The term “specialty crop” is a bit of a misnomer. A specialty crop is not some kind of exotic plant, not an obscure herb or flower, specialty crops are quite simply the fruits and vegetables that are (or should be) a staple of most diets. Even though specialty crops consist of some of the healthiest […]
AMS
New Funding Available for Local and Regional Food Systems
APPLICATION DEADLINE is this week – 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 12, 2016 Local and regional food systems are expanding nationwide. These systems create new economic opportunities for small and mid-sized family farmers, increase consumer access to fresh and healthy food, and improve rural livelihoods. Over the past decade, local and regional food systems have […]
New Outreach and Education Tools Available to Support to Organic Certification
New resources for transitioning organic producers are now available through the Agriculture Marketing Service’s National Organic Program (NOP). Through the Sound and Sensible initiative, NOP aims to makes organic certification more “accessible, affordable, and attainable” by helping transitioning farmers on a wide array of issues including record keeping and documentation, preventative practices, and much more. Utilizing […]
USDA Revokes Grass Fed Meat Labeling Standard
On Tuesday, January 12, the USDA AMS rescinded the labeling standard for grass fed meat… Read More →
RELEASE: USDA Revokes Grass Fed Label Standard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 USDA Revokes Grass Fed Label Standard Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Speaks Out Against Decision Washington, DC, January 12, 2016 – Today in the Federal Register, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) rescinds the labeling standard for grass fed meat that was developed over the course of […]
Dr. Elisabeth Hagen to be appointed Food Safety Under Secretary: on the to-do list, meat label claims
By Ferd Hoefner, NSAC It has taken more than a year, but USDA finally has a proposed presidential appointment to the position of Under Secretary for Food Safety (see USDA press release below). After all that time, with many prominent names from the outside floated over the last 12 months, the Administration has settled on […]