Dear Supporter, In the face of the most disastrous, widespread drought in a generation, what’s the worst possible thing Congress could do? Play politics with disaster aid? It’s happening. Cut conservation programs – the very ones that help farmers protect themselves from the worst ravages of drought? It’s about to happen. Help us tell Congress […]
Press Releases
USDA Announces 2012 Beginning Farmer Awards
For Immediate Release August 30, 2012 (updated August 31, 2012) Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Juli Obudzinski, 202-547-5754 USDA Announces 2012 Beginning Farmer Awards Washington, DC, August 30, 2012 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $18 million in funding to support new farmer training and education programs at the 2012 Farm Progress Show in Boone, […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Releases Applicant Resource Guide for Value-Added Producer Grants
For Immediate Release August 29, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Helen Dombalis, 202-547-5754 NSAC Releases Applicant Resource Guide for Value-Added Producer Grants Washington, DC – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition released a Farmers’ Guide to Value-Added Producer Grant Funding. This guide is being released on the heels of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement […]
NSAC Comments on House Farm Bill Extension Bill
For Immediate Release July 27, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on House Farm Bill Extension Bill NSAC vehemently opposes the dirty extension bill filed today by House majority leadership. Passage of this bill would ensure there is no action this year on the 2012 Farm Bill. It prevents agricultural reform from happening. It […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Comments on House Agriculture Committee Markup and Passage
For Immediate Release July 12, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on House Agriculture Committee Markup and Passage Washington, DC – The House Agriculture Committee voted a new farm bill out of committee early this morning by a vote of 35-11. The bill is projected to generate $35 billion in savings over the next […]
Release: NSAC Applauds House Agriculture Committee for Adopting Fudge-Fortenberry Microloan Amendment
For Immediate Release Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Juli Obudzinski, 202-547-5754 NSAC Applauds House Agriculture Committee for Adopting Fudge-Fortenberry Microloan Amendment Washington, DC – Today the House Agriculture Committee adopted by voice vote an important amendment to its draft farm bill that will authorize microlending programs within USDA. “Capital is the number one need of young […]
Release: NSAC Pleased with House Agriculture Committee Adoption of Pingree-Ellmers-Gibson Farm to School Amendment
For Immediate Release Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Helen Dombalis, 202-547-5754 NSAC Pleased with House Agriculture Committee Adoption of Pingree-Ellmers-Gibson Farm to School Amendment Washington, DC – Today the House Agriculture Committee adopted an important amendment to its draft farm bill that will authorize certain farm to school programs. “We applaud the Committee for adopting this […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Comments on House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Draft
For Immediate Release July 6, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Draft Washington, DC — Yesterday Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson released their draft farm bill ahead of the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill markup next week. The bill generates $35 billion in savings […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC BACKS PASSAGE OF SENATE FARM BILL, ENCOURAGES URGENT HOUSE ACTION
For Immediate Release June 20, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC BACKS PASSAGE OF SENATE FARM BILL, ENCOURAGES URGENT HOUSE ACTION Washington, DC – Today, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act by a vote of 64-35. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition supported passage of the farm bill as amended after three […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Pleased with Senate Farm Bill Amendment Votes
For Immediate Release June 20, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Pleased with Senate Farm Bill Amendment Votes Washington, DC – Today, the Senate voted on a series of amendments to its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. NSAC Policy Director Ferd Hoefner commented, “The bill reported by the Committee has been significantly improved these […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Comments on Proposed USDA Microloan Program
For Immediate Release May 23, 2012 Contact: Juli Obudzinski, 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on Proposed USDA Microloan Program Washington, DC – Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a proposed rule for a new microloan program that would be part of the suite of credit options available to farmers through the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The new […]
For Immediate Release: NSAC Comments on Senate Farm Bill Markup and Passage
For Immediate Release April 26, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 NSAC Comments on Senate Farm Bill Markup and Passage Washington, DC – The Senate Agriculture Committee voted a new farm bill out of committee today by a vote of 16-5. The committee bill saves $23 billion over the next ten years according to budget estimates. […]
Federal grants aim to bring local food to school tables
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2012 MEDIA CONTACT: Helen Dombalis, 202-547-5754 Federal grants aim to bring local food to school tables Program aims to sustain and grow local food producers while nourishing America’s schools WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Agriculture today announced new funding that aims to provide fresh, healthy food for children […]
Senate Bill Will Restore Common Sense Rules to Farm Subsidies
For Immediate Release March 21, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Juli Obudzinski 202-547-5754 Senate Bill Will Restore Common Sense Rules to Farm Subsidies Washington, DC March 21, 2012 – On Wednesday, March 21, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) introduced a bipartisan bill that would place a hard cap on farm payments and […]
Farming for the Future: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Releases its 2012 Farm Bill Platform
Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition released its comprehensive 2012 Farm Bill policy platform, Farming for the Future: A Sustainable Agriculture Agenda for the 2012 Food & Farm Bill. With a round of Senate Agriculture Committee hearings complete and House Agriculture Committee field hearings underway, Congress is hard at work writing a new farm bill. […]
Arkansas Farmer Testifies at Senate Agriculture Committee Local Food Hearing
Washington, DC March 6, 2012 – Arkansas farmer Jody Hardin has been selected as a witness to testify Wednesday before Senators in Washington, DC. Hardin is the sole farmer from around the country chosen to testify at an upcoming hearing held by the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on “Healthy Food Initiatives, […]
Farmers and Ranchers Travel to Washington, DC to Speak Out on the 2012 Farm Bill
Farmers Speak Out On 2012 Farm Bill — Family Farmers, Ranchers, and Food Advocates to Testify Before Congress — Washington, DC March 6, 2012 – On Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly 30 independent family farmers and ranchers from 17 states are traveling to Capitol Hill to share their stories and speak out for crucial farm bill […]
Federal Investments in Local Food Boost Economic Growth — USDA Releases Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Report and Compass
For Immediate Release February 29, 2012 Contact: Helen Dombalis, 202-547-5754 Washington, DC, February 29, 2012 – Today USDA released a comprehensive report on its Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, launched in 2009 to enhance coordination among federal programs that in various ways help to build local and regional farm and food systems. “This […]
Conservation Reserve Program’s Transition Incentive a Success
For Immediate Release February 29, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, Martha Noble 202-547-5754 Conservation Reserve Program’s Transition Incentive a Success Washington, DC February 29, 2012 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency this week announced it has allocated all the funding provided in the 2008 Farm Bill for the Conservation Reserve Program – Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP). The […]
NSAC Comment on Conservation Letter to Congress
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition For Immediate Release February 27, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 NSAC Comment on Conservation Letter Washington, D.C. February 27, 2012 — Today over 600 farm and conservation groups wrote to the leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees urging support for a strong conservation title in the 2012 Farm Bill. […]
NSAC Comments on Obama Ag and Farm Budget Proposals
For Immediate Release February 13, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, Greg Fogel 202-547-5754 Washington, D.C. February 13, 2012 — President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 budget request sent to Congress today includes a smattering of 2012 Farm Bill proposals, including most prominently the same $32 billion in 10-year farm bill cuts he issued last September and a […]
Farmers Speak to the Value of Their Value-Added Producer Grants — USDA Announces Awards Today
For Immediate Release February 3, 2012 Contact: Helen Dombalis 202-547-5754 Farmers Speak to the Value of Their Value-Added Producer Grants — USDA Announces Awards Today — Washington, DC February 3, 2012 – Today USDA announced the recipients of the most recent rounds of Value-Added Producer Grants. The awards, which cover two funding cycles, span 298 […]
Beginning Farmer Land Contract Program Launches
For Immediate Release January 19, 2012 Contact: Ferd Hoefner, Juli Obudzinski, 202-547-5754 Beginning Farmer Land Contract Program Launches Washington, DC January 19, 2012 – As of January 3, 2012, the Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Program is available nationwide. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued the final rule for this […]
2012 Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-Up Extended
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition For Immediate Release January 10, 2012 Contact: Greg Fogel or Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 Farmer Deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-Up Extended until January 27 Washington, D.C. January 10, 2012 – The cutoff date for farmers and ranchers to apply to participate in the 2012 sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program has […]