On Tuesday, June 13, shortly after appropriators received a letter from nearly 600 organizations, businesses, and local governments opposing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to eliminate its Rural Development Mission Area, the Secretary of Agriculture returned to Capitol Hill to once again defend his plans for a Departmental reorganization. This week, the Secretary […]
appropriations
USDA Secretary Testifies on Administration’s Budget Proposal, Department Reorganization
One day after the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget was released, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue headed to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. This subcommittee, along with its counterpart in the Senate, is comprised of the members of Congress who will ultimately determine discretionary funding levels […]
Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Would Spell Disaster for Rural America
The outcry from farmers, farm and food groups, and Members of Congress came swiftly this week following the release of President Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget proposal. The nation got its initial preview of the Administration’s priorities this March in an outline budget document termed “the skinny budget”. This week the full proposal, which […]
RELEASE: Budget Proposal Guts Rural Development, Cuts Conservation and Research
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Budget Proposal Guts Rural Development, Cuts Conservation and Research National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Warns Trump Budget Will Be Devastating for Farmers Washington, DC, May 19, 2017 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) had the opportunity to view the second installment of the Trump Administration’s budget […]
Stories From the Field: Conservation Programs for New Farming Futures
Raised in western Kansas, Ryan Speer grew up knowing that he wanted to farm. What he didn’t know, however, was how to farm in a way that was both economically and environmentally sustainable. Having come of age during some difficult economic times in farm country, Ryan took the opportunity to study and practice agronomy. Though […]
Wins for Sustainable Agriculture in FY 2017 Spending Package
After three continuing resolutions (CR), which cumulatively delayed the fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations package by over seven months, Congress has finally reached an agreement on funding levels for the remainder of FY 2017. Despite a particularly contentious political environment, one area on which Congress was largely able to agree in the omnibus spending bill […]
COMMENT: NSAC Applauds Congress for Supporting Family Farmers in FY 2017 Omnibus Budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754 National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Applauds Congress for Supporting Family Farmers in FY 2017 Omnibus Budget Washington, D.C., May 1, 2017 – With this final FY 2017 spending bill, House and Senate appropriators have sent a clear message: our rural and agricultural communities need to be built up, […]
A Late Start Doesn’t Have to Mean a Slow Start: 10 Things Secretary Perdue Can Do Now to Support Family Farmers
On his first day on the job, Sonny Perdue – a former two-term governor and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited new Secretary – addressed two very important audiences. The first, a formal introduction to USDA staff, was an opportunity for the Secretary to lay out his general vision for the department’s next four […]
A Big Week Ahead for Agriculture: Decisions Will Shape the Landscape for 2018 Farm Bill
The annual process for funding federal programs — known in Washington D.C. as the appropriations cycle — should be a fairly cut and dry process of allocating money (or not) to previously authorized programs; however, in recent years the appropriations process has often been used as a backdoor method to legislate. Rumors have abounded over […]
NSAC’s FY 2018 Appropriations Priorities: Standing Up for Sustainable Agriculture
As Members of Congress prepare to take a pause from the busy legislative session and head home for a two-week recess, one thing they – as well as business, consumer, and nonprofit organizations across the country – were likely prioritizing was sending their completed budget requests for fiscal year (FY) 2018 to the House Agriculture […]
RELEASE: Over 220 Organizations Urge Appropriators to Protect Conservation Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: National Association of Conservation Districts: Whitney Forman-Cook (202) 595-9139, Whitney-Forman-Cook@nacdnet.org National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Reana Kovalcik (202) 547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Wildlife Federation: Casey Skeens (202) 797-6808, SkeensC@NWF.org Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Kristyn Brady (617) 501-6352, kbrady@trcp.org Over 220 Agriculture, Wildlife, and Conservation Organizations Urge Appropriators to Protect Conservation Funding Washington, D.C., […]
Administration’s Inaugural Budget Request Guts Food and Agriculture Programs
President Trump’s budget proposal, issued early Thursday morning, calls for draconian cuts to food and agricultural programs on a historically unprecedented scale. Adoption of the “skinny” budget – so called because it is just a few brief pages of bullet points, rather than the traditionally detailed budget proposal put forth by the President – would result in […]
PRESS COMMENT: “Skinny Budget” Misses the Mark, Ignores Needs of Rural America
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net “Skinny Budget” Misses the Mark, Ignores Needs of Rural America National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Press Comment on Trump Budget Request “The President’s first budget request misses the mark entirely when it comes to the needs of rural America,” said Greg Fogel, Policy Director at […]
Farm, Food, and Conservation Communities Urge Congress to Respect Farm Bill Process
The 2014 Farm Bill was the only reauthorization bill of the 114th Congress that voluntarily offered savings, an estimated $23 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years. Despite significant cuts made to farm bill conservation programs in that bill – roughly $4 billion over ten years, and more than $6 billion when sequestration is included […]
PRESS COMMENT: Farm and Food Groups Oppose Attempts to Reopen the 2014 Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Greg Fogel, 202-547-5754, GFogel@sustainableagriculture.net Farm and Food Groups Oppose Attempts to Reopen the 2014 Farm Bill Coalition asks House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees to protect mandatory funding for critical farm and food assistance programs Washington, DC, February 21, 2017 – Today, a broad alliance […]
NSAC’s Sweet 16: Top Wins for Sustainable Agriculture in 2016
If some years are rollercoasters, 2016 was more like the tilt-a-whirl – a lot of effort spent to turn just slightly in one direction or another, much spinning in circles, and a headache at the end for your trouble. Despite all the stop and starts, however, the sustainable agriculture community came out of the last […]
Congress Prepares to Pass Funding Extension, Includes Provision to Fill Farm Loan Shortfall
In order to keep the country’s lights on, Congress will need to pass – and the President will need to sign – new appropriations legislation before midnight tonight. Yesterday, the House passed a “continuing resolution” (CR) 326-96, to extend last year’s funding levels for a second time until April 28 (the first CR was passed […]
Post-Election: What’s Next for Food and Agriculture?
As we prepare for our first Administration change in eight years, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) wants to ensure that a diverse coalition of family farmers and ranchers, conservationists, and local and regional food enthusiasts have a place at the table. The election of any new President comes with many challenges and opportunities. In […]
Congress Passes Funding Extension, Postpones Action on Child Nutrition Bill
As the 2016 fiscal year comes to a close today, Congress is heading for the doors, and in many cases back out to the campaign trail. With a packed legislative calendar and a limited number of working days in September, Congress managed to attend to some important issues (like avoiding a government shut down, […]
Farmers Have Last Word Before Long Congressional Recess
Over the last few days, farmers from across the country have come to Washington to speak with their Senators and Representatives about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that help them employ conservation measures on their farms, create business and financial plans, and much more. With Congress set to leave town today for a […]
Farmers Push for Action on Agriculture Funding Bill
If you want to gain some real insight into agricultural policies, your first stop should be one of America’s 2.1 million farms – a majority of which are small and medium-sized family farms. Though we can’t always get Congress to the farm, we can bring the farm to Congress. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) regularly […]
Appropriations Bills Would Block Clean Water and Farmworker Safety Rules
Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it had finalized the Clean Water Rule, a rule intended to clarify the scope of the agency’s jurisdiction over the “waters of the U.S.” under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The rule, which has significant benefits for agriculture, clean water, and public health, went into […]
House Passes Controversial Child Nutrition Reauthorization Amidst Growing Opposition
Eight months after the last iteration of the Child Nutrition Act expired, the House Education and Workforce Committee this week advanced a controversial Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR) out of committee. After several hours of discussion and 31 proposed amendments, the “Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016” (H.R. 5003) passed by a 20 […]
A Breakdown of the Senate’s Annual Food and Farm Spending Bill
Each year, Congress debates and makes key decisions about federal funding priorities for all government agencies, programs, and initiatives – including programs and resources that support our nation’s farmers and ranchers. This week marks an important step in that process (known as appropriations), as the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill to fund the U.S. […]