Editor’s Note: This article was written by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) for the Fair Farms Maryland (FFM) blog, and was originally published by FFM on September 1, 2016. Climate Change and Agriculture: A Problem Too Hot (and Cold, and Wet, and Dry) to Ignore By Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition […]
CSP
Conservation Stewardship Program ‘Reinvention’: What to look for in the upcoming overhaul
Editor’s Note: This article was originally written by Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and published as an opinion piece in Agri-Pulse on August 29, 2016. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) offers technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to maintain high standards of resource conservation and environmental stewardship […]
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. […]
RELEASE: Agriculture Programs Help Veterans Launch Successful Careers in Farming
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, NSAC, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Evan Eagan, FVC, (530) 419-6740, evan@farmvetco.org Agriculture Programs Help Veterans Launch Successful Careers in Farming U.S. Air Force Veteran and Montana Farmer Testifies Before Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Washington, DC, April 5, 2016 – Spring is not just cherry blossom season here in the capital […]
Farm Groups Defend Agricultural Conservation Programs
Congressional appropriators are this month in the process of drafting their fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations bills, bills which will determine the success or failure of programs by setting federal funding levels for the year. Several agricultural conservation programs, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), are under fire in […]
Conservation Stewardship Stories: Leon Sowers
This is the final piece in a four-part series chronicling stories from farmers and ranchers who have experienced success with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The first three stories featured Alabama ranchers Miguel Otero and Cornelius Joe, as well as Stan Armstrong from Indiana. Conservation Stewardship Stories: Leon Sowers Leon Sowers always keeps an eye on the weather, and in […]
Conservation Stewardship Program Recap; 2016 Sign-Up Ends in 10 Days!
The Conservation Stewardship Program has been supporting farmers and ranchers for more than seven years … Read More →
Senators Defend Conservation Funding in FY 2017 Budget Negotiations
On Thursday, March 17, 33 Senators delivered a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, urging them to oppose cuts to conservation programs in fiscal year (FY) 2017. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Chris Coons (D-DE) steered the effort, as they have done in previous years. Included among the […]
Farmers Fly in to the Capital to Advocate for Sustainable Agriculture
Throughout the month of March, farmers, ranchers, and “ag-vocates” from across the country traveled to DC for a series of “farmer fly-ins”, sponsored by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). During the fly-in the groups met with Senators and Representatives from their home states to discuss the benefits of federal sustainable agriculture programs, and to […]
Conservation Stewardship Stories: Stan Armstrong
This piece is the third in a four-part series chronicling stories from farmers and ranchers who have experienced success with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The first two stories featured Miguel Otero and Cornelius Joe, ranchers from Alabama who both found success with CSP. Stan Armstrong is the multi-generational farmer’s multi-generational farmer – he and his family have […]
Final Rule Released for Conservation Stewardship Program
USDA today released the final rule for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which makes changes to CSP as required by the 2014 Farm Bill. The release of this final rule follows the publication of the Interim Final Rule (IFR) in November 2014. CSP is a comprehensive working lands conservation program designed to help farmers and […]
Conservation Stewardship Stories: Cornelius Joe
This post is the second in a series chronicling stories from farmers and ranchers who have experienced success with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The first story, highlighting Alabama farmer Miguel Otero can be found here. As a third-generation farmer in Greensboro, Alabama, Cornelius Joe knows firsthand the importance of taking care of working lands today, so […]
Conservation Stewardship Stories: Miguel Otero
This piece is the first in a four-part series chronicling stories from farmers and ranchers who have experienced success with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Farming and ranching is more than just a job; according to Alabama farmer, Miguel Otero, it’s a way of life. “I guess farming is something you carry in your genes,” said Miguel. “If […]
Conservation Stewardship Program 2016 Sign-Up Opens
Farmers and ranchers interested in enrolling in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) this year have until March 31 to submit their initial applications to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). USDA will enroll 10 million acres of farm and ranch land in the program this year, with payments to farmers and […]
RELEASE: USDA Announces Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-up for 2016
Over 20 million acres of farm and ranch lands eligible for conservation support… Read More →
Final Guidance on National Organic Program Provides Clarity for Farmers and Certifiers
Preservation of natural resources and the promotion of biodiversity and animal welfare are core principals of organic production. In order to support these principals and help farmers and certifiers to comply with organic requirements, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) released its final guidance, Guidance on Biodiversity and Conservation, on Friday, January […]
Help for Farmers in Accessing CSP
Thirty more days remain before the June 11th deadline for applications to the 2010 round of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). A number of NSAC member groups have resources to help producers sign up for CSP (with more to follow soon): ATTRA recently posted an updated step-by-step guide to the CSP application process to their […]
Transition Team Recommendations: Conservation Stewardship Program
The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition recently presented a set of policy briefing papers to members of President-elect Obama’s Transition Team. The briefing papers lay out SAC’s recommendations for addressing the most urgent priorities of the sustainable agriculture movement. This is second in a series of blog posts that features some of those policy recommendations. All of […]