Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a multi-part blog series digging deeper into some of the programs and policies of the 2018 Farm Bill. These posts will detail how the new farm bill is likely to impact core sustainable agriculture programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Subsequent posts will focus on: local/regional food systems, nutrition incentive and anti-hunger programs, and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers. With the 2018 Farm […]
Farm Bill
Democrat-led House Passes Bill to End Shutdown, Support Sustainable Agriculture
Editor’s Note: On Thursday, January 10, the House passed their fiscal year 2019 (FY) Agriculture Appropriations bill on the floor as a standalone bill. This was the same bill that was included as part of a package of six bills, which was passed by the House (though not taken up by the Senate) last week […]
Fight for Border Wall Blocks Farm Funding, Triggers Shutdown
Just one day after the President signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – the department tasked with implementing the new law – was forced to close its doors as part of a partial government shutdown. Last night at midnight, funding expired for both USDA and the Food and […]
2018 Farm Bill by the Numbers
The farm bill is complex package of legislation – like other authorizing bills, the bill’s primary focus is on policies and programs, but unlike many authorization bills, the farm bill also provides direct funding for many of the programs it authorizes. Farm bill programs, therefore, have two ways to receive funding: mandatory (or direct) funding through the […]
COMMENT: Just in Time for the New Year, a New Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Just in Time for the New Year, a New Farm Bill National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds swift action on final 2018 Farm Bill,readies for next stages Washington, DC, December 20, 2018 – Following nearly two years of intense debate and several suspenseful months in farm […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Commodity Programs and Crop Insurance
Editor’s Note: This is the sixth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, organic agriculture, conservation, and research and plant breeding. The bill was passed by the House […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Research and Plant Breeding
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth 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 crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, organic agriculture, and conservation. The bill was […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Conservation
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged farmers, and organic […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Organic Agriculture
Editor’s Note: This is the third 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: conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged […]
COMMENT: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill Wins
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Cheers Farm Bill WinsApplauds Congress for moving swiftly, urges President to do the same Washington, DC, December 12, 2018 – With less than a month left in the year, Congress has moved forward a bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill and […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
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. […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Local/Regional Food Systems, Rural Development
Editor’s Note: This is the first 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: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, organic agriculture, conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies. The […]
RELEASE: Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Farm Bill Delivers Victories for Beginning Farmers, Organic/Local Food Concerns remain over long-term loss in conservation funding,failure to close farm safety net loopholes Washington, DC, December 11, 2018 – After two months of negotiations, the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee leaders yesterday released a final bill that makes […]
Congress Averts Shutdown, Delays FY 2019 Appropriations Decisions
With the clock on their last Continuing Resolution (CR) quickly running down, Congress last week managed to avoid a partial government shutdown by giving their extension an extension – pushing their deadline to set spending levels from December 7 to December 21. Earlier in the year, it seemed that Congress might be able to pass […]
RELEASE: New Food Safety Support Available to Farmers Across Sixteen States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net New Food Safety Support Available to Farmers Across Sixteen States Pending the Outcome of the 2018 Farm Bill, Support Could be Extended Nationwide Washington, DC, December 4, 2018 – Starting next year, produce growers in 16 states will gain access to no-cost voluntary Harmonized Good […]
Congress Returns, Post-Election Agenda Looms
After months on the campaign trail, Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week with a major legislative to-do list. Among the priorities for Members in the remaining weeks of 2018 will be to finalize the overdue 2018 Farm Bill and fiscal year (FY) 2019 appropriations package that includes food and agriculture spending for the year. With several new Members joining the ranks of the […]
RELEASE: Congress: Don’t Forget Veterans in the Next Farm Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Congress: Don’t Forget Veterans in the Next Farm Bill Farmer and veteran advocates praise the Senate farm bill’s Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach program Washington, DC, November 8, 2018 – Each Veteran’s Day, Americans give thanks to the millions of military veterans and […]
The 2018 Midterms: Outcomes and Impacts on Sustainable Agriculture
With 435 House and 35 Senate races on the ballot yesterday, the 2018 midterms were closely watched across the nation – not least of all by advocates of sustainable agriculture. Before heading off to the campaign trail, Congress left two major ag agenda items dangling – the 2018 Farm Bill and the fiscal year (FY) […]
National Farm to School Month Spotlight: Missouri Coalition for the Environment
October is National Farm to School Month, the perfect time to share stories of farm to school (F2S) impact and innovation! This farm to school month, we have even more reasons to elevate F2S success stories because the next farm bill – which includes programs that have significant impact on F2S efforts, such as the […]
Conservation Agriculture in the Delaware River Basin: Opportunities and Challenges
With the 2014 Farm Bill officially expired without a new bill in place, the fate of key federal conservation programs is now in limbo. Although much of the Farm Bill Conference Committee’s work is being done behind closed doors, farmers and farm advocates still have time to weigh in. Additionally, it is critical that family […]
Farm Bill Myth-Busting: the Conservation Stewardship Program
With the 2014 Farm Bill now expired without an extension in place, all eyes are now on the congressional leaders heading up the Farm Bill Conference Committee. The Committee leaders, which include Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Pat Roberts (R-KS), Ranking Member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Mike Conaway (R-TX), […]
$18 Million Awarded for Vital Beginning Farmer Program, but Future Remains Uncertain
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 […]
Life Without a Farm Bill: Expiration Day Arrives
On Monday, October 1, the thing that family farmers, sustainable agriculture supporters, and farmer advocates across the country have been working over a year to prevent happened: the 2014 Farm Bill expired. It’s not the first time that Congress has failed to pass a bill on time, but ag-advocates – including the National Sustainable Agriculture […]
What’s at Stake: Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
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 […]