Action Alert December 8, 2010 Local and Regional Food at Risk Call Your Representative Food Safety Legislation passed by the Senate and to be considered by the House as early as this week is in trouble. Big Ag is out in force, lobbying House members to ditch provisions that are friendly to small and mid-size […]
Local & Regional Food Systems
Child Nutrition Reauthorization Passes with Farm to School
On Thursday, December 2, the US House of Representatives passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, otherwise known as the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) bill, by a vote of 264 to 157. Since the bill is identical to the one passed by the Senate in August, it will now be sent to President Obama for his […]
Healthy Food Financing Initiative Introduced in House, Senate
On Tuesday, November 30, Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) introduced bills (S 3986/HR 6462) in the Senate and House, respectively, that would establish the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) within the USDA. Nine Senators and five Representatives joined as original co-sponsors. The HFFI program would improve access to healthy food in underserved […]
Local Food, Rural Development in New Issue of USDA’s “Amber Waves”
USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has released the December issue of its quarterly publication, Amber Waves. This issue has several articles that might be of interest to followers of NSAC’s work, as the articles address issues such as rural development, farm labor, and local food systems. Click here to access the December issue of Amber […]
Specialty Crops Champion to Chair Senate Agriculture Committee
Today, November 19, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced that she will be taking the helm of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, following Sen. Kent Conrad’s (D-ND) decision to remain at the head of the Senate Budget Committee. “Agriculture is critical to Michigan’s economy,” Senator Stabenow said in a statement this morning. “I look forward to working […]
Agriculture Committees Hear Pro-GIPSA Rule Testimony from Producers
The National Farmers Union organized briefings for the Senate and House Agriculture Committees in support of the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule this week, giving committee members and staffers the opportunity to hear testimony from pork, poultry, and beef producers. The briefing panel consisted of Craig Watts, a contract poultry grower […]
National Farmers Union and R-CALF Respond to Industry-backed GIPSA Study
On Wednesday, November 10, the National Farmers Union, Ranchers-Cattleman United Legal Fund (R-CALF), and Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) held a press conference in support of the Agriculture Department’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed rule. The press conference coincided with the release of a new study by Informa Economics, commissioned by meatpacker […]
New Publication: A Sustainable Agriculture Perspective on Food Safety
On Thursday, November 11, the NSAC Food Safety Task Force released a new paper, “A Sustainable Agriculture Perspective on Food Safety,” in anticipation of the upcoming debate and vote on the Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510) when Congress returns next week and looking ahead to more food safety rules and activities at USDA and FDA […]
Child Nutrition Bill Gains Support of Representatives McGovern and DeLauro
The Child Nutrition reauthorization bill, a landmark opportunity for lawmakers to establish stronger nutrition standards in schools, improved its odds of passage in the lame-duck session of the House this week when Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) removed their opposition to the bill. DeLauro and McGovern had opposed the bill, and in […]
USDA, FDA, and Cornell University Form Produce Safety Alliance
On Thursday, November 4, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA/AMS), and Cornell University announced the creation of a public-private organization, the Produce Safety Alliance, which will provide produce growers and packagers with on-farm food safety knowledge and develop an information bank of up-to-date scientific and technical information related to on-farm […]
Call for Nominations: NRDC’s Growing Green Awards
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has announced the nomination period for its third annual Growing Green Awards, given each year to individuals who have demonstrated original leadership in the field of sustainable food and farming. A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of the following four categories: Food […]
USDA Announces Community Food Project Awards
Today, October 27, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the recipients of the 2010 Community Food Projects grants, administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grants are intended to help build community food systems and fight hunger and food insecurity in low-income communities. The $4.8 million in grant awards went to 27 […]
NIFA Announces Organic Research and Extension Grants
Today, October 27, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced 30 grants totaling over $22 million to enhance the ability of organic producers and processors grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. In announcing the awards, NIFA Director Roger Beachy noted “More and more farmers are adopting organic agriculture practices to produce […]
USDA Announces 2010 Specialty Crop Research Grants
Today, October 25, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the 28 recipients of 2010 Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grants. The SCRI, administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), was established in the 2008 Farm Bill to support the specialty crop industry through research and extension activities. Specialty crops are defined as […]
“Why Pollinators Matter” Conference Bee-gins
Today, October 20, the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) kicked off its three-day 10th Annual International Conference, “Pollinators and North American Priorities: Why Pollinators Matter: Benefits, Challenges, and Outcomes,” at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. NAPPC, which is administered by the Pollinator Partnership (P2), is a collaborative group of over 120 organizations and individuals […]
Economic Research Service to Conduct Farm to School Survey
On Friday, October 15, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) filed a notice in the Federal Register announcing its plans to conduct a nationwide survey of existing Farm to School efforts. The farm to school initiative at USDA is an effort “to connect schools (K – 12) with regional or local farms in order to serve healthy meals […]
USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program Announces 2010 Grants
On Thursday, October 14, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the 2010 grants of the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP). The program awarded 77 grants in 34 states, amounting to $4,099,897 in funding. The FMPP was first developed by NSAC in the lead up to the 2002 Farm Bill, and we have championed funding for […]
NOP Releases Draft Guidance Documents for Comment
USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) has released five draft guidance documents for public comment, according to the notice published today in the Federal Register. Comments are due by December 13, 2010, and can be submitted here. Guidance documents provide interpretations of NOP statutory and regulatory requirements in order to assist those who own, manage, or […]
Organic Agriculture Grows in Northern Tier
Organic farming grew steadily from 2005-2008 in the Ninth Federal Reserve District, which includes Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, 26 counties in northwestern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, according to an article published in the October 2010 FedGazette. The rate of acreage certified as organic grew faster than the national average in […]
Farm to School Webinar and Resources
Today, October 7, the USDA Farm to School team and the National Farm to School Network hosted a webinar, “Digging through Farm to School Resources,” which shared a bevy of useful supporting materials for state agencies, school food service administrators, farms, and non-profit organizations looking to start or expand Farm to School programs. “No need […]
USDA Announces Rural Cooperative Development Grant Recipients
USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager today announced $8.3 million in grants through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to help rural cooperatives expand economic activity in their communities. Grantees included NSAC member organization Farm to Table, Inc., of Santa Fe, NM, which received a grant for a project to improve economic […]
USDA Releases Non-Federal Rangelands Health Assessment
On Friday, October 1, USDA announced the release of a new study evaluating the health and productivity of non-federal rangelands in the western United States, which make up 21% of the total area of the lower 48 states. Findings indicate that less than 25 percent of non-federal rangelands have significant land degradation, but that non-native […]
USDA Announces $499 Million in Nationwide Community Facilities Grants
On Wednesday, September 29, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $499 million in loans and grants to a variety of investments in rural community development across the nation. A total of 280 projects in 44 states, as well as Guam and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, will receive funding. These loans and […]
Child Nutrition Reauthorization on Hold until at least November
With the adjournment of Congress late last night, among the pieces of legislation left unresolved is the Child Nutrition reauthorization bill. The bill inched closer to passage in past weeks, and the White House continues to urge lawmakers to act — see Politico’s recent article on Michelle Obama’s involvement — but those watching the progress […]