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Research, Education & Extension

RELEASE: Agriculture Resilience Act Delivers Bold Vision for Net Zero Agriculture

April 22, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Eric Deeble National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Email: edeeble@sustainableagriculture.net  Agriculture Resilience Act Delivers Bold Vision for Net Zero Agriculture National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Applauds Trailblazing Climate and Agriculture Bill Washington, DC, April 22, 2021 – Today, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), which […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Press Releases, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development, Sustainable Livestock

Farmers Care About SARE: NSAC Hosts Virtual Annual Appropriations Fly-in

April 19, 2021

Every year, NSAC partners with coalition members to organize dozens of farmers and ranchers across the country to share their stories, ideas, and needs with Congressmembers. Marking one year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NSAC gathered once again this spring to host our third virtual farmer fly-in here (and everywhere) in DC.! Last […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Research, Education & Extension

USDA Invests Over $11 Million in Research for Small and Mid-Sized Farms

April 8, 2021

Twenty-four grants have been awarded to 20 institutions for research that would help small and medium-sized farm operators increase their competitiveness in local markets while providing greater access to food in their communities. The awards, totaling $11.5 million, are provided by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) […]

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

Guest Post: New Pasa Report Unearths Soil Health Insights

April 1, 2021

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Franklin Egan, Director of Education at Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, an NSAC member organization. This article originally appeared in March 2021 on Pasa’s blog. Our new report offers fresh insights into how farmers can improve soil stewardship to more effectively protect ecosystems and communities, better withstand severe weather, and […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Research, Education & Extension

Government Funding Bill – Sustainable Agriculture Wins

January 15, 2021

With the country facing an imminent government shutdown, the President finally signed the $2.3 trillion Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 on December 28th. This bill includes both badly needed emergency COVID-19 relief aid as well as regular fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations. For more information on the COVID-19 relief aspects of the bill check […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

New Funding Opportunity for Organic Transition and Education Research for 2021 and 2022

January 12, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) in late 2020. Like its counterpart, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), ORG supports research to improve the competitiveness of organic farming. However, ORG is distinct from OREI […]

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

Top 20 Wins (and Fights!) for Sustainable Agriculture in 2020

December 22, 2020

The end of the year is just around the corner – and what a year it has been! In these times of pain, uncertainty, reflection, and action, two things are certain: (1) our country and our world as we know it will never quite be the same, and (2) the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Coronavirus, Food Safety, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Implementation & Rule-making, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Organic, Research, Education & Extension, Sustainable Livestock

$150M for Sustainable Agriculture Research, Impacts, and Assessment

December 11, 2020

Long-term sustainable agriculture research is critical to growing and supporting every American farm, especially as farmers across the country continue to address the challenges posed by a changing climate. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS) program – initiated to enhance the sustainable production of food in the face of […]

Filed Under: Carousel, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

How the Biden-Harris Administration Can Support a More Sustainable and Resilient Food System

December 1, 2020

NSAC has identified the most pressing issues facing the sustainable agriculture community for the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize in order to rebuild our food system. At the top of the list are issues like addressing the climate crisis, building a more resilient food supply chain, addressing longstanding issues of racial inequities, strengthening anti-trust enforcement, and scaling up investments in public research…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Coronavirus, Local & Regional Food Systems, Research, Education & Extension

More Funding Available for 2021 Organic Research

November 25, 2020

Just a few weeks after the 2019 Organic Survey reported a 31 percent growth for organic sales and an increase in certified organic farms and transitioning acres, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released its FY 2021 Request for Application (RFA) for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension […]

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

2019 NASS Survey Finds Big Gains for Organic

November 12, 2020

Demand for organic continues to defy expectations as consumers recognize its many benefits. Now new data underscore this trend. Organic agriculture saw a 31 percent increase in overall sales since 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 2019 Organic Survey. The Organic Survey, conducted every five years, gathers […]

Filed Under: Carousel, General Interest, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Bare Minimum, Last Minute

October 8, 2020

Last Wednesday night with only a few hours to spare, Congress did what many observers and advocates for months had been citing as inevitable. They sent an appropriations Continuing Resolution (CR) to the President’s desk that puts off final decisions about Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 spending until after the November general election. The CR ensures […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, General Interest, Local & Regional Food Systems, Nutrition & Food Access, Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

$22.6 Million Awarded to Support Organic Farming, Research

September 24, 2020

Research underpins the success of every farm – not least of all for organic agriculture. Cutting-edge innovations and science-based studies continue to advance this multi-billion dollar industry, at times with funding from the federal government. The National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced over $20 million in research investments to support organic farmers […]

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

Calling all Researchers! Nearly $300 million in Ag Research Funding Now Available!

September 8, 2020

USDA recently announced over $290 million in research grant funding through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – including funding for research on plant breeding, local and regional food systems, beginning farmers, farmers of color, and the impact of COVID-19 on our farmers and the food supply chain…. Read More →

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

Do Cover Crops Help Farmers Save Costs?

September 3, 2020

After decades of research, cover crops have been widely shown to be beneficial to crop yields, soil health, and farmers’ bottom lines. However, many obstacles to cover crop adoption still remain – including start-up costs and the amount of time before benefits are seen…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

Regional and Long-Term Agricultural Research Build Climate Resilience

July 16, 2020

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth blog in a series focusing on specific provisions included in the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) in February 2020. The ARA represents the first comprehensive piece of legislation introduced in the House of Representatives addressing climate change and agriculture. Read blogs one, two, three, […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Research, Education & Extension

Will $90 Million in Funding Hit the Mark for Sustainable Ag?

July 8, 2020

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced its 2019 awardees of its $90 million flagship Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS) program. First announced in 2018, the SAS program specifically focuses on systemic approaches to the challenges facing sustainable food production. As part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) offering, SAS’s second […]

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

USDA Announces New COVID Rapid Response Research Program

April 23, 2020

The nation’s food system and agriculture supply chains have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant impacts are being felt across the entire food and agriculture sector including the reduction in operation of restaurants, farmers markets, processing and packaging facilities, to name a few. Farmers and ranchers have voiced the strong need for intervention to […]

Filed Under: Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

New 2020 Organic Survey: Assessing Research, Education and Outreach Needs to Meet the Growing Demand for Organic Products

April 16, 2020

Organic farmers have seen tremendous growth in the organic sector as demand continues to rise. Despite this market opportunity, organic and transitioning organic farmers still face numerous challenges. Research, like that funded through the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) program spearheaded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is being conducted to help […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

National Cover Crop Farmer Survey Now Underway!

April 7, 2020

After decades of research, cover crops have been widely shown to be beneficial to crop yields, soil health, and farmers’ bottom lines. However, many obstacles to cover crop adoption still remain – including start-up costs and the amount of time before benefits are seen. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education […]

Filed Under: Organic, Research, Education & Extension

A Plea for Food and Agriculture Research Funding

April 2, 2020

Federal funding for food and agriculture public research has stagnated for decades, declining in real terms even while other federal agencies have seen their budgets trend steadily upward and even while China has long since overtaken the US as the major public investor in the sector. Yet, our food and agricultural system is a key […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Research, Education & Extension

RFA Roundup: Spring 2020 Funding Opportunities

March 4, 2020

Editor’s Note: As the COVID-19 situation progresses, we will continue to update this blog with the latest available information on deadline extensions. Additionally, you can find information on administrative flexibilities issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) here. This is a key reference for anyone currently working under an active federal grant. The memo […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Research, Education & Extension

Food Safety Outreach Program to Provide Additional Trainings in 2020

February 27, 2020

This is the first year small farms will be inspected if they fall under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Fortunately, there are a number of exceptional FSMA training programs that were recently funded by the Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) that will assist farmers trying to navigate the complex rules. The […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

RELEASE: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Sets 2020 Policy Priorities

February 6, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionP: 202-547-5754, E: rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net  National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Sets 2020 Policy Priorities Washington, DC, February 4, 2020 – Last week, representatives from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) 130+ member organizations voted on a final set of policy and funding priorities to guide the Coalition’s work through 2020. “This collaborative priority […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, Implementation & Rule-making, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Nutrition & Food Access, Organic, Press Releases, Research, Education & Extension, Sustainable Livestock

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