Yesterday, NSAC submitted comments to USDA in response to a request for information about how farmers who raise genetically engineered (GE) crops and those who don’t can better coexist as neighbors. NSAC’s was one of the over 4,000 comments that were submitted on the topic by yesterday’s deadline. The challenges associated with coexistence have significant […]
General Interest
USDA Releases Updated “Food Environment Atlas”
Last week, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) released an updated and expanded Food Environment Atlas, with 2012 data for many variables and 2013 data for farmers’ markets. New variables include SNAP policy variables, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), very low household food security, and 2012 State-level obesity rates. The Food Environment Atlas […]
2018 Farm Bill: NSAC Campaigns
Redirect link for NSAC’s 2018 Farm Bill campaigns.
FDA Talks to Congress about FSMA Implementation
This week, two events took place on the Hill focused on the ongoing implementation process of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Mike Taylor, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, who is leading the implementation of FSMA, served as the primary FDA representative at both events. Briefing on […]
NSAC Members Set 2014 Agenda as Farm Bill Passes in the House
This week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) held its winter meeting at the historic Thurgood Marshall Center in Washington, D.C., where over 80 representatives of member organizations met to propose, discuss, and decide on priorities for the coming year. It was an exciting instance of NSAC and national processes directly coinciding, with the long-awaited […]
Webinar to Discuss Interstate Market Access for Small Meat and Poultry Processors
The Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will be presenting a webinar on the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program. The Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Program was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill with the purpose of expanding market opportunities for small meat and poultry […]
Farm Bill Fits and Starts
The New Year hopes for quick action on a new five-year farm bill in the first half of January are fading as negotiations on certain issues stall. At the beginning of this week, the House and Senate lead negotiators were making progress on a compromise bill, and there were rumors of a possible meeting on […]
Growing State Support for Farm to School Activities Shown in New Legislative Survey
Earlier this week, the National Farm to School Network, an NSAC member group, released a survey of farm to school-related legislation from around the country that has been proposed or enacted by states since 2002. Conducted jointly with Vermont Law School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems, the survey is an update to a similar […]
USDA to Hold Webinar on VAPG and Food Hubs
The USDA Rural Development National Office will host a training webinar on “VAPG and Food Hubs,” on Monday, December 16th at 1:00 pm EST. This informational webinar will present an overview of the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program, focusing on key eligibility and program requirements for food hubs. VAPG is a competitive federal grants program […]
Mixed Reactions to New FDA Regulations for Antibiotic Use
FDA has released new regulations intended to combat antibiotic resistance by curbing the use of medically important antibiotics in livestock production. The voluntary guidance to drug manufacturers and livestock producers would phase out the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion, currently a common practice in the livestock industry, and a new proposed rule would require […]
Lawmakers Rated on Their Food and Farm Votes
On December 10, Food Policy Action released its 2013 National Food Policy Scorecard. The National Food Policy Scorecard was launched last year to rate members of Congress based on their positions on food and farm policy votes. Food Policy Action promotes policies that advance certain good food priorities, including supporting healthy diets, improving access to […]
Food Safety Rule Campaign Ends with a Bang
Today marks the end of a major step in the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): the public comment period for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed food safety rules — for produce safety (Produce Rule) and for facilities that manufacture food for human consumption (Preventive Controls Rule) — closes today. Since […]
Farmer Knows Best
Since 1987, ATTRA – the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service – has provided education and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, researchers, and other organizations and individuals involved in sustainable agriculture across the United States. Their wide range of educational resources include hundreds of publications, an archive of webinars and informational videos, a free telephone helpline, […]
Guest Post: Biodiversity and Conservation Enhance Food Safety
We’ve been talking a lot here at NSAC about the problems FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rules pose for sustainable agriculture. One of our biggest concerns is with how those rules treat on-farm conservation practices. Our friends at Wild Farm Alliance have put together some great information about sustainable practices that protect both the […]
New Survey Shows Food Hubs Poised for Further Growth
Earlier this week, the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems and the Wallace Center at Winrock International, both NSAC participating member groups, released the results of their 2013 National Food Hub Survey. A follow-up to an initial survey in 2011 of 45 food hubs by the National Good Food Network’s Food Hub Collaboration, this […]
CDC: “unnecessary and inappropriate” antibiotic use in livestock production linked to antibiotic resistant infections
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2013 draws attention to the harmful public health effects caused by the overuse of antibiotics, particularly in American livestock production. Antibiotics are used therapeutically in animal agriculture to treat disease, but also non-therapeutically to prevent disease and promote growth. […]
How many years does it take to write a farm bill?
Dear Supporter, It should be a no-brainer: when Congress takes on our nation’s food and farm policy, they should invest in a sustainable future and support beginning farmers, on-farm conservation, and job creation through local food and farms, right? Unfortunately, politics is trumping the best interests of both farmers and people like us. For two […]
Celebrating 25 Years and Strategizing for the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
The NSAC 2013 summer meeting participants at Visser Farms. Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) held its semi-annual member meeting in Holland, Michigan. Members convened to review priorities, plan for next steps, and engage with fellow members. The meeting was hosted by three of the seven NSAC member organizations located in Michigan — […]
New Appointments at USDA
Last night, the Senate confirmed Krysta Harden as the new Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Robert Bonnie as the new USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment. Harden previously served as Chief of Staff to Secretary Tom Vilsack and previously held posts with the National Association of Conservation Districts, the American Soybean Association, […]
FDA Still Sitting on Rule for Local Food Farmers
For Immediate Release August 1, 2013 FDA Still Sitting on Rule for Local Food Farmers On the heels of its release of two new proposed rules for imported food, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given no indication of when it plans to implement a critical piece of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) […]
A better food and farm future, starting now
Dear Supporter, When you think about the future of food, what do you want to see? If you’re like us, you want to see thriving family farms across the countryside and your choice of fresh, healthy, affordable food in your community. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives is poised to take a giant step backwards this […]
What a Win!
Dear Supporter, Guess what? Last week, the Senate heard from us – and they listened! Because of calls from grassroots advocates like you, the Senate passed an amendment – the Durbin-Coburn amendment – that takes a bold first step towards reforming ballooning crop insurance subsidies for wealthy mega-farms in the 2013 Farm Bill! Calls from […]
What a Win!
Dear Supporter, Guess what? Last week, the Senate heard from us – and they listened! Because of calls from grassroots advocates like you, the Senate passed an amendment – the Durbin-Coburn amendment – that takes a bold first step towards reforming ballooning crop insurance subsidies for wealthy mega-farms in the 2013 Farm Bill! Calls from […]
NSAC Endorses the Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013 in the House of Representatives
For Immediate Release May 10, 2013 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Endorses the Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013 Washington, DC – On Thursday, May 9, Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) introduced the Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013 (H.R. 1932) in the House of Representatives to restore integrity and fiscal responsibility to the commodity program […]