For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers Advance Sustainable Agriculture Priorities During NSAC Lobby Day Washington, DC, July 21, 2026 – Today, nearly 40 farmers, ranchers, and agriculture stakeholders participated in a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Lobby Day. Farmers from 12 states – California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, […]
Farm Bill
Digging Deeper into the Senate’s Farm Bill ‘Discussion Draft’
On Tuesday, June 23, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the long-awaited text of the Agricultural Act of 2026 (the Agricultural Act). Clocking in at just over 900 pages, the Agricultural Act would update wide swaths of federal food and farm policy – yet NSAC’s initial analysis found that the draft falls well […]
Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential Washington, DC, June 24, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Agricultural Act of 2026 discussion draft released by Senate […]
Farmers React to House Farm Bill
“Farmers have waited far too long for a new farm bill while dealing with rising input costs, market volatility, and shrinking margins,” said Darin Von Ruden, a Wisconsin farmer and president of the state’s Farmers Union chapter. Farmers across the country agree and have been clear with Congress: they need a new farm bill that […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Losses Reduce Local Presence in Communities Nationwide
Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC. Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as enterprise lead for […]
450 Organizations Push Congress to Unlock Local Food Funding for Schools
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends roughly $4 billion buying food at the lowest price possible, and American family farmers are locked out due to high volume and complex federal contracting requirements. Yet there is a low-cost policy solution that would unlock this existing funding source for more farmers to compete. NSAC members […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Nationwide Losses
Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC. Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as enterprise lead for […]
Comment: USDA Small Processor Plan Highlights Recent Work, Future Opportunities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: USDA Small Processor Plan Highlights Recent Work, Future Opportunities Washington, DC, June 5, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) commends the release of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Processors Action Plan by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke […]
USDA Sows Trust and Farm Success in Urban Communities
Urban farms not only grow food, but they also build community, create green space, and increase access to healthy food. Yet, farmers in urban and suburban areas are not immune to the pressures of higher input costs and competition for resources. These issues simply present in different ways. Farmers in more residentially dense areas feel […]
Inside the House’s FY27 Agriculture Spending Bill
On April 29, the House Appropriations Committee approved, by a 35-25 vote, the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The markup lasted nearly 6 hours, covering a wide range of issues – from staffing shortages at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), to cuts to […]
Comment: NSAC Responds to House Farm Bill Passage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to House Farm Bill Passage Washington, DC, April 30, 2026 – Today, the US House of Representatives approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (HR 7567), 224-200. In response, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released […]
Release: More than 300 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject House Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: More than 300 Farm Groups Urge Congress to Reject House Farm Bill Washington, DC, April 24, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), along with hundreds of farmer‑serving, farmworker, farms, and other stakeholders engaged in the future of American agriculture […]
Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 4
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. The first post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole. The second post […]
Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 3
Editor’s Note: This is the third post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. The first post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole. The second post provides a deep dive […]
Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 2
Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. The first post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole. This article provides a deep dive analysis […]
Unpacking the House Farm Bill: Part 1
Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a four-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 5. This post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole. The second post provides a deep dive […]
Comment: Without Investments and Reforms, House Bill Rings Hollow
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: Without Investments and Reforms, House Bill Rings Hollow Washington, DC, March 5, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, following the House Agriculture Committee’s 34-17 passage of the Farm, […]
“Have you talked to a Farmer?” NSAC’S 2026 Winter Meeting Recap
Despite the winter weather blanketing much of the nation and Washington, DC, an ongoing shutdown, and continued national debates on food and agriculture policy, NSAC’s advocacy work continues. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) held its annual Winter Meeting from February 9 to 12 in Washington, DC. Over 150 farmers and advocates from NSAC’s network […]
At a Crossroads, House Farm Bill Falls Unmistakably Short
On Friday, February 13, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15) released the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (FFNSA). The introduction of the bill comes amidst an historic moment in federal food and agriculture policy. More than seven years removed from the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers and ranchers […]
Release: Farmers and Advocates Converge in DC for NSAC Lobby Day
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers and Advocates Converge in DC for NSAC Lobby Day Washington, DC, February 12, 2026 – Yesterday, nearly 150 farmers, ranchers, and food system advocates from Alaska to Florida, joined the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) in Washington, DC to press for action […]
Chaos, Collaboration, and Courage: A Look Back at 2025
A Year Like No Other As 2025 comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on a year that reshaped the food and farm policy landscape: from major disruptions in federal agencies to stalled policymaking in Washington, farmers and communities continue to feel the impacts. The historic government shutdown this fall was just the most […]
USDA Staffing Crisis: Rural Development Staff Cuts Leave Rural Communities Behind
This post examines the devastating loss of experienced staff within US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and the consequences for the agency’s ability to support farmers, rural businesses, and communities. As the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) continues to track the staffing crisis across USDA, Rural Development stands out not only for the depth […]
Keeping Farmers on the Land
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) traces its earliest roots to the farm crisis of the 1980s, when cycles in the global economy and federal agricultural policy combined to push farmers losing their farms into the national spotlight. The 330,000 farm families who lost their farms between 1978 and 1992 were, unfortunately, not the last. […]
Release: Farm Bill Extension, USDA Funding Bill Underwhelm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Farm Bill Extension, USDA Funding Bill Underwhelm Washington, DC, November 10, 2025 – After weeks of uncertainty, Congress has unveiled a one-year extension of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 as well as the fiscal year (FY) 2026 agriculture appropriations bill, […]