General Interest
February 22, 2021
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post written by the Farmers’ Legal Action Group. Last week, Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG) — a nonprofit law center that provides legal services to family farmers — published a new resource focused on changes in eligibility around the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. CFAP is a United States Department […]
February 17, 2021
In the waning days of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule on the undue or unreasonable preference provision, Section 202(b), of the Packers & Stockyards Act of 1921 (P&SA). Unfortunately, the rule fails to protect livestock and poultry farmers from the abusive and exploitative practices that have become […]
February 12, 2021
This is the first of several blogs which will explore the impacts of consolidation and concentration in the agriculture industry on farmers and the broader food system, as well as a path forward. The blog series is authored by NSAC Policy Fellow Billy Hackett with meaningful contributions by farmers and experts. While the first days […]
February 10, 2021
Farmers are working to improve food safety on the farm, and prepare for Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) inspections, but this requires both assistance and resources. We are excited that the Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) applications have just opened up and will provide organizations with funding to assist and help farmers and small food businesses with […]
February 10, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Daniela Solis, Communications and Development FellowThe National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)press@sustainableagriculture.net Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Now Accepting Applications The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship honors the co-founder of the first network for African American organic farmers in the United States. Washington, DC, February 10th, 2021, —Yesterday, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), in partnership […]
February 9, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Eric Deeble, Policy DirectorNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) edeeble@sustainableagriculture.net House Agriculture Committee Includes Needed Aid in Budget Reconciliation ProvisionsCOVID-19 Funding Will Assist with Farm and Food System Response and Recovery February 9th, 2021, Washington, DC — Today, the House of Representatives released the Agriculture and Nutrition title of the FY2021 Budget Reconciliation […]
February 2, 2021
Contact: Daniela Solis, Communications and Development Fellow The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) press@sustainableagriculture.net USDA Secretary of Agriculture Nominee Tom Vilsack Clears First Step Toward Senate ConfirmationNSAC Issues Comments on Secretary Vilsack’s Imminent Confirmation Washington, DC, February 2nd, 2021—Today, the Senate Agriculture Committee favorably reported out the nomination of Tom Vilsack to serve again as the Secretary […]
January 15, 2021
With the country facing an imminent government shutdown, the President finally signed the $2.3 trillion Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 on December 28th. This bill includes both badly needed emergency COVID-19 relief aid as well as regular fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations. For more information on the COVID-19 relief aspects of the bill check […]
January 15, 2021
The New Covid Bill On December 28th, President Trump signed the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020, averting a looming government shutdown. This $2.3 Trillion dollar, 5,500 page, package of funding and legislation combined a $900 billion Coronavirus response bill and a $1.4 Trillion annual appropriations bill for FY21 into a single, must-pass “omnibus.” The […]
January 12, 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) in late 2020. Like its counterpart, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), ORG supports research to improve the competitiveness of organic farming. However, ORG is distinct from OREI […]