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BFRDP

Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 3

June 14, 2024

This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA), which was reported out of the House Committee on Agriculture on Friday, May 24. This post provides a deep-dive analysis of the bill’s potential impacts on the farm safety net, farmers’ ability to access land and capital, fair competition, and treatment of food workers. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Farm Bill

Funding Available to Support Underserved Farmers: A Look at USDA’s 2501 Grants

May 16, 2024

The USDA announced $22.3 million in funding for 2501 grants to support socially disadvantaged farmers through targeted outreach and technical assistance programs, with applications due by July 5, 2024. The program aims to address historical disparities faced by farmers of color by providing resources and opportunities for success in agriculture. Despite challenges such as funding cuts and delays, ongoing advocacy efforts seek to improve program accessibility and ensure equitable support for underserved farming communities, with potential enhancements outlined in upcoming farm bill proposals…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities 

February 15, 2024

USDA has announced several funding opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This blog post outlines the funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements for a range of food and farm system grants funded through USDA that are currently accepting applications. The funding opportunities fall into three categories: Research and Education, Local Food (including urban and rural-focused programs) and Nutrition, Climate, Conservation, and Energy…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Research, Education & Extension

What the Expiration, and Likely Extension, of the 2018 Farm Bill Means for Food and Agriculture

October 25, 2023

On October 1, 2023, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 – more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill – expired. Thankfully, in recent days Congress has begun to turn its attention toward a much-needed extension of the 2018 Farm Bill. Yet until an extension is passed, many essential programs will continue to be impacted. This blog post takes a deep dive into the current and potential future impacts of the expired bill, examining which programs are stranded, and what it means for food and agriculture…. Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

More Than $27 Million in Grants Awarded to Support Historically Underserved Farmers 

October 19, 2023

USDA announced over $27 million in grants to 41 organizations across the country for outreach and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers. The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, more commonly known as the “2501 Program,” and administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), helps to ensure that historically underserved producers have equitable access to the information, programs, and opportunities that will help them to find success in agriculture…. Read More →

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

A Deep Dive on the Senate’s FY2024 Appropriations Bill

June 30, 2023

On June 22, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill in what has become a rare occurrence – unanimous, bipartisan approval. The Senate’s approval of the agriculture bill stood in stark contrast to what transpired in the House Appropriations Committee just a week earlier – an eight plus hour partisan slog that resulted in approval of the House’s FY2024 Agriculture spending bill along party lines. In this post, NSAC takes a closer look at the bill. … Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel

RFA ROUNDUP: SPRING 2023 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

February 28, 2023

This post shares all the information that food and farm organizations might need to best utilize the newly released funding resources. From funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements, NSAC covers everything needed for the latest round of Requests for Applications (RFAs) to support your community of farmers and advocates…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Grants and Programs

Inside the FY22 Appropriations Package: Wins for Sustainable Agriculture

April 7, 2022

On March 15th President Biden signed H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, also known as the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Omnibus. In this blog post, NSAC examines the content of the FY 2022 agriculture appropriations bill and how NSAC’s appropriations priorities fared in the process…. Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel

$19 Million Available to Support Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in 2022

March 28, 2022

USDA announced $19 million for the BFRDP in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Request for Application (RFA). Applicants have until May 19, 2022, to apply for this year’s round of grants…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Grants and Programs

A Year in Review: Wins and Reflections for Sustainable Agriculture in 2021

December 23, 2021

As this unpredictable year comes to a close and we look to the future, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition takes a look back at our coalition’s hard-fought wins towards building a more sustainable, equitable food and farm system in 2021…. Read More →

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

Over $50 Million Awarded to Train Next-Generation Farmers and Ranchers

December 7, 2021

With additional funding from recent legislation to address the impacts of the pandemic, new projects to train and educate beginning farmers and ranchers are underway…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Grants and Programs

2501 Funding Now Available for FY 2021

July 28, 2021

Historically, farmers of color have been unable to participate in or benefit from USDA programs to the same extent as their white neighbors. This presents an enormous challenge for farmers of color when they are looking to start or maintain viable and resilient careers in farming. Rising costs and limited availability of farmland, access to […]

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

$16 Million Invested to Train Beginning Farmers – Where Does It Go?

October 29, 2020

Beginning farmers and ranchers face a number of unique circumstances and challenges to establish themselves in the industry, and their path has become no easier in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the Economic Research Service (ERS) published a report that found beginning farmers have higher debt-to-asset ratios, are less likely to receive […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Farm Bill, Grants and Programs

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

USDA Invests $14 Million to Train the Next Generation of Farmers

November 7, 2019

The new farmer boom continues to grow all across the country, but barriers to entry (such as access to land, capital, and viable markets) continue to make it hard for new farmers to build a successful and sustainable farm business. In response, hundreds of farmer training programs and projects have emerged over the past decade […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs

From the Farm to the Hill: NSAC Hosts FY 2020 Farmer Fly-in

July 10, 2019

Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) brought in over a dozen farmers and advocates for the Coalition’s second “farmer fly-in” of 2019. Fly-in advocates from ten different states across the country came to DC to champion the federal programs important to them and their communities before congressional appropriators. Currently, Congress is negotiating federal […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Farm Bill, Grants and Programs

RFA Roundup: Bonanza of Spring Funding Opportunities

May 2, 2019

Grant funding announcements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been log jammed due to a series of government delays over the course of the last six months: passage of the 2018 Farm Bill was delayed by roughly three months, the last several appropriations and budget bills have been delayed, and the government shutdown […]

Filed Under: Grants and Programs

$14 Million Available to Help Train the Next Generation of Farmers

April 8, 2019

Note: This post has been updated to reflect changes made to the FY 2020 Request for Applications which was recently released on December 16, 2019. For further details on timing and updated application links, see below. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of $14 million in grant funds to help launch […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs

A Closer Look at the 2018 Farm Bill: Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program

February 19, 2019

Editor’s Note: This is the final post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the new programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Previous posts focused on: working lands conservation, local and regional food systems, and nutrition incentive and anti-hunger programs. […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Farm Bill

2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

December 12, 2018

Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: organic agriculture, conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers. […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Farm Bill

$18 Million Awarded for Vital Beginning Farmer Program, but Future Remains Uncertain

October 3, 2018

Interest in careers in agriculture is on the rise, but many aspiring farmers and ranchers find themselves blocked from starting food and farm businesses because of the many significant barriers to entering the industry. Farmer training programs and projects, hundreds of which have emerged in the last decade alone, help aspiring and beginning producers to […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs

What’s at Stake: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers

September 13, 2018

Editor’s Note: The 2014 Farm Bill expires on September 30th. If the next farm bill is not finalized before that date, numerous “tiny but mighty” farm bill programs that support family farmers and food-producing communities will effectively shut down in terms of new funding and grant opportunities for fiscal year 2019. These workhorse programs, which […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Farm Bill

Draft Senate Farm Bill: Beginning & Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

June 10, 2018

This is the fifth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on June 8, 2018 by the Senate Agriculture Committee. The final post will focus on crop insurance and commodity subsidies. The bill is expected to be considered and “marked-up” (aka amended) by the full Agriculture Committee on June 13 […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Farm Bill

Racial Equity in the Farm Bill: Recommendations and Opportunities

January 31, 2018

Editor’s Note: This blog post is the third and final post in a three-part blog series by NSAC Policy Intern Noah McDonald, which examines how the Farm Bill can take steps to advance racial equity within the food system. The first post discussed the historical context and foundations for racial inequities with the food system. […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Farm Bill, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling

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