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NSAC News

Local & Regional Food Systems

Release: The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act Seeks to Increase Equity in USDA’s Food Purchases

December 1, 2023

The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act outlines a new, values-based approach for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase commodities that supply child, senior, and community nutrition programs across the nation. The Act also directs USDA to target technical assistance and food safety investments for small and socially disadvantaged producers and businesses to ensure they have fair access to USDA contracts. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

USDA Unveils Streamlined Local Food Funding

November 16, 2023

USDA recently announced the 2023 Regional Food System Partnership, Farmers Market Promotion and Local Food Promotion program awards. This year, AMS offered a new ‘turnkey’ application process for applicants seeking funding for a specific set of marketing and promotion activities for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion grants. This post highlights this new process and features NSAC members who were awarded a grant this year…. Read More →

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

Strengthening Local Processing Act – Critical Reasons for Support in the Farm Bill

November 2, 2023

The Strengthening Local Processing Act (SLPA) is the most comprehensive meat processing bill around, with specific provisions that address competition, demand for local products, and access to value added services in the meat processing sector. Led by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jim Baird (R-IN), this comprehensive solution to some of the greatest barriers facing independent and small-scale producers and processors has garnered strong bipartisan support, in both the House and Senate. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Competition & Anti-trust, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Sustainable Livestock

What the Expiration, and Likely Extension, of the 2018 Farm Bill Means for Food and Agriculture

October 25, 2023

On October 1, 2023, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 – more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill – expired. Thankfully, in recent days Congress has begun to turn its attention toward a much-needed extension of the 2018 Farm Bill. Yet until an extension is passed, many essential programs will continue to be impacted. This blog post takes a deep dive into the current and potential future impacts of the expired bill, examining which programs are stranded, and what it means for food and agriculture…. Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Release: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Supporting Urban & Innovative Farming Act of 2023 in the House

October 18, 2023

Representatives Alma Adams, Shontel Brown, Barbara Lee, Jonathan Jackson, Nikema Williams, Eleanor Norton, Jasmine Crockett, Danny Davis, Donald Payne Jr, Elissa Slotkin, Jamie Raskin, Josh Gottheimer, James McGovern, and Sheila Jackson Lee introduced the Supporting Urban & Innovative Farming Act. These Congressional champions join their Senate colleagues in their efforts to secure support for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, while improving content and service delivery for urban, suburban, and innovative producers throughout USDA’s service center network…. Read More →

Filed Under: Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

New but Mighty Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

September 29, 2023

Earlier this summer the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUIAP) announced a series of new investments that build on their short but impactful history since their inaugural awards in 2020. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Local & Regional Food Systems

Release: Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act Introduced in Both Houses

September 20, 2023

Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and David Valadao (R-CA-22) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act (Procurement Reform Act) in both the House and the Senate. The Procurement Reform Act directs the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a fresh produce purchasing program that prioritizes purchasing from beginning, small and mid-size, and socially disadvantaged farmers and distributes high quality produce to food insecure communities nationwide. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Senate Amendment to Restore Funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production 

September 13, 2023

NSAC applauds Senator Stabenow, Senator Heinrich and other champions as they work to restore funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Regional Centers Promote Business Development and Stronger Supply Chains

August 31, 2023

USDA AMS recently announced the selection of the twelve new Regional Food Business Centers. In this post, NSAC details the structure, regional considerations and anticipated national impact of these Centers in strengthening local and regional food systems and supply chains.  … Read More →

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

NSAC Heads to the Rockies – A Summer Meeting Recap

August 11, 2023

This year’s NSAC Summer Meeting was held last week in sunny (although unusually rainy) Boulder, Colorado. More than 100 members and NSAC staff from across the country gathered at the foothills of the Rockies to re-energize and strategize ahead of the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. Summer Meeting is one of two annual opportunities when NSAC’s nearly 150 member organizations come together in person to discuss the Coalition’s policy and grassroots priorities for the year. At more than 5,000 feet above sea level and with its endless opportunities for outdoor adventure and good food, Boulder was the perfect backdrop to get down to coalition business. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Farm Bill, General Interest, Local & Regional Food Systems

Release: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Supporting Urban & Innovative Farming Act of 2023 

July 26, 2023

Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Supporting Urban & Innovative Farming Act. This bill expands support for urban, suburban, and rural farmers through programmatic reforms to improve the content and delivery of technical assistance to urban and innovative producers, increases access to grant funds among farmers, and scales composting and food waste initiatives spearheaded by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases

Comment: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Enabling Farmers to Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act of 2023

July 26, 2023

NSAC issued a comment in response to the introduction of the Enabling Farmers to Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act, which takes significant steps to increase opportunities for local farmers to benefit from nutrition benefits. … Read More →

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

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Further Investment in Regional Meat Processing By USDA

June 29, 2023

In response to the announcement of the “Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Agricultural Producers to Promote Competition, Strengthen Food Supply Chain and Rural Economies,” NSAC stated that it welcomes a new round of investment in the local and regional meat processing industry. This investment, through its focus on regional lending, will bring new avenues of growth to rural and urban communities alike. … Read More →

Filed Under: Local & Regional Food Systems, Press Releases, Rural Development, Sustainable Livestock

Report illustrates initial success of local food purchasing agreements 

June 28, 2023

In the short time since its inception in 2021, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program has demonstrated its capacity to create economic opportunities for producers, scale regional supply chains, and deliver healthy, culturally relevant food to those in need. The Wallace Center at Winrock International, an NSAC member, recently released a report highlighting the results of initial research that evaluates the preliminary impact of USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program in communities nationwide. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, 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

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