Dear Supporters, We previously reported to you that a 2011 Food and Farm Bill appeared imminent. Days before Thanksgiving the Congressional “Super Committee” failed to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget cuts. With that, the 2011 Farm Bill proposal intended for inclusion in the Super Committee’s deficit reduction bill is thus no more. The […]
Organic
USDA Appoints 5 New Members to National Organic Standards Board
On Wednesday, December 1, USDA appointed five new members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB makes recommendations to USDA on the policies and operations of the National Organic Program (NOP) that governs organic certification. The 15-member Board is comprised of four farmers, three conservationists, three consumer representatives, two processors, one retailer, one […]
Ranking Dates for EQIP Conservation Initiatives Announced
USDA has announced the 2012 ranking dates for four major conservation initiatives administered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The four initiatives are the On-Farm Energy Initiative, the Organic Initiative, the Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Initiative, and the Air Quality Initiative. NRCS will have three ranking periods in 2012 […]
The Farm Bill is Dead! Long Live the Farm Bill! – Part Two
In part one of this post, we discuss what might be next for the ongoing congressional budget debate and in turn for the new farm bill. In part two we turn to details about what was in the short-lived and now dead 2011 Farm Bill deal. What We Know About the Farm Bill that Did […]
EQIP Organic Initiative Bulletin Published
On Monday, November 14, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released the fiscal year (FY) 2012 National Bulletin on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. This bulletin provides guidance to State Conservationists for administering the EQIP Organic Initiative in FY 2012. The Organic Initiative provides funds and technical assistance to certified organic, exempt […]
Final FY 2012 Agriculture Funding Levels Agreed Upon
On Tuesday, November 15, House and Senate negotiators reached a compromise deal on a fiscal year (FY) 2012 appropriations “minibus” (H.R. 2112) which includes the FY 2012 agriculture appropriations bill. The minibus will now be sent back to both chambers of Congress for a final vote before being sent to the President for his signature […]
Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act Introduced in Congress
On Tuesday, November 1 Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and 35 original co-sponsors introduced the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act (S. 1773, H.R. 3286), a comprehensive bill intended for inclusion in the 2012 Farm Bill. As the Senate and House Agriculture Committee leadership work to finalize their farm bill proposal […]
Local and Regional Farm and Food Bill Introduced in Congress
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition For Immediate Release November 1, 2011 Contact: Helen Dombalis, Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 Local and Regional Farm and Food Bill Introduced in Congress Washington, D.C. November 1, 2011 – Today Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine and 35 original co-sponsors introduced the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs […]
“Pick Three” Action Update
Hundreds of you have called and emailed your Senators and Representatives over the last two weeks – thank you for standing up for a fair and healthy farm and food system! To remind readers of current action items, we summarized and linked three alerts below. Urgent Action Needed on the Farm Bill The food and […]
USDA announces awards on organic research
On October 25, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced 23 new grants to research and extension programs working to help organic producers and processors grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. The grants, totaling $19 million, are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through two […]
Groundbreaking Opportunity: The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act
Is supporting your local farmer, visiting your farmers market, CSA, food coop, or other local food source important to you? What about having fresh, local food for your child’s school meals? Or as a farmer or rancher, do you want to figure out ways to add value to your food products to capitalize on sales […]
Today is Food Day! Join us in this call to action
Today, Monday 24th 2011, is Food Day. Please join the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in answering this call to action. Healthy, green, fair, and affordable food is important to all Americans. Today we come together with people across the country who are hosting Food Day events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, […]
What? Food and Farm Bill Over in 9 days?
Only once every 5 years do you have the opportunity to truly transform our food and farm system through the federal farm bill. Last Monday the Agriculture Committee leadership proposed to rewrite the food and farm bill in 2 weeks – yes you heard that right, 2 weeks – this is usually a year plus […]
Agriculture Committee Leader Letter Sent to Super Committee
Over the weekend we reported the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees had not finalized their letter to the congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the Super Committee) recommended cuts to farm bill programs. That letter became final today and has been sent to the Super […]
No Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Letter Yet
The October 14 deadline for the authorizing committees of Congress to send their deficit reduction recommendations to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (often referred to as the Super Committee) has passed without a letter from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Word from the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over the farm […]
NSAC Submits Comments to FDA on Co-Management
The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) was enacted into law at the beginning of this year, and the rulemaking process for the legislation is currently underway, with the proposed rule expected to be submitted for public comment near the start of next year. The FSMA includes several provisions that are related to wildlife and […]
Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board
The October 7 edition of the Federal Register contained a notice announcing a forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The meeting will take place in Savannah, Georgia from Tuesday, November 29 through Friday, December 2, 2011. The meeting is open for public comment, and comments will be accepted until midnight Eastern Time […]
2011 Specialty Crop Block Grants Announced
On Wednesday, October 5, USDA Deputy Secretary Merrigan announced the 2011 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program awards, the sixth year of awards for this program. In total, 55 grants are being awarded for 740 initiatives totaling about $55 million. On a press call announcing the awards, Merrigan noted that “this year, similar to last year, […]
You watched it, passed it on, now you can take action!
Thanks to all of you that watched the beginning farmer and rancher video below and shared it through your social networks! The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 will be introduced in Congress next week! This is our chance to ensure food security for future generations and new farming enterprises that can bring […]
This is Our Chance – Last Chance
Only once every 5 years do you have the opportunity to truly change our food and farm system through the farm bill! The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 will be introduced in Congress next week – this is our chance to ensure food security for future generations and new farming enterprises that […]
An Extraordinary Opportunity
Who will grow food for future generations? Act now to help launch a new generation of sustainable farmers and ranchers! The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture called attention to a real worry when he asked: “Why not place the nation’s attention on the need for young farmers on the same plane as police officers and teachers? […]
Future of Food, Farming, and the Environment At Stake
Photo Credit: NRCS Working together, we have achieved important successes for sustainable agriculture through our advocacy on past food and farm bills. Much could be lost, or gained, now that Congress has established the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the “Super Committee.” The Super Committee is tasked with cutting at least […]
Congressional Supercommittee Will Shape Future of Food, Farming, and Conservation
NSAC policy associate Greg Fogel writes for Rodale Voices about the threats to organic and sustainable agriculture and the food systems movement. To find out you can stand up for the health, prosperity, and security of our food and farming system sign up for our action alert list today!
2011 National Organic Certification Cost Share Program
The National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) is now accepting State applications for 2012. States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, are eligible to apply for the program funds. Participating States will then accept applications from organic producers and handlers who need financial assistance for organic certification. The cost-share program will reimburse up […]