National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

Government Funding and Farm Bill’s Future Top Congress’ September To-Do List

Farm Bill

Path to a New Farm Bill: Increasing Access and Affordability in Local Food Systems

Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and our recommended […]

Summer in Saint Paul: NSAC Members Meet, Reenergize in Minnesota

NSAC members gathered once again for our annual summer Coalition meeting, this time on the banks of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota on August 5-8, 2024. Over the course of the meeting, NSAC members and staff strategized collectively about current campaigns and future Coalition activities. NSAC members also had the chance to hear […]

Path to a New Farm Bill: Securing Resources for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Editor’s Note: This post is part of a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given challenge, and […]

Path to a New Farm Bill: Local and Regional Market Access

Editor’s Note: This post is the first post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber’s bill would address a given […]

Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 3

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 →

Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 1

This is the first post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on May 24. The post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole, as well as its likely (or unlikely) path to becoming law. … Read More →

Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward

In its latest release, NSAC notes how the Farm, Food, and National Security Act does not take meaningful steps toward building a fair, responsible, and accessible farm safety net and how it dismisses climate change – in part by decoupling the climate-focus from conservation investments – while countless farmers and ranchers nationwide experience the worsening impacts of a changing climate. … Read More →

Release: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill Summary

On May 10, the House Agriculture Committee released the most detailed summary of its farm bill draft to date, ahead of the anticipated May 23 markup. The latest summary – released days before full legislative text is expected – offers insights into Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s (R-PA-15) approach to the House farm bill. NSAC is pleased to see continued momentum on both sides of Capitol Hill toward completing a farm bill. However, the summary released last week by the House Agriculture Committee offers little to alleviate our concerns that the bill will meaningfully address NSAC members’ priorities, including a more fair and accessible farm safety net, robust investments in local and regional food systems, and the full protection of climate-focused conservation resources. A bill that closely mirrors the latest House summary is not a bill that should become law…. Read More →

A Deep Dive on the Senate’s Farm Bill Proposal: the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a detailed section-by-section summary of her farm bill proposal. NSAC welcomed the pragmatic Senate bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024 (RPFSA), as an important step toward completing a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization this year. In this post, NSAC takes a deep dive into the proposals contained in the RPFSA. … Read More →

Farmers and Ranchers Love the IRA’s Climate-Smart Funding. Will the House Farm Bill Pull the Rug Out from Under Them?

Farmers and ranchers across the US have been vocal in their support for the climate-smart agriculture funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act since its enactment in 2022, with demand far surpassing availability. Despite this overwhelming popularity and the demonstrated effectiveness of the IRA in addressing conservation needs, there are concerns that the House Agriculture Committee may undermine these efforts in the upcoming farm bill. Data from FY2023 shows continued oversubscription of key conservation programs and significant investment in climate-smart practices even alongside IRA funding, highlighting the ongoing need for and popularity of such initiatives. Congress is urged to maintain and even expand funding for these programs in recognition of their success and farmer demand…. Read More →

Release: NSAC Welcomes Pragmatic Senate Proposal as a Concrete Step Toward a Bipartisan Farm Bill Reauthorization

NSAC applauded the renewed momentum toward a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization prompted by the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) release of a detailed section-by-section description of its farm bill reauthorization proposal. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act framework charts a path for completing a farm bill this year. NSAC is extremely encouraged to see a pragmatic Senate farm bill proposal that includes numerous bipartisan policies. The proposal takes meaningful steps to build a fair and accessible farm safety net for farmers and ranchers, protect conservation and climate spending, and invest in local and regional food systems…. Read More →

Take Action: This Farm Bill Should Center Conservation, Not Consolidation 

This week, farmers, consumers, and advocates across the country are making calls to Congress with a central message: pass a farm bill for all farmers that centers conservation, not consolidation. Farm bill negotiations may be heating up once again after a standstill that has left members of Congress divided about what to prioritize. Now is the time to act. … Read More →

Senate Bill Offers a Pathway to Sustain Local Food Purchasing Program

Senator Jack Reed introduced the EAT Local Foods Act of 2024, aiming to sustain the USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance program, which supports local food systems and addresses food insecurity. The bill, endorsed by various organizations, farms, and businesses, seeks to continue the LFPA’s success in investing in local food systems and creating economic opportunities for producers. The LFPA program, which has already proven popular and impactful, strategically leverages funding to support small and midsize growers nationwide, benefiting both farmers and low-income families, and the bill proposes improvements and a pathway for its permanence…. Read More →

Riders in the Night: Harmful Provisions in the House Spending Bill

Funding for USDA and three other federal departments is set to expire at midnight March 1, absent congressional approval of a FY24 appropriations bill, or an extension of current funding. Amidst final-hour congressional negotiations to fend off a shutdown, several policy “riders” have emerged as sticking points in reaching a deal on agriculture spending in particular. This post examines several proposed policy riders as Congress seeks to conclude FY24 appropriations negotiations…. Read More →

Release: 2022 Census of Agriculture Underscores Need for Policy Shift

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the highly-anticipated results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The Census remains the most comprehensive source of agricultural data for states and counties across the United States and serves as a guide for federal farm program, policy, and funding decisions. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes the release of the 2022 Census of Agriculture data, which comes at a crucial moment for federal agriculture policy…. Read More →