of the American food and agriculture system and comes up for debate only once every five or so years. With the current farm bill expiring at the end of September, the farm bill reauthorization process has officially kicked off […]
RELEASE: House Committee’s Farm Bill Fails American Family Farmers
Editor’s Note: For a more in-depth comment on House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway’s (R-TX) draft farm bill, click here to see our pre-markup press comment. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net House Committee’s Farm Bill Fails American Family Farmers National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition disappointed, urges Congress to do better Washington, […]
RELEASE: End of Payment Limitations Would Pave Way for Further Farm Consolidation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net End of Payment Limitations Would Pave Way for Further Farm Consolidation House Draft Farm Bill proposes to eliminate annual subsidy caps, opening subsidy floodgates Washington, DC, April 16, 2018 – Included in the draft farm bill presented by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) last […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Organic Agriculture
This is the sixth and final post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Previous posts focused on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, and conservation. […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Conservation
This is the fifth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, and organic […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Research and Seed Breeding
This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Local & Regional Food and Rural Development
This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, research and seed breeding, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to be considered […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Crop Insurance and Commodity Programs
This is the second post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
This is the first post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Subsequent posts focus on: crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to be considered and […]
RELEASE: Draft Farm Bill Delivers Knock-Out Punch to “Tiny but Mighty” Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Draft Farm Bill Delivers Knock-Out Punch to “Tiny but Mighty” Programs Local/regional food system and rural development programs are among the hardest hit Washington, DC, April 13, 2018 – At a price tag of well over $800 billion dollars, the farm bill wouldn’t be considered by […]
RELEASE: The Facts About Working Lands Conservation in the House Draft Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net The Facts About Working Lands Conservation in the House Draft Farm Bill Washington, DC, April 13, 2018 – Yesterday, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) presented a draft farm bill to America’s farmers and ranchers that would eradicate the nation’s largest voluntary […]
COMMENT: American Agriculture Needs a Strong Farm Bill, Draft House Bill Doesn’t Deliver
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net American Agriculture Needs a Strong Farm Bill, Draft House Bill Doesn’t Deliver National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition urges Congress to develop a bipartisan bill Washington, DC, April 12, 2018 – Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) introduced his draft of the 2018 […]
RELEASE: Farmers and Lenders Urge Congress to Protect Loan Funding for Beginning Farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farmers and Lenders Urge Congress to Protect Loan Funding for Beginning Farmers Washington, DC, April 11, 2018 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) joined with a broad coalition of farm organizations – including National Farmers Union, Rural Advancement Foundation International, and […]
Understanding the Billions Behind the CBO Farm Bill Baseline
Every spring, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress’s official budgetary scorekeeper, publishes its ten-year projection (baseline) for government spending. CBO’s baseline covers everything funded by the federal government – including farm bill spending. Published on April 9, 2018, CBO’s baseline will now be adopted as the official baseline for the 2018 Farm Bill. If the […]
Path To The 2018 Farm Bill: Legislative Campaign Update
The coming of spring has more than just the bees buzzing; activity on Capitol Hill is also shifting into high gear as the deadline for the 2018 Farm Bill approaches. This week represents perhaps one of the few quiet periods left in the capital as Congress takes a two-week recess back in their districts – […]
A Conservation Blueprint for the Next Farm Bill
When it comes to federal support for conservation activities, family farmers have a lot at stake in the 2018 Farm Bill. Conservation programs make up one of the largest slices of the farm bill pie (third to nutrition programs and the federal crop insurance program), and support a wide range of farm, ranch, and forest […]
Final Round of “Section 2501” Funding Before Farm Bill Expires
Historically, farmers of color and military veterans have had inadequate access to and less than average rates of participation in programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These disparities have existed for a number of reasons, including inadequate outreach to these communities by USDA, and institutional discrimination. In order to better serve farmers […]
RELEASE: GROW Act to Strengthen Conservation Programs in Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net GROW Act to Strengthen Conservation Programs in Farm Bill National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition endorses conservation bill Washington, D.C. March 15, 2018 – Today, Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Give our Resources the Opportunity to Work (GROW) […]
Farmers Fly-in to Advocate on Farm Bill and Appropriations
Capitol Hill was buzzing last week with hundreds of people in town for meetings with their Congress members in advance of the next farm bill and upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations decisions. Among the crowds and long lines were 20 farmers and farm advocates in town for NSAC’s March “farmer fly-in” – grassroots events […]
RELEASE: Family Farmers Deliver Farm Bill Priorities to Congress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Family Farmers Deliver Farm Bill Priorities to Congress National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition brings 20 farmer advocates to Capitol Hill Washington, D.C., March 9, 2018 – With the next farm bill and annual agriculture funding decisions actively being debated, now is the time to amplify the voices of […]
“Section 2501” Grants Provide Essential Support to Military Veterans, Farmers of Color
Farmers of color and military veteran farmers face particularly challenging obstacles when it comes to starting and sustaining successful farm operations. One of the factors hampering the success of these farmers has been their historically limited access to federal grant, training, and resource programs. Many U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) programs exist at the federal level […]
RELEASE: Seeding a Sustainable Future for American Agriculture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Seeding a Sustainable Future for American Agriculture Seeds for the Future Act will increase support for and access to public seed breeding programs Washington, DC, March 8, 2018 – The relationship between seed and crop is a simple one – no seeds means no […]