After three continuing resolutions (CR), which cumulatively delayed the fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations package by over seven months, Congress has finally reached an agreement on funding levels for the remainder of FY 2017. Despite a particularly contentious political environment, one area on which Congress was largely able to agree in the omnibus spending bill […]
Nutrition & Food Access
A Late Start Doesn’t Have to Mean a Slow Start: 10 Things Secretary Perdue Can Do Now to Support Family Farmers
On his first day on the job, Sonny Perdue – a former two-term governor and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited new Secretary – addressed two very important audiences. The first, a formal introduction to USDA staff, was an opportunity for the Secretary to lay out his general vision for the department’s next four […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Priorities for Sustainable Agriculture
Editor’s Note: As a lead up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is previewing some of the major programs and policies that advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The final post in our series, “Path to the […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Programs with Expiring Funding
Editor’s Note: As a lead up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is previewing some of the major programs and policies that advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The fourth post in our series, “Path to the 2018 […]
Farmers Testify Before House Agriculture Committee on Needs of Specialty Crop Industry
March is always a busy time in the capital. Spring in DC not only means the cherry blossom trees are about to bloom, it also means Congress and advocacy organizations are hunkering down for a frenetic policymaking schedule that starts with the annual appropriations process. In the year leading up to the expiration of the […]
RELEASE: Massachusetts Family Farmer Testifies on Importance of USDA Programs to Specialty Crop Growers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Massachusetts Family Farmer Testifies Before House Agriculture Subcommittee on Importance of USDA Programs to Specialty Crop Growers Laura Davis and her family own and operate Long Life Farm in Hopkinton, MA Washington, DC, March 9, 2017 – Today, Massachusetts farmer and President of the Board of […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
As a lead-up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is previewing some of the major programs and policies advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The first post in our series, “Path to the 2018 Farm Bill,” covers […]
Celebrate Community Supported Agriculture on National CSA Day!
You’ve probably heard about “CSA”s before, those boxes and bags of fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat that your friends or neighbors get once a week from a local farmer – but what exactly are they, and should you sign up for one? Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSAs for short, are a marketing system […]
How Sustainable Agriculture Advocates Can Take Action in 2017
With a new president and the 115th Congress recently sworn in, farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates around the country have been asking: What does this new Administration and Congress mean for agriculture and food policy? How can we most effectively advocate and continue to make change on the issues that we care about? Here at […]
CNR is Dead! Long Live CNR!
If there’s one thing time doesn’t do it is stand still – except in the case of the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR). At the end of September last year, child nutrition, farm to school, and anti-hunger advocates –including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) – were wringing our hands and lamenting the failure of […]
RFA Roundup: Deadlines for Federal Food and Farm Program Grants
The start-up of the new fiscal year (FY) means that many food and farm programs have started to get out Requests for Applications (RFAs) for their grant programs. While a flood of grant program announcements is generally good news, with so many coming out in the midst of a busy election year, it can be […]
Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentives Program Connects Low-Income Families with Healthy Options
Every family needs and deserves access to fresh, healthy foods, but for far too many Americans a healthy meal made from fresh ingredients seems like just a dream. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was designed to help assist lower-income families with food purchases, but because benefit levels are low, purchasing fresh, local produce remains […]
Congress Passes Funding Extension, Postpones Action on Child Nutrition Bill
As the 2016 fiscal year comes to a close today, Congress is heading for the doors, and in many cases back out to the campaign trail. With a packed legislative calendar and a limited number of working days in September, Congress managed to attend to some important issues (like avoiding a government shut down, […]
Comprehensive Urban Agriculture Bill Can Help Grow More Sustainable Cities
Americans’ interest in knowing more about where, by whom, and how their food is produced has been steadily building over the last decade. As the local food movement has grown, so too has interest in urban agriculture. Urban agriculture gives city dwellers a chance to purchase foods from farmers not just in their state, but […]
Millions Awarded for Local Food and Direct Market Projects
Local and regional food systems are expanding nationwide; supporting job growth in agriculture, revitalized rural and urban communities and increased consumer access to healthy sustainable local food and farm products. Developing markets for local and regionally produced food – building connections between farmers and consumers is no small task. That’s why the U.S. Department of […]
Farm to School Grant Funding Now Available
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. In March, […]
Welcome Back, Congress
Congress returns to Washington, D.C. this week with less than a month left to wrap up business for the current fiscal year (FY). Members are back in town until the end of the month, though many could leave even earlier to begin their fall campaign breaks. With so much to do in so little time, […]
Micro-Lending Can Do Big Things for Small Food Businesses
Access to capital is a barrier many small-scale food entrepreneurs face when attempting to enter into a highly consolidated market. In many cases, new entrepreneurs do not have the necessary credit to qualify for traditional lending structures, making it nearly impossible to open new ventures. Fortunately, organizations like the Feed the Hunger Foundation provide micro-loans […]
USDA Awards $16.8 Million to Increase Healthy Food Access for Low-Income Americans
Eating a nutritious diet is the cornerstone of any healthy lifestyle, but for many Americans healthy foods may seem hopelessly out of reach. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) bridges the gap between lower-income families, but benefit levels are low and make purchase of nutritionally important items like fresh fruits and vegetables difficult. The Food […]
House Passes Controversial Child Nutrition Reauthorization Amidst Growing Opposition
Eight months after the last iteration of the Child Nutrition Act expired, the House Education and Workforce Committee this week advanced a controversial Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR) out of committee. After several hours of discussion and 31 proposed amendments, the “Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016” (H.R. 5003) passed by a 20 […]
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” […]
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, […]
Senate Agriculture Committee Unanimously Approves Child Nutrition Bill
Senate Agriculture Committee takes a critical step forward by voting on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization… Read More →
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. […]