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Organic

Farmers Testify Before House Agriculture Committee on Needs of Specialty Crop Industry

March 13, 2017

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 […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Nutrition & Food Access, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

New Guide Simplifies Federal Programs for Farmers

February 17, 2017

Which U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies have programs that are tailored to meet the needs of diversified farming operations, organic growers, or beginning farmers? What resources are available for small- and mid-sized growers looking to reach expanding regional markets, and where can you find them? For most people, even many farmers and ranchers, the […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Organic Animal Welfare Final Rule – What It Says and What’s Next

January 27, 2017

Animal living conditions and well being have long been a key component of organic livestock production systems, including allowing animals to exhibit their natural behaviors and have access to their natural diets. However, inconsistencies in organic livestock and poultry production standards have emerged in recent times, causing confusion in the organic marketplace and jeopardizing the […]

Filed Under: Organic, Sustainable Livestock

FSA Cooperative Agreements Connect Farmers to USDA Programs

January 25, 2017

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dedicated to helping farmers start, grow, and improve their businesses. Farmers are busy people, however, and cannot always easily access information and programs from USDA. This has been especially challenging for farmers of color, military veteran farmers, women farmers, and farmers who utilize less conventional practices and […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs, Organic

How Sustainable Agriculture Advocates Can Take Action in 2017

January 24, 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 […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Food Safety, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Nutrition & Food Access, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development, Sustainable Livestock

NSAC’s Sweet 16: Top Wins for Sustainable Agriculture in 2016

December 28, 2016

If some years are rollercoasters, 2016 was more like the tilt-a-whirl – a lot of effort spent to turn just slightly in one direction or another, much spinning in circles, and a headache at the end for your trouble. Despite all the stop and starts, however, the sustainable agriculture community came out of the last […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Expanded Opportunities for Organic Certification Assistance

December 21, 2016

The annual process of organic certification can be expensive, but it is an essential step for farmers who hope to capitalize on the growing demand for certified organic foods. Organic certification cost share assistance, available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is one good option for small and mid-sized organic farmers and producers looking to […]

Filed Under: Farm Bill, Grants and Programs, Organic

RELEASE: Organic Certification Just Got Easier Thanks to Reformatted Cost Share Program

December 21, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Alyssa Charney, 202-547-5754, ACharney@sustainableagriculture.net   Organic Certification Just Got Easier Thanks to Reformatted Cost Share Program National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition praises USDA efforts to improve access to organic certification funding Washington DC, December 21, 2016 – Thanks to a newly re-positioned farmer cost share program, announced today […]

Filed Under: Farm Bill, Grants and Programs, Organic, Press Releases

$3.8 Million Available for Organic Agriculture Research

December 12, 2016

Faced with a growing demand for organic products that dramatically outstrips available supply, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. organic industry have steadily increased efforts to bring new farmers and ranchers into the fold. While some organic producers, like Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farms, are funding their own transition initiatives, many others rely […]

Filed Under: Grants and Programs, Organic

New Organic Champions Opportunity at NRCS

November 2, 2016

Conservation is in the best interest of all farmers, however, best practices for conservation can vary significantly depending on the region, type of crops or animals raised, and nature of the farming operations. Organic and transitioning-to-organic farmers have particularly unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to on-farm conservation practices. Given the unique-nature of the […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Organic

RFA Roundup: Deadlines for Federal Food and Farm Program Grants

October 28, 2016

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 […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Over $17 Million Available for Organic Research and Extension Initiative Grants

October 21, 2016

Tis the season…for grant proposals! With the new federal budget year (FY 2017) having started October 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been furiously releasing grants oportunities. Just this month USDA has announced Request for Applications (RFA) for projects to help SNAP users access more healthy foods, increase energy conservation on farms and in […]

Filed Under: Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Plant Breeding Priorities for Organic Farmers

October 12, 2016

Editor’s Note: This article is a guest blog by Kristina Hubbard, Director of Advocacy and Communications with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). OSA is a non-profit organization based in Port Townsend, WA, and a close partner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) “Seeds and Breeds” campaign work.  Reports Describe Plant Breeding Priorities for Organic Organic Seed Alliance […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Organic Farming Research Foundation Report Identifies Top Challenges Facing Farmers

October 11, 2016

  Editor’s Note: This article is a guest blog by Brise Tencer, Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). OFRF is a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) member organization based in Santa Cruz and a lead partner on our organic research policy work. The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is thrilled to announce […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Organic Research Awards Announced

September 28, 2016

Organic farmers and the organic food sector have production, marketing, and policy research and education needs just like the rest of agriculture, yet the federal investment in such research still lags behind the size of the sector. In recent farm bills and government funding bills, however, Congress has taken some steps to begin to address […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Organic Acreage Increase, But!

September 20, 2016

Organic acreage has increased 20 percent from 2014 to 2015, reaching about 4.4 million acres. A closer look at the 2015 Organic Production Survey reveals that virtually all of the increase of 691,289 acres can be attributed to a single organic operation becoming certified in September 2015. Due to the addition of this large livestock […]

Filed Under: General Interest, Organic

New Report Highlights Successes and Opportunities For Growth In Organic Research

September 1, 2016

Research is the unsung hero underpinning every aspect of successful farming. For hundreds of years farmers have driven their own research, sharing their knowledge and experience with one another and passing down tips and techniques through the generations. Today we live in an increasingly connected world, one in which farmers are no longer limited by […]

Filed Under: Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Have Access Improvements to the Federal Crop Insurance Program Gone Far Enough?

July 28, 2016

If you’re an onion farmer in Louisiana or a blueberry farmer in Iowa, the answer is most likely – no. The Federal Crop Insurance Program has gone through a host of changes since 2000 (the last time Congress passed a major stand-alone overhaul of the program), including several as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, […]

Filed Under: Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic

Guest Post: From Cover Crops to High Tunnels

July 22, 2016

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), an NSAC member organization. Their post highlights the benefits of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative, which provides financial and technical assistance to support the implementation and installation of conservation practices tailored to organic producers.  Despite the significant benefits that the Organic Initiative can […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, General Interest, Organic

Sustainable Agriculture Groups Call for Improved Organic Conservation Support

July 14, 2016

As demand for organic production continues to grow, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has enormous potential to provide support to transitioning-to-organic farmers through conservation planning and technical and financial assistance. Through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative (OI), NRCS offers important conservation supports to organic farmers, but […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Organic

New Report Highlights Need for Organic Seed Breeding

June 28, 2016

The fresh produce from your local grocery store or farmers’ market may be certified organic, but anywhere from 25-80 percent of it might not have started out that way. A recent report from the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) reveals that the organic seed industry is far from keeping pace with the growth in demand for […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Key Senators Reach Deal on GMO Labeling

June 24, 2016

Despite what feels like endless “controversy”, national polls have overwhelmingly shown that the vast majority of American consumers want the use of genetically engineered or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) noted on their food labels. Last year, however, the House of Representatives chose to disregard the overwhelming support for GE/GMO labeling and passed a bill to […]

Filed Under: General Interest, Organic

Consumer Sentiment and Supply Scalability Will Determine Future of Organic Price Premiums

June 3, 2016

  Editor’s Note: For more information on the state of organic agriculture, see this article’s companion post: “Inter-Agency Blockages Threaten to Halt Further Progress on Organic Crop Insurance“ Consumer demand for organic products has been growing steadily – U.S. organic food sales approached an estimated $37 billion in 2015, up 12 percent from the previous year. […]

Filed Under: Organic

Inter-Agency Blockages Threaten to Halt Further Progress on Organic Crop Insurance

June 3, 2016

Editor’s Note: For more information on the state of organic agriculture, see this article’s sister post: “Consumer Sentiment and Supply Scalability Will Determine Future of Organic Price Premiums“ In just one year’s time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has more than doubled the number of organic crops that are able to […]

Filed Under: Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Organic

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