National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

Rural Development

Farmers, Get Your Applications in! COVID-19 Aid Program Closes Next Week

With the cooler fall weather, farmers all across the country are finally beginning to slow down and prepare for the end of this year’s farming season. With the second harvest amidst a global pandemic shortly coming to a close, many farmers will be taking stock over the next few months of how their operations and […]

Closed out: How U.S. farmers are denied access to conservation programs

Editor’s Note: This blog post is co-authored by Cathy Day, PhD, NSAC Climate Policy Coordinator and Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, (IATP). ITAP is an NSAC member organization with a 30-year history of pursuing cutting edge solutions that benefit family farmers, rural communities and […]

COMMENT: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee FY22 Budget Reconciliation Markup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net  Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee FY22 Budget Reconciliation Markup Washington, DC, September 13, 2021 – In response to the markup and approval of the House Agriculture Committee’s portion of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package today, the National Sustainable Agriculture […]

Livestock and Poultry Competition Reform on the Horizon

Livestock consolidation and concentration have been gaining traction in Washington, D.C. Last month, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, signaling a whole of government effort to address concentration and consolidation in US markets. Several initiatives announced could have a far-reaching impact on agriculture, including the intent to strengthen […]

RELEASE: Letter Urges Congressional Leaders to Prioritize Climate Solutions for Agriculture in Budget Reconciliation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net  Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Letter Urges Congressional Leaders to Prioritize Climate Solutions for Agriculture in Budget Reconciliation Washington, D. C., August 25, 2021 – Today the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) along with 62 leading farming, environmental, and rural development organizations, sent a letter to […]

National Farmers Market Week Provides Platform for Essential Engagement with Elected Officials

Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog post authored by Ben Feldman, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition, an National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition member, in honor of the 22nd annual National Farmers Market Week, August 1-7th, 2021. For over two decades, National Farmers Market Week (NFMW) has been a time of celebration for everyone […]

Investments and Opportunities for Input on Meat and Poultry Processing Infrastructure

USDA recently announced over $600 million in future investments to support and increase processing capacity through grants, loans, and technical assistance to address concentration within the meat and poultry sectors, as well as small plant fee relief.  On July 16th, 2021 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a notice in the Federal Register, seeking […]

Farmers Trapped in Unsustainable Cycle by Biotechnology, Seed Consolidation

A deep dive into the role that corporate consolidation and concentration play in the commoditization and appropriation of seed and farming practices and what this means for farmers. … Read More →

USDA to Invest In Alternative Meat and Poultry Supply Chains

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that they will invest more than $4 billion to strengthen the food system, with one of the four funding priority areas including small processing support. Over the next year, USDA will invest some of the $4 billion for existing processing facilities expansion, as well as new regional […]

NSAC Report on Climate Solutions for Farmers: Invest in Proven Federal Programs

The climate crisis is reaching a crucial tipping point. The past decade was the hottest on record, rife with extreme weather events and unparalleled natural disasters that highlight economic inequity and expose instability in our food and farming systems. Now more than ever, the urgency of this crisis requires bold steps to build resiliency, responsibly manage […]

Farmers Virtually Visit the Hill to Advocate for Climate Action

What do you get when you mix a pandemic context, a carbon-conscious group of farmers and advocates, and a critical window for Congressional action on the climate crisis? The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)’s latest Virtual Farmer “Fly-In” on Climate and Agriculture. Bringing farmers to Washington, D.C. to tell their stories to their lawmakers and […]

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

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 […]

$76 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR VALUE-ADDED AND LOCAL FOOD PROJECTS

On March 5, 2021, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $76 million in total funding for VAPG projects. The application window to apply is open now and online applications are accepted until April 29, 2020 through grants.gov, and paper applications must be postmarked by May 4, 2021. We encourage all readers to […]

The Time is Ripe for Competition and Antitrust Reform in Agriculture

This is the first of several blogs which will explore the impacts of consolidation and concentration in the agriculture industry on farmers and the broader food system, as well as a path forward. The blog series is authored by NSAC Policy Associate Billy Hackett with meaningful contributions by farmers and experts. Read the second entry […]

Government Funding Bill – Sustainable Agriculture Wins

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 […]

Over $61 Million Invested in Value-Added Agriculture Entrepreneurs

Editor’s note: as we were preparing this blog for publication, the USDA announced the next round of funding through the program, with a 90 day application window. NSAC will be updating and publishing our farmers guide to applying for the program first thing in the new year. “Value-added” foods and goods are made from raw […]

$50 Million Now Available for Rural Renewable Energy Projects

As climate variability increases and energy costs continue to rise, producing on-farm, renewable energy has become an attractive option for many farmers and ranchers. In order to help producers save money and better utilize renewable energy, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loans to farmers and rural businesses interested in making […]

Inaugural Regional Food Systems Partnership Program Awards Announced

In October, the U.S. The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the inaugural round of grant awards for the Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) program, providing $9.3 million in competitive grant funding for 23 projects.  RFSP supports the formation of public-private partnerships working at the foodshed-level to transform local and regional food […]