National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

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

House Child Nutrition Bill Supports Farm to School, But Big Issues Remain

Local & Regional Food Systems

House Child Nutrition Bill Supports Farm to School, But Big Issues Remain

Representative Todd Rokita (R-IN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education of the full House Education and Workforce Committee, recently introduced the long-awaited and highly-anticipated House Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization bill (CNR). The House bill, filed on April 20, 2016, is titled the “Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016” […]

Give NSAC the Scoop on Your On-Farm Manure Usage

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and our members are surveying produce farmers to better understand how they use and apply untreated or raw manure on their farms. Between now and June 3, 2016, we are collecting anonymous information to develop comments for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to aid in their development of […]

Upcoming DEADLINES for Federal Food and Farm Grant Programs

As warmer weather settles in, farmers are busy planting crops, livestock are grazing on pasture, and farmers markets across the country are once again full of shoppers. All of this activity means spring is finally here – it also means that deadlines for a variety of federal farm and food grant programs are fast approaching! […]

New Local Food Survey Needs Farmer Input

Data is crucial for any well functioning market. Producers, investors and consumers need to understand market trends and dynamics in order to make sound business decisions. This is as true for farmers and ranchers as it is for Wall Street executives. However, despite being an over $12 billion a year industry, the local and regional […]

RELEASE: Food LINC Initiative Connects Rural Farmers with Urban Buyers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Wes King, 202-547-5754, wking@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, gfogel@sustainableagriculture.net Food LINC Initiative Connects Rural Farmers with Urban Buyers USDA Initiative Designed to Strengthen Local and Regional Food Systems WASHINGTON, DC, March 31, 2016 – Today, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and 15 philanthropic […]

New USDA Initiative Aims to Build Capacity and Strengthen Local Food Systems

For local and regional food systems to thrive, farmers and rural producers increasingly need to access customers in urban areas and be able to offer products that meet their unique needs and demands. “Value chains” and “value-adding” have long been solutions to this problem. Value-adding is simply the process by which farmers and producers are […]

Farm to School Programs Invest in Future of Our Children and Our Family Farmers

Farm to school programs are a win for kids, farmers, and communities. They empower our children and their families by informing them about their food system and giving them the tools and confidence to make healthy choices. At the same time they support local farmers financially by connecting them to new market opportunities. On Tuesday, […]

New Funding Available for Local and Regional Food Systems

APPLICATION DEADLINE is this week – 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 12, 2016 Local and regional food systems are expanding nationwide. These systems create new economic opportunities for small and mid-sized family farmers, increase consumer access to fresh and healthy food, and improve rural livelihoods. Over the past decade, local and regional food systems have […]

Direct Marketing and Local Food the Focus of House Agriculture Committee Hearing

Farmers, ranchers, and advocates from across the country gathered yesterday, February 2, 2016, to speak with members of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research about their experiences in direct farmer to consumer marketing, farm to institution marketing, and other local food strategies. The subcommittee convened six expert witnesses, with support from […]

Innovative Grazing Apprenticeship Program Attracts Young Farmers  

The aging of America’s farmer population has become of increasing concern in the last several decades as older farmers retire without a new generation ready to take their place. Given the challenges inherent in farm life– hard work, high risk, and unreliable earnings– younger generations have been leaving rural areas for more secure career opportunities, […]

Child Nutrition Act Markup Finally On the Calendar

  Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) have announced the highly anticipated Senate markup for the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR). The markup of the Senate’s draft bill, the Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016, is scheduled for next Wednesday, January 20th at 10 a.m. […]

What’s Up with USDA Food Labels? Changes Made to USDA Process Verified Program

This is the first in an occasional series we will be doing to report on some recent and pending changes to USDA food labeling programs. The fate of mandatory GMO labeling may still be unknown, but some companies are already using voluntary non-GMO labels through a third party certification or verification service, such as the U.S Department […]

Representative Pingree Takes on Food Waste

On Monday, December 7, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) introduced the Food Recovery Act (H.R. 4184) to curb food waste across the entire food system. She publicly announced the bill earlier the same day at the Portland Food Co-op in Portland, Maine. The Food Recovery Act targets food waste in four areas: farms, retail and restaurants, schools and other institutions, […]

Congress Reverses Crop Insurance Reform; Agriculture Appropriations and Nutrition Decisions Loom

Last week, Congress voted to reverse several basic reforms to the federal crop insurance program – reforms that both the House and Senate agreed to as part of a two-year budget deal signed into law by the President back in late October. That budget deal required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to renegotiate its […]

Farm to School Awards Made Just as Congress Faces Last Chance to Pass A New Child Nutrition Bill

On Tuesday, November 17, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $4.8 million in grants for 74 projects in 39 states through the USDA Farm to School Grant Program for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The Farm to School Grant Program promotes healthy kids through nutritious school meals and snacks from local and regional producers […]

Farm-Identified Turkey Operation Aided by Value-Added Grant

This post is the third in a series highlighting Value Added Producer Grants awarded in 2015. Visit our first post for an overview of this year’s awards, and our  second post  for another producer profile. This post features Peter Stone of Stonewood Farm in Orwell, Vermont. On November 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced awards totaling […]

Value-Added Program Supports Local Meat in the Green Mountain State

This post is the second in a series highlighting Value-Added Producer Grants awarded in 2015. Visit our first post for an overview of this year’s awards. This post features Ethan Gevry of Champlain Valley Farm in Addison, Vermont. On November 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced awards totaling $34 through the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. Administered […]