FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Paul Wolfe, (202) 547-5754, pwolfe@sustainableagriculture.net New Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Insurance Policy Aims for Diversified Farms November 6, 2014, Washington, DC – Diversified farmers will now have access to a improved crop insurance option with USDA’s release today of the new Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) crop insurance policy. This will be the first […]
Press Releases
Release: New Report Finds Farmers Harmed by Decline in Nation’s Public Seed Supply
New Report Finds Farmers Harmed by Decline in Nation’s Public Seed Supply Contact: Juli Obudzinski, (202) 547-5754, jobudzinski@sustainableagriculture.net October 31, 2014, Washington, DC — A much-anticipated analysis of the state of our country’s plant and animal breeding infrastructure and seed supply was released today, marking the first such analysis in over ten years. The proceedings […]
Release: FDA’s Revised Draft Food Safety Rules for Farms Responsive to NSAC’s Concerns
FDA’s Revised Draft Food Safety Rules for Farms Responsive to NSAC’s Concerns Contact: Sophia Kruszewski, 202-547-5754, skruszewski@sustainableagriculture.net September 19, 2014, Washington, D.C. – Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued revised proposed regulations aimed at ensuring a safe food supply under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FDA is inviting a new round of […]
Release: Deadline Approaches to Renew Conservation Stewardship Program Contracts
The contract renewal window for 2010 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) enrollees closes September 12. … Read More →
Release: Grant Awards for Farm Business Development Announced by USDA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Eugene Kim, Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 Grant Awards for Farm Business Development Announced by USDA Washington, D.C., August 19, 2014 – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that over 247 farm businesses from 46 states, Puerto Rico, and Micronesia will receive $25 million in grants from the 2014 round of the Value-Added Producer […]
Release: NSAC Recommends Climate Solutions through Farm Bill Conservation Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sophia Kruszewski or Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Recommends USDA Actions to Address Climate Change through Farm Bill Conservation Program Implementation June 25, 2014, Washington, DC – On the one-year anniversary of the President’s Climate Action Plan, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) announces the availability of a document that articulates principles […]
Release: USDA Announces Funding for New Conservation Partnership Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Greg Fogel, Senior Policy Specialist National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754 Meg Kelly, Program Manager Mississippi River Network 414-460-2265 USDA Announces Funding for New Conservation Partnership Program May 27, 2014 Washington, DC – Today, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack issued an Announcement of Program Funding (APF) for the newly created Regional Conservation Partnership […]
Release: Time to Apply for Local Farm and Food Grants and Loan Guarantees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Eugene Kim, Greg Fogel, or Ferd Hoefner – 202-547-5754 May 8, 2014, Washington, DC – Today, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced changes to two initiatives from the 2014 Farm Bill to support local and regional farm and food systems. Projects to benefit from the changes include direct-to-consumer marketing outlets such […]
Release: Funding Restored For Beginning Farmer Training Programs
News Release: USDA has announced the availability of $19 million in funding for beginning farmer training grants through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). … Read More →
Release: USDA Value-Added Producer Grants Deadline Extended with Veteran Priority Included
Release: Value-Added Producer Grants Deadline Extended with Veteran Priority Included Washington, DC, March 25, 2014 – Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development agency announced a two week extension for grant applications for the Value-Added Producer Grant program. The extension, published in today’s Federal Register, was made necessary by changes to the program included […]
Release: NSAC Applauds USDA Efforts to Aid Mid-Scale Farms and Regional Agriculture
For Immediate Release March 10, 2014, Washington, DC – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced several initiatives to assist small and mid-scale farms and local and regional agriculture. Among the highlights were two initiatives — changes to the Farm Storage Facility Loan program and the creation of Whole Farm Diversified Risk Management revenue insurance […]
Release: NSAC Honors Iowan and Harkin Staff Member Mark Halverson
Release: NSAC Honors Iowan and Harkin Staff Member Mark Halverson February 21, 2014, Washington, DC – Iowan and staff member for Senator Tom Harkin, Mark Halverson, was honored January 29 at the annual meeting of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) for his decades-long leadership in the service of family farming, agricultural conservation, and progressive […]
Release: NSAC Statement on Farm Bill Final Passage
Release: NSAC Statement on Farm Bill Final Passage Contact: Ferd Hoefner, fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net January 28, 2014, Washington, DC – The farm bill reported by the conference committee renews funding for a number of important programs that were left stranded by last year’s farm bill extension, but fails to make much-needed reforms in the structure of farm […]
Release: NSAC Statement on Farm Bill Payment Limit Reform
Release: NSAC Statement on Farm Bill Payment Limit Reform Washington, DC, January 23, 2014 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition issued the following statement and analysis today on the status of payment limitations for commodity programs in the farm bill: “The issue of payment limitations for commodity programs is one of the very few remaining […]
Release: Food and Drug Administration Announces Changes To Be Made to FSMA Rules
For Immediate Release December 19, 2013 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 or fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net Food and Drug Administration Announces Changes To Be Made to FSMA Rules Washington, D.C., December 19, 2013 – The Food and Drug Administration announced today that it will be making significant changes to two of its proposed rules to implement the Food Safety […]
Release: Cover Crops and Crop Insurance – What’s the Connection? Webinar Announced
For Immediate Release Contact: Jeff Schahczenski, 406-494-4572 or jeffs@ncat.org Sophia Kruszewski, 202-547-5754 or sophia@sustainableagriculture.net National Webinar Announced on New USDA Cover Crop Termination Policy December 10, 2013 – The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will host an important national webinar on January 23, 2014, to discuss the […]
Release: Farm Bill Loophole Closure Under Attack
For Immediate Release December 5, 2013 For more information: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 Release: Farm Bill Loophole Closure Under Attack Washington, DC, December 5, 2013 – Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, issued the following statement today regarding the ongoing farm bill conference negotiations: “Rumor has it that a sticking point in the […]
Release: USDA Launches 2014 Sign-up for CSP – NSAC Provides Enrollment Information for Farmers
For Immediate Release Contact: Sophia Kruszewski or Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754 USDA Launches 2014 Sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program – NSAC Provides Helpful Enrollment Information for Farmers and Farm Groups Washington, DC, December 4, 2013 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced the start of the 2014 enrollment process […]
Release: Funding and Resources Now Available for Farm Value-Added Projects
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 25, 2013 Contact: Ms. Eugene Kim, Policy Specialist, 202-547-5754 Funding and Resources Now Available for Farm Value-Added Projects Washington, DC, November 25, 2013 – In conjunction with today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture inviting applications through its Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program, and in order to assist producers with the application process, the National […]
Release: NSAC Submits Comments to FDA on Proposed Food Safety Regulations
For Immediate Release NSAC Submits Comments to FDA on Proposed Food Safety Regulations Washington, DC, November 21, 2013 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has submitted comprehensive comments to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed regulations for produce safety and for preventive controls for facilities that manufacture human food. NSAC also submitted comments […]
Release: NSAC Congratulates Farm to School Grant Awardees in 42 States and DC
NSAC Congratulates Farm to School Grant Awardees In 2009, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition launched a campaign to convince Congress to establish and fund a Farm to School grant program at USDA. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 invested $40 million in the new program. Today, USDA announced the Fiscal Year 2014 grant recipients. […]
Release: NSAC Comment on Senator Grassley’s Release of the GAO Report on Farm Subsidy Waste and Abuse
For Immediate Release October 8, 2013 For more information: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 Release: NSAC Comment on Senator Grassley’s Release of the GAO Report on Farm Subsidy Waste and Abuse Washington, D.C., October 8, 2013 – Today, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that details continuing serious problems with the implementation […]
Release: Now is the Time for Farmers and Concerned Consumers to Comment on Massive New Food Safety Regulations
For Immediate Release October 3, 2013 For more information: Ariane Lotti, 202-547-5754 Now is the Time for Farmers and Concerned Consumers to Comment on Massive New Food Safety Regulations Washington, DC, October 3, 2013 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) launched a campaign to improve deeply flawed federal food safety regulations that will […]
Release: FDA Begins Much-Needed Environmental Impact Process for Produce Safety Regulations
Release: FDA Begins Much-Needed Environmental Impact Process for Produce Safety Regulations Washington, DC, August 16, 2013 – Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed produce safety regulations released for public comment in January. Initially, the agency decided that it did […]