FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Senior Grassroots Staff Member Steps Up as New Coalition Director for National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Washington, DC, June 17, 2019 – Chair of the Organizational Council of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), Eowyn Corral, announced today the selection of the organization’s new Coalition Director. […]
General Interest
RELEASE: Kids Eat Local Act Expands School Food Options, Opportunities for Farmers
Contact:Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Anna MullenNational Farm to School Network515-210-2483, anna@farmtoschool.org Kids Eat Local Act Expands School Food Options, Opportunities for Farmers National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and National Farm to School Network welcome the introduction of legislation that will make it easier for schools to make institutional purchases from local […]
COMMENT: USDA Disregards Congress, Plans to Relocate Research Agencies to Kansas City
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net USDA Disregards Congress, Plans to Relocate Research Agencies to Kansas City, MONSAC urges Senate to take a final stand against relocation of ERS and NIFA Washington, DC, June 13, 2019 – Despite ongoing opposition from core stakeholders and multiple warnings from Congress not to proceed, […]
FY 2020 Budget Update – What’s at Stake?
Congress is back from their April recess with an extensive to-do list of urgent items to be addressed. Several agenda items are tied to the annual appropriations process for fiscal year (FY) 2020, including coming to agreement on a new budget deal (no small feat!). Whether or not Congress is able to come together to […]
$41 Million for Healthy Food Access Projects Now Available
Editor’s Note: On May 9, NIFA issued a revised RFA fixing a number of discrepancies between the RFA the program’s statute. NIFA will host a free informational webinar for interested applicants on May 15, 2019 at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. An archived version will be available on NIFA’s webpage following the webinar. More information […]
2017 Ag Census Reveals Some Bright Spots Despite Increased Farm Consolidation
Delayed by the government shutdown, last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the long-awaited 2017 Census of Agriculture. The 2017 Census surveyed nearly three million potential U.S. farms and ranches. Spearheaded by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Census remains the most comprehensive source of agricultural data for state and counties across […]
RELEASE: Agricultural Census Shows Continued Shrinking of Ag of the Middle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Agricultural Census Shows Continued Shrinking of Ag in the MiddleNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition expresses concern about increasing consolidation in agriculture, urges increased investment in Census “bright spots” like growing organic and local food sectors Washington, DC, April 11, 2019 – A new census […]
NSAC Members Convene to Set 2019 Priorities
Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)’s annual winter meeting convened over 80 coalition members from all across the country to discuss food and agriculture policy in the nation’s capital. At the four-day convening, participants selected and made plans around NSAC coalition priorities, including implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, which was signed into […]
New “Bioengineered” Labeling Rule Will Cause Further Confusion
The new year may seem off to a sluggish start with the partial government shutdown stalling programs and delaying implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, but there is some new news out there. At the end of 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) highly anticipated “GMO” labeling rule was […]
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Congress Averts Shutdown, Delays FY 2019 Appropriations Decisions
With the clock on their last Continuing Resolution (CR) quickly running down, Congress last week managed to avoid a partial government shutdown by giving their extension an extension – pushing their deadline to set spending levels from December 7 to December 21. Earlier in the year, it seemed that Congress might be able to pass […]
Congress Returns, Post-Election Agenda Looms
After months on the campaign trail, Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week with a major legislative to-do list. Among the priorities for Members in the remaining weeks of 2018 will be to finalize the overdue 2018 Farm Bill and fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations package that includes food and agriculture spending for the year. With several new Members joining the ranks of the […]
RELEASE: Congress: Don’t Forget Veterans in the Next Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Congress: Don’t Forget Veterans in the Next Farm Bill Farmer and veteran advocates praise the Senate farm bill’s Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach program Washington, DC, November 8, 2018 – Each Veteran’s Day, Americans give thanks to the millions of military veterans and […]
The 2018 Midterms: Outcomes and Impacts on Sustainable Agriculture
With 435 House and 35 Senate races on the ballot yesterday, the 2018 midterms were closely watched across the nation – not least of all by advocates of sustainable agriculture. Before heading off to the campaign trail, Congress left two major ag agenda items dangling – the 2018 Farm Bill and the fiscal year (FY) […]
Farmer Engagement Opportunity: FSA County Committee Elections
The midterm elections aren’t the only civic opportunity for farmers and ranchers this November. In addition to casting their votes for federal, state, and local elected officials, producers who participate or cooperate in a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) program are also eligible to vote in the upcoming FSA County Committee […]
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, […]
Is My Operation a “Qualified Facility” Under FDA’s Preventive Controls Rules?
Are you a small food business owner interested in a partial exemption from some of the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules? Under the Preventive Controls Rules for Human and Animal Food, a “qualified facility” is exempt from the Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls (HARPC) and the Supply Chain Program requirements. Recently, the […]
Make Sure Your Farm is Counted: 2017 Census Of Agriculture Paper Copies Due Friday!
Attention farmers and ranchers: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Census of Agriculture is a critical opportunity to have your operation counted and therefore considered when federal policies are made. The deadline for paper (mailed) copies is this Friday, June 15! Over the last year, we’ve been very pleased to see many producers proactively signing […]
NSAC Members Convene in Washington DC to Set 2018 Priorities
Last week, NSAC held its annual Winter Meeting in Washington, DC. This year’s meeting was held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University and was generously sponsored by Annie’s Homegrown, Clif Bar, Organic Valley, and Patagonia. Over 100 members representing the majority of NSAC’s 120 member organizations convened over four days in the nation’s […]
Mail Call: Be Sure to Fill Out the 2017 Census of Agriculture!
Last year, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) sent out a call to farmers to participate in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. To those farmers and ranchers who signed up to receive the census – thank you for making sure your business is counted and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has current and accurate […]
SARE Roundup: News on Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program funds farmer-driven research and education through a competitive grants program. SARE is the only competitive research grant program offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that focuses solely on sustainable agriculture; the program been supporting research in this field for nearly 30 years. SARE is administered […]
Value-Added Producer Grant Program Webinar Will Help Producers Apply for USDA Funds
Editor’s Note: Click here to watch a recording of the webinar, and here to download the powerpoint presentation. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Value-Added Producer Grant Program Webinar Will Help Producers Apply for USDA Funds National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and USDA Will Co-Host the Online Training Washington, DC, October 9, […]
NSAC Issues Immigration Statement, Urges Congress to Seek Real Solutions for Immigration Reform
In recent months, members of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) have viewed with growing concern a series of policy proposals and actions aimed at reducing the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States and maintaining the agricultural workforce without providing those individuals a mechanism for attaining legal status. These efforts not only cause […]
Say Cheese! NSAC Hosts 2017 Summer Meeting in Madison, WI
This summer, farm and food advocates have more on their minds than just vacation planning and sweet corn picking. Even though the current farm bill doesn’t expire until next September, the content of the 2018 Farm Bill is already being debated in the halls of Congress, on the farm, and in homes across the country. […]