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National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

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Local & Regional Food Systems

Why Congress Should Mandate a Farm Credit Grant

May 15, 2023

The Farm Credit System (FCS), agriculture’s government sponsored enterprise (GSE), is a nationwide network of customer-owned lenders with a mission to support rural communities and agriculture. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) 2023 Farm Bill Platform includes a proposal that requires FCS, agriculture’s GSE, to grant 15 percent of its annual profits to support underserved producers and food systems enterprises. These grants will build upon successful programs already facilitated by some Farm Credit associations and help fulfill its mission and public mandate to serve young, beginning, and small farmers and ranchers. … Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Rural Development

Historical Perspectives on Food System Transformation

May 12, 2023

This blog post is the culmination of a fellowship research project by NSAC Grassroots Fellow Anthony Singh-Reynoso and highlights three case studies: the struggle for farmworker justice and the United Farm Workers; the necessity of community-based methods of self-sufficiency and the Freedom Farm Cooperative; and the origins of the Farm Bill and the farmer response to the Dust Bowl…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Rural Development

Release: USDA Announces Details of 12 Regional Food Business Centers and $420 Million for the Regional Food System Initiative

May 3, 2023

The USDA shared details of two of its programs, the Regional Food Business Centers (RFBCs) and the new Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). USDA has announced the lead organizations selected for each of the twelve RFBCs. These Centers will provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Local Farms and Food Act Strengthens Regional Food Economies Across the US

April 27, 2023

Senator Brown (D-OH) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (S.1205, H.R. 2723) that would offer reforms to LAMP among other programs, to respond to lessons learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, sustain investments in impacted communities, and promote a resilient local and regional food system. In this post, NSAC outlines how the bill will strengthen local and regional food systems. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Nutrition & Food Access

Release: Local Farms and Food Act Introduced in Both Houses

April 19, 2023

Today, Representatives Pingree (D-ME-1), Newhouse (R-WA-4), Caraveo (D-CO-8), Tokuda (D-HI-2) and Senators Brown (D-OH), Smith (D-MN), Welch (D-VT), and Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (LFFA) in both the House and the Senate. The LFFA is a comprehensive bill that offers reforms to the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Press Releases, Rural Development

Farmers, Communities and Congressional Leaders Seek Full Funding for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

April 13, 2023

This week, NSAC, together with over seventy organizations and farm businesses, delivered a letter to Congressional Appropriators to urge them to fully fund the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) and the urban agriculture data collection initiative. This request echoed one made by over 50 Senate and House leaders in a separate letter to agriculture appropriators. … Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems

Largest Federally-Funded Climate Change Planning Effort Gets Underway

March 30, 2023

This guest blog post authored by Jeanne Merrill, policy consultant representing NSAC on U.S. EPA’s Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, discusses plans and next steps related to EPA-funded climate planning efforts resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Local & Regional Food Systems

Comment: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Farmers’ Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023 

March 30, 2023

NSAC applauds the introduction of the Farmers Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023, which increases access to healthy local food for seniors and families with children while creating new market opportunities for local farmers. Investments like those in this bill are essential to connect the dots between local producers and local customers and can generate social and economic benefits for farmers and consumers from rural and urban communities alike. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Funding available for rural farmers and cooperatives

March 29, 2023

On March 17, 2023, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $31 million in total funding for Value-Added Producer (VAPG) projects and $3 million for Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG). The application window to apply is now open. Online applications will be accepted until May 11 for VAPG and May 16 for SDGG through grants.gov. Additional information on paper application deadlines is below. We encourage all readers to help get the word out to qualified individuals and groups…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling

USDA ANNOUNCES LATEST ROUND OF FUNDING TO SUPPORT LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PROJECTS

March 7, 2023

On February 14, The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $133 million available in competitive grant funding through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises.  The deadline to apply for the FMLFPP and RFSP program is Monday, May 2, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time via  www.grants.gov…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems

A Look at the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

March 3, 2023

This post offers a look at the status of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production’s program activities since the 2018 Farm Bill. While full implementation has yet to be fulfilled, there has been immense progress. NSAC is optimistic that the 2023 Farm Bill will continue to build upon its successes to date. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems

Guest Post: USDA’s Proposed Rule for School Meals Shines a Light on Local

February 13, 2023

Editor’s Note: This guest blog post by FoodCorps, an NSAC member, discusses the USDA’s proposed school nutrition and local sourcing guidelines to update nutrition standards for school meals. These recommendations build off of the work of school nutrition professionals to deliver nourishing food to students every day. The public comment period on the guidelines is open until April 10. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access

NSAC’s Top 10 of 2022: A Year in Review

December 22, 2022

The end of a year signifies a time to reflect on all the most important accomplishments and tribulations of the past year. At NSAC, we had the opportunity to celebrate and find new reasons to expand our advocacy to support sustainable agriculture practices, small-scale producers, diversified farming, local food systems, and beginning and underserved farmers and ranchers. This post shares NSAC’s Top 10 accomplishments of 2022. … Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Coronavirus, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

USDA announces another year of critical local food funding

December 20, 2022

USDA recently announced the 2022 Regional Food System Partnership and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion program awards, totaling $64 million through 185 grants to bolster local and regional food economies across the country. In this post, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) highlights fourteen NSAC members that were awarded a grant this year. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems

NSAC’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform: Investing in Healthy Communities

December 9, 2022

This is the second post in NSAC’s series covering key pillars of NSAC’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform, focusing on how the Farm Bill can invest in healthy rural and urban communities by strengthening the resilience of local and regional supply chains, increasing market opportunities for small and mid-sized farms and processors, enhancing job growth and local economic development through workforce development and training, and ensuring the most vulnerable have ample access to nutritious, culturally-relevant, locally-produced foods…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Rural Development

Attention All Farmers: Be Represented in US Farm Policy by Participating in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

October 25, 2022

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is gearing up to send its survey for the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Whether or not you have participated in the past, filling out the survey is an important way for every farmer in America to influence the policies and programs that impact US agriculture every day…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems, Rural Development

USDA Invests $550 Million to Assist Underserved Producers: Funding Seeks to Increase Access to Land, Capital, and Markets and to Train the Next Generation of Agricultural Professionals

October 14, 2022

USDA is making a historic new investment to fund and direct action to help underserved producers with the resources, tools, programs, and technical assistance they need to succeed in agriculture. With funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Section 1006, as amended by Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA will make available $550 million for projects that enable underserved producers to access land, capital, and markets, as well as train the next generation of agricultural professionals…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems

Comment: NSAC Applauds National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

September 27, 2022

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health ahead of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Press Releases

USDA Accepting Proposals for Regional Food Business Centers

September 15, 2022

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently announced the availability of $360 million to establish at least six new Regional Food Business Centers, envisioned to provide “coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building support to small and mid-sized farm and food businesses, with the goal of creating a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system.” Applications are due November 22, 2022…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems

Comment: NSAC Applauds USDA Announcement of Regional Food Business Centers

September 7, 2022

NSAC applauds USDA’s announcement of $400 million to establish Regional Food Business Centers. NSAC is pleased to see that USDA is structuring this critical investment in a way that builds on existing partnerships and initiatives and prioritizes resources where they are most needed. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Together at the Table: NSAC Members Reunited in Durham, NC for the 2022 Summer Meeting

August 24, 2022

For the first time in more than two years, nearly 100 members of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) traveled to Durham, North Carolina for the 2022 Summer Meeting. Meeting in person this time around (with some members joining virtually for several sessions) provided the opportunity to connect, share stories and build relationships to strengthen the coalition’s work year-round…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Sustainable Livestock

Diversified Growing: Farmers Cultivating Community and the Necessity of Federal Funding for Farmer-led Education and Research Programs

August 22, 2022

Cultivating and substantiating farmer leadership through education and research initiatives is essential to generating an equitable and resilient food and farming system…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development, Sustainable Livestock

Comment: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Farmers Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2022

August 17, 2022

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued a comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Interim Policy Director, praising the introduction of the Farmers Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2022 (HR 8707) by Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9). … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Press Releases

Comment: NSAC Responds to the Lower Food and Fuel Cost Act – H.R. 7606

June 17, 2022

NSAC applauds the House for taking decisive action to support the creation of a USDA special investigator to enforce fair-play rules in the highly concentrated meatpacking industry when they passed the Lower Food and Fuel Cost Act – H.R. 7606 on Thursday. … Read More →

Filed Under: Food Safety, Implementation & Rule-making, Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases, Sustainable Livestock

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