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NSAC News

Farm Service Agency

Comment: Proposed USDA Budget Undermines Farmers and Rural Communities

May 2, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: Proposed USDA Budget Undermines Farmers and Rural Communities  Washington, DC, May 2, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued a statement in response to the Trump Administration’s release of its “skinny” budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 discretionary […]

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Press Releases

Uninsured: Federal Crop Insurance Program Leaves Most Farms Unprotected

March 21, 2025

Crop insurance is the cornerstone of the farm safety net, insuring farms for losses from unpredictable weather, market fluctuations, and other risks. Consequently, the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) is the costliest part of agriculture production spending, as taxpayers subsidize the program to the tune of billions of dollars each year. Despite being a cornerstone […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs

The Farm Safety Net: A Closer Look at ARC and PLC

February 7, 2025

As the 119th Congress begins, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) reauthorization is again on the agenda after numerous extensions. The farm safety net, which includes commodity support programs and federal crop insurance, is a fundamental component of any farm bill.  The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has long supported a federal […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Grants and Programs

Path to the Farm Bill: Expanding Access to Credit

September 23, 2024

Editor’s Note: This post is the sixth 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 […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Farm Bill

Release: New Lending Rule Signals More Savings for Farmers

August 8, 2024

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: New Lending Rule Signals More Savings for Farmers Washington, DC, August 7, 2024 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux for the announcement of a new final rule: Enhancing Access and Delivery for […]

Filed Under: Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Implementation & Rule-making, Press Releases

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

Release: NSAC Welcomes Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act

June 3, 2024

Representatives Marilyn Strickland, Alma Adams, and Jimmy Panetta, alongside Senator Peter Welch, introduced the Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act in the House and the Senate, which directs FSA to develop a multi-year operating loan pilot for beginning farmers to finance initial assets and the development of production and management systems…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Press Releases

Release: Farm Service Agency Rolls Out Streamlined Direct Loan Applications

February 7, 2023

USDA announced that a streamlined process to apply for direct loans with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will be available to farmers and ranchers starting March 1, 2023. … Read More →

Filed Under: Press Releases

Comment: NSAC Praises USDA Announcement of More Than 3.1 Million Acres Offered Through CRP Grassland Signups

July 15, 2022

NSAC applauds the announcement that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for more than 3.1 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners through this year’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grassland Signup…. Read More →

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Press Releases

CLEAR30 Sign-Up Open Now!

July 7, 2022

On April 1, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) opened enrollment for the Conservation Reserve Program’s (CRP) CLEAR30 subprogram – an important component of the larger Continuous Conservation Reserve Program. With both programs taking applications, NSAC offers a quick review of how these essential conservation tools function and shares key information for producers interested in applying…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

CRP Signup: Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

May 27, 2022

For more than 35 years, the Farm Bill’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has paid farmers and landowners to take highly erodible and other environmentally sensitive lands out of crop production and enroll them in conserving practices instead. Through CRP, USDA pays farmers to set aside land for grass or tree cover for a period of 10 or 15 years. This May, the Farm Service Agency announced that it had accepted over 2 million new acres into the FY22 CRP General Signup. This included more than 1.75 million re-enrolled acres, over 85% of the total accepted…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs

Farmer Engagement Opportunity: FSA County Committee Elections

November 6, 2018

The midterm elections aren’t the only civic opportunity for farmers and ranchers this November. In addition to casting their votes for federal, state, and local elected officials, producers who participate or cooperate in a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) program are also eligible to vote in the upcoming FSA County Committee […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Farm Bill, General Interest

Farm Service Agency Lending to Beginning Farmers Remains Strong

April 25, 2018

Editor’s Note: This is the second post of a 3-part analysis of FSA loan program usage throughout FY 2017. Stay tuned for our final post on lending trends for women and farmers of color. Access to credit is a make or break issue for farmers, particularly those just starting out. Rarely do beginning farmers have […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Grants and Programs

Despite Decreased Demand for Loans, FSA Credit Still Critical for Farmers

April 4, 2018

Editor’s Note: This is the first post of a 3-part analysis of FSA loan program usage throughout FY 2017. Stay tuned for subsequent posts on lending trends for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Access to loans and credit lines are critical for farmers looking to start up a new operation, expand their operation, […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs

New Opportunity to Influence Farm Policy at the Local Level

May 31, 2017

The power to make decisions about agricultural policies and programs lies not only with Congress and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials, but also in the hands of farmers, ranchers, and rural community members across the country. Stakeholders interested in being involved in federal decision making without taking a trip to Washington D.C., should explore the […]

Filed Under: Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, General Interest

New Guide Simplifies Federal Programs for Farmers

February 17, 2017

Which U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies have programs that are tailored to meet the needs of diversified farming operations, organic growers, or beginning farmers? What resources are available for small- and mid-sized growers looking to reach expanding regional markets, and where can you find them? For most people, even many farmers and ranchers, the […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Marketing and Labeling, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

FSA Loans to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Drop in 2016

February 9, 2017

Editor’s Note: This is the third post of a three-part blog series analyzing the impacts of the Farm Service Agency’s fiscal year (FY) 2016 direct and guaranteed loan programs. This blog will focus on socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and the trends in their loan participation across the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs

FSA Loans Remain Popular with Beginning Farmers; Guaranteed Lender Support Falling Behind

February 3, 2017

Editor’s Note: This is the second post of a three-part blog series detailing the outcomes of fiscal year (FY) 2016 direct and guaranteed loan data. This blog will focus specifically on beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs) and their loan participation trends across the U.S. In the early 1990s, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) led […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs

Growing Demand for FSA Loans in 2016 Shows Importance of Credit

January 26, 2017

Editor’s Note: This is the first post of a 3-part analysis of the FSA loan program throughout FY 2016. Click here to see part 2 (on beginning farmers and ranchers) and here for part 3 (on socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers). Whether a farmer’s goal is to start up a new operation, expand their farm, […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Budget and Appropriations, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs

FSA Cooperative Agreements Connect Farmers to USDA Programs

January 25, 2017

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dedicated to helping farmers start, grow, and improve their businesses. Farmers are busy people, however, and cannot always easily access information and programs from USDA. This has been especially challenging for farmers of color, military veteran farmers, women farmers, and farmers who utilize less conventional practices and […]

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

COMMENT: NSAC Applauds USDA, Congress for Filling Farm Operating Loan Gap

September 2, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754 The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds USDA and the congressional agriculture appropriators who have answered the call of farmers across the country and allocated up to $185 million in additional lending for direct and guaranteed farm operating loans. Thanks to this reprogramming, nearly 2,000 approved loan applicants […]

Filed Under: Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Press Releases

Upcoming Webinar on the Newly Expanded Farm Storage Facility Loan Program

August 5, 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, August 9 at 2:00pm EDT to provide information about the Farm Storage Facility Loan program and the expansions and improvements that have been made to it over the past two years. Register for the webinar here. Farm Storage Facility […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems

Farm Service Agency County Committee Members Help Shape Farmer Assistance Programs

July 5, 2016

The halls of Congress and offices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are commonly where the decisions about agricultural policies and programs are made, but they are not the only places. For farmers, ranchers, and the scores of rural community members for whom a trip to Washington D.C. is not feasible, opportunities to get […]

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs, Conservation, Energy & Environment

RELEASE: Farm Groups and Farm Lenders Appeal for Assistance During Credit Crunch

June 2, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Juli Obudzinski, 202-547-5754, jobudzinski@sustainableagriculture.net Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754, fhoefner@sustainableagriculture.net Farm Groups and Farm Lenders Appeal for Assistance During Credit Crunch Washington, DC, June 2, 2016 – Operating loans are the lifeblood of farming. They help farmers get crops in the ground, by financing needed supplies and equipment, and when necessary, refinancing earlier loans. The federal government […]

Filed Under: Press Releases

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