Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a new bill or extension to take its place. In the absence of a farm bill, numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture systems are shut down and left without funding. This post is part of our 10-week blog series that features both […]
Action Alerts
The scariest thing you’ll read all day
Dear Supporter, What’s scarier than a food system built on industrial mega-farms that’s rigged to favor corporations and processed junk over family farmers and healthy local food? Not much. Last month, Congress left town just as the current farm bill expired, leaving critical farm programs high and dry with no funding – and dodging the […]
Make Food Day Matter
Today is Food Day — a nationwide celebration and a movement toward healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Today we join citizens from across the country in celebrating farmers who produce food sustainably, rural and urban communities that are rebuilding their food systems, and individuals who are working to improve the health of their families and […]
A Food Day they won’t forget.
Dear Supporter, Our message to Congress has been clear all year: we need an equitable, sustainable farm bill, and we need it this year. Unfortunately, either Congress didn’t hear us, or they just didn’t listen. Congress left town just as the current farm bill expired, and they didn’t bother to finish a new bill or […]
Action Alert: Not on our watch.
September: it’s harvest time. Corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, apples and more are all coming in from the fields… as well as, with any luck, a new 2012 Farm Bill! It’s been pretty quiet on the farm bill front here in Washington, DC lately – legislators have been at home all month, meeting with folks like you. […]
Action Alert: A Dirty Trick
Dear Supporter, Across the nation, farmers’ livelihoods are withering in an intense, record-breaking drought.* Congress could be doing something about this right now – they could be passing the 2012 Farm Bill, which funds critical disaster assistance programs that are our farmers and ranchers’ safety net in times like these. But are they working to […]
What were they thinking?
Dear Supporter, Over $6 billion cut from conservation. A 50% cut to core beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer programs. Ballooning subsidy programs for the wealthiest farmers – with no real limits. What were they thinking? The House Agriculture Committee released its draft 2012 Farm Bill late last week, and it has problems. One major issue? […]
What were they thinking?
Dear Supporter, Over $6 billion cut from conservation. A 50% cut to core beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer programs. Ballooning subsidy programs for the wealthiest farmers – with no real limits. What were they thinking? The House Agriculture Committee released its draft 2012 Farm Bill late last week, and it has problems. One major issue? […]
A no-brainer for healthy kids
Dear Supporter, It’s a no-brainer: our nation’s schoolchildren deserve to eat fresh, healthy, local food in schools – and with that, the opportunity to develop healthy eating habits for life. Why doesn’t the House Agriculture Committee see this? The House Agriculture Committee released its draft 2012 Farm Bill late last week, and it has problems. […]
VOTE-O-RAMA!
Dear Supporter, Your action has gotten us this far – we can’t stop now! This is crunch time for the 2012 Farm Bill: the Senate will vote on farm bill amendments in a big VOTE-O-RAMA* today, including several that are make or break for beginning farmers, rural communities, and conservation. Voting is happening TODAY – […]
3 Days, 3 Actions. Because our children deserve better.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. Our nation’s schoolchildren deserve to eat fresh, local food in schools – and with it, the opportunity to develop healthy eating habits for […]
3 Days, 3 Actions: Congress just can’t leave out beginning farmers and rural America.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. Our nation’s farmers are aging, and we can’t afford to wait any longer to help the next generation of farmers and ranchers get […]
3 Days, 3 Actions: Because Real Reform is Overdue.
Dear Supporter, 5 years. That’s how often the farm bill comes around. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes to speak out for reform. A lifetime. That’s the kind of impact you’ll have. We can’t afford to subsidize the nation’s wealthiest farmers – and insurance companies – any longer. Now’s the time – amidst the hustle […]
Is this reform?
The Senate agriculture committee’s version of the 2012 Farm Bill is up for debate by the full Senate this week. This bill made historic gains in some areas of farm program payments: championed by Senate leaders as a “true reform bill,” the bill strengthens the farm safety net, caps commodity payments, and tightens eligibility for […]
I think they forgot something.
Dear Supporter, The Senate Agriculture Committee’s version of the 2012 Farm Bill is up for debate by the full Senate this week. But it looks like they forgot to include a few things in the farm bill – like robust funding for rural development and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer programs. That’s right! Programs that […]
What really matters to you?
Dear Supporter, See that photo below? It’s of Mississippi farmers John and Ora Carpenter, meeting with Representative Alan Nunnelee’s office this spring here in Washington, DC. The Carpenters shared stories about how their farm is an integral part of their community, and how federal programs have helped them expand their business and grow a diverse […]
A new farm bill in two weeks? Show Congress your support for a better farm bill today!
If you’re like most Americans, you want our farm and food policies to support strong family farms and rural communities, healthy eating, and protection of our natural resources. The Senate is crafting a 2012 Farm Bill right now that makes just a relatively tiny investment in beginning farmers, sustainable and organic agriculture, economic development, and […]
It’s Time: Help us Speak up for Sustainable Agriculture
Check out our Path to the 2012 Farm Bill blog series for updates on the 2012 Farm Bill process – and be sure to sign up for NSAC Action Alerts to stay in the loop on speaking out and taking action! The summer’s bounty may feel far away, but even in January, farmers and ranchers […]
If you eat and live in America
If you eat and live in America, you should be concerned about the future of farming in this country. The average age of our nation’s farmers is 57 years old, with more than a quarter of all farmers 65 or older. There are many people inspired to farm, but as recent studies show, our nation’s […]
Food and Farm Bill Alive in 2012!
Dear Supporters, We previously reported to you that a 2011 Food and Farm Bill appeared imminent. Days before Thanksgiving the Congressional “Super Committee” failed to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion in budget cuts. With that, the 2011 Farm Bill proposal intended for inclusion in the Super Committee’s deficit reduction bill is thus no more. The […]
“Pick Three” Action Update
Hundreds of you have called and emailed your Senators and Representatives over the last two weeks – thank you for standing up for a fair and healthy farm and food system! To remind readers of current action items, we summarized and linked three alerts below. Urgent Action Needed on the Farm Bill The food and […]
Groundbreaking Opportunity: The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act
Is supporting your local farmer, visiting your farmers market, CSA, food coop, or other local food source important to you? What about having fresh, local food for your child’s school meals? Or as a farmer or rancher, do you want to figure out ways to add value to your food products to capitalize on sales […]
Take Action on the Farm Bill
With this much at stake, we wanted to make sure you saw the call to action last week. Only once every 5 years do you have the opportunity to truly transform our food and farm system through the federal farm bill. Last week the Agriculture Committee leadership proposed to rewrite the food and farm bill […]
Today is Food Day! Join us in this call to action
Today, Monday 24th 2011, is Food Day. Please join the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in answering this call to action. Healthy, green, fair, and affordable food is important to all Americans. Today we come together with people across the country who are hosting Food Day events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, […]