The Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network (SAAFON), the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), and Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) announced the names of three students selected to receive the 2023 Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship. Three students: Zymora Davinchi, Miles Lee, and Rodnisha Owens will each receive $5,000 awards to support their studies and bolster their ongoing efforts to advance racial equity in the food and farm system. … Read More →
Press Releases
Comment: NSAC Celebrates Introduction of the Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act
NSAC celebrates the introduction of the Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act, landmark legislation that supports the resilience and innovation of American farmers. Greater investment in publicly funded, regionally adapted, seed varieties and animal breeds will supply US farmers and producers with the tools they need to build a more resilient food system in the face of climate change. Public plant and animal breeding programs have encountered shrinking budgets, declining institutional support, increased labor and land costs, and insufficient federal investments…. Read More →
Release: Farmers and Advocates Take the Fight for the Farm Bill to the Capitol
This week, advocates and farmers from across the country came to Washington, DC to champion the federal programs important to them and their communities. Hosted by NSAC, a cohort of farmers, ranchers, and food systems advocates from 6 states met with Congressional leaders and USDA officials to encourage them to prioritize sustainable food and farm needs in the upcoming farm bill and in ongoing program implementation efforts…. Read More →
Release: 102 Groups Urge Congress to Choose Farmers over Big Meat in Ag Appropriations Bill
102 groups urge Congress to choose farmers over big meat in Ag Appropriations Bill. The letter calls out an appropriations policy rider as an “unacceptable attack” on the USDA’s ability to ensure fair competition for farmers…. Read More →
Comment: More Than Fifty Food, Farm, and Conservation Organizations Call on Congressional Appropriators to Protect Agriculture Research
A letter was sent on behalf of more than 50 food, farm, conservation, and rural organizations to Congressional Appropriators on June 9, 2023, urging them to protect publicly funded agriculture research, especially funding for USDA’s innovative climate change research.
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Subcommittee Markup of FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
NSAC is deeply disappointed to see the initial draft FY 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. There is no surer way to undermine the success of farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and In its current form, this bill represents a consequential step backward for market access, fair competition, climate resilience, equity, and food security…. Read More →
Release: Taxpayer, Farm, and Environmental Advocates Urge Congress to Reject Farm Subsidy Increases
A diverse group of taxpayer, agriculture, and environmental organizations held a press conference at the National Press Club to urge Congressional leaders to reject attempts to increase reference prices for covered commodity crops as Congress debates the farm bill. The organizations participating in the press conference included the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), Environmental Working Group (EWG), Rural Coalition, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Taxpayers for Common Sense, R-Street, and Farm Action. … Read More →
Release: USDA Announces Details of 12 Regional Food Business Centers and $420 Million for the Regional Food System Initiative
The USDA shared details of two of its programs, the Regional Food Business Centers (RFBCs) and the new Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). USDA has announced the lead organizations selected for each of the twelve RFBCs. These Centers will provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources. … Read More →
Release: Farm Safety Net House Subcommittee Hearing Yields Red Flags
The House Agriculture Committee’s General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee held a hearing entitled: “Producer Perspectives on the 2023 Farm Bill.” The two-part hearing featured 10 witnesses representing major commodity producers, who shared perspectives on federal crop insurance, commodity price support programs, disaster assistance, and access to lending. … Read More →
Release: Farmer Letter in Support of Agriculture Resilience Act Delivered to Bill Sponsor Representative Pingree
NSAC delivered to Representative Pingree (D-ME) a letter in support of the Agriculture Resilience Act. Signed by over 1,000 farmers from 48 states and Puerto Rico, the letter outlines the fundamental threat that climate change presents to agriculture. However, it also points to the ways in which agriculture offers solutions to climate change. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Applauds Support for Working Land Conservation Programs in Senate Subcommittee Hearing
Today, the Senate Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources held a hearing entitled: “Conservation in the Farm Bill: Making Conservation Work for Farmers and Ranchers.” Witnesses spoke about the importance of federal conservation programs that support soil health and on-farm infrastructure, and that provide streamlined access opportunities to help build future generations of farmers prepared to meet the challenges of climate change…. Read More →
Release: New Grant Programs Offer Targeted Funding for Food Sovereignty and Local Processing
USDA announced the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, aimed towards increasing the resilience of local food systems and investing in indigenous food sovereignty. $50 million will be available for the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat processing grant program, and $75 million for the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, both with application deadlines on July 19, 2023. … Read More →
Release: Local Farms and Food Act Introduced in Both Houses
Today, Representatives Pingree (D-ME-1), Newhouse (R-WA-4), Caraveo (D-CO-8), Tokuda (D-HI-2) and Senators Brown (D-OH), Smith (D-MN), Welch (D-VT), and Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (LFFA) in both the House and the Senate. The LFFA is a comprehensive bill that offers reforms to the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). … Read More →
Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Now Accepting Applications
NSAC, in partnership with The Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network (SAAFON), and Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) announced that applications are now being accepted for the annual scholarship in memory of the late Cynthia Hayes, co-founder and former Executive Director of SAAFON. The scholarship welcomes Black and Indigenous MANRRS-registered students interested in sustainable agriculture and how it affects Black farmer communities and food justice in the United States to apply…. Read More →
Comment: NSAC Praises Introduction of the Farmers’ Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023
NSAC applauds the introduction of the Farmers Market & Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023, which increases access to healthy local food for seniors and families with children while creating new market opportunities for local farmers. Investments like those in this bill are essential to connect the dots between local producers and local customers and can generate social and economic benefits for farmers and consumers from rural and urban communities alike. … Read More →
Release: Agriculture Resilience Act Delivers Farming’s Solutions to the Climate Crisis
Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) in both the House and Senate. The ARA outlines a farmer-focused, science-based path to agricultural climate mitigation and adaptation. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is proud to endorse this bill which delivers a bold vision for the future of agriculture. The ARA would refocus Farm Bill conservation, research, renewable energy, and rural economic development programs on climate resilience and empower farmers and ranchers eager to drive climate change solutions on the ground…. Read More →
Release: Broad Coalition of Conservation Organizations Endorses Recommendations to Strengthen Conservation in the 2023 Farm Bill
Thirty-one members of the Conservation Coalition, a group of national and regional organizations collaborating on Farm Bill conservation policy and advocacy, delivered a list of comprehensive farm bill priorities to members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees…. Read More →
Release: President Announces Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture Spending
Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration released the summary of the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), and today released additional details. The proposal for FY24 (October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024) outlines the Administration’s spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and requests $30.1 billion in discretionary funding for USDA, a $3.8 billion or 14% percent increase/decrease from last year’s enacted level. … Read More →
Release: Farmers and Advocates Rally and March for a Climate-Focused Farm Bill
Today, hundreds of farmers and food and farm systems advocates gathered for the Farmers for Climate Action: Rally for Resilience, part of a mass mobilization calling on lawmakers to prioritize climate solutions in the 2023 Farm Bill. Participants hailed from 40 US states and 2 territories. … Read More →
Release: Farmers Come to DC Asking Policymakers to Make Climate a Priority in the Farm Bill
Next week farmers, farmworkers and farmer allies will be heading to Washington D.C. to ask lawmakers to prioritize climate solutions in the 2023 Farm Bill. The Farmers for Climate Action: Rally for Resilience will highlight the need to simultaneously address climate impacts, racial justice, and needed improvements to antitrust and fair competition laws. Communities need federal support to address these challenges head on…. Read More →
Release: USDA Announces Implementation of Equity Work Under the Inflation Reduction Act and Equity Commission Outcomes
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) outlined plans to implement equity-related funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Department also presented some of the outcomes from the work of its Equity Commission…. Read More →
Release: Briefing Addresses Building Agricultural Resilience for Future Generations
NSAC, Union of Concerned Scientists, Carbon180, and the Breakthrough Institute hosted a joint briefing on how public funding for agricultural research and development (R&D) has the potential to improve sustainability and build farmer and rancher resilience in the face of increasing food system disruptions caused by climate change. … Read More →
Release: Broad Coalition Calls on Congress to Defend Climate Spending in Conservation Programs
Advocates of conservation programs delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership calling for the defense of climate focused conservation spending in the Farm Bill. The letter, signed by 644 organizations, businesses, and farmers, makes clear to Congress that the historic investment in conservation programs made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 must be preserved in the 2023 Farm Bill. The IRA provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. … Read More →
Release: USDA Announces Implementation Plans for Inflation Reduction Act and Plans Around Western Water
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced plans for the implementation of the agricultural conservation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, an act that provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. NSAC welcomes the Administration’s approach that encompasses both direct greenhouse gas benefits and the many co-benefits that accompany effective conservation practices…. Read More →