Last Updated: April 29, 2025 For more than three months, billions of dollars of lawfully obligated USDA funding have been frozen or terminated. While the agency has still not made public the full scope of what remains frozen or targeted for termination, the harms to communities, farmers, and organizations are already clear. This blog post […]
LFPA
Release: NSAC Responds to Termination of Critical Local Food Funding, Envisions Future for Popular Program
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: NSAC Responds to Termination of Critical Local Food Funding, Envisions Future for Popular Program Washington, DC, March 11, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) lamented the termination of previously announced funding for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care […]
Release: NSAC Holds Briefing as USDA Funding Freeze and Layoffs Threaten Farmers and Communities Nationwide
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: NSAC Holds Briefing as USDA Funding Freeze and Layoffs Threaten Farmers and Communities Nationwide Washington, DC, March 6, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), a coalition of more than 150 farm, food, conservation, and rural organizations, held a virtual briefing […]
Census of Agriculture Reveals the Promise of Regional Food Systems
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has promoted the sale of foods locally for over two decades via business and community investments made by Value-Added Producer Grants, Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Grants, and most recently Regional Food System Partnership grants. However, the impact of these investments has only recently been better understood […]
A Regional Approach Creates Fairer Competition
Editor’s Note: This blog post is the third in a series taking a deeper look at how federal market opportunities support the success of efficient regional food systems. Part one details USDA’s recent supply chain infrastructure investments and how they have equipped regional processors and distributors. Part two describes the essential role that community partners […]
Release: NSAC Members and National Stakeholders applaud USDA’s commitment to local and regional supply chains
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: NSAC Members and National Stakeholders applaud USDA’s commitment to local and regional supply chains Secretary Vilsack’s recent announcement for additional funding for local food purchases ensures farmers, food pantries, and schools don’t experience an abrupt cutoff Washington, DC, October 1, 2024 – The […]
Release: Farmers and Food Pantries Seek Secretary Vilsack’s Help Avoiding a Funding Cliff
For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers and Food Pantries Seek Secretary Vilsack’s Help Avoiding a Funding Cliff Groups Urge USDA to Sustain Local Food Purchase Assistance Program Funding Washington, DC, September 19, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) delivered a letter to Secretary of Agriculture […]
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 […]
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 →
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 →
Release: NSAC Praises Expanding Access to Local Foods Act of 2024 Introduced in the Senate
Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Laphonza R. Butler (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King Jr. (D-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Expanding Access to Local Foods Act of 2024 (EAT Local Foods Act) in the Senate (S. 3982). The EAT Local Foods Act would create a permanent program to sustain the efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance (USDA’s LFPA) Program. The program would empower States and Tribal Nations to strengthen regional food supply chains by providing funding to purchase and distribute locally grown and produced foods to vulnerable communities and provide tailored technical assistance to help growers scale production. … Read More →
Recent Investments Fuel Local Food Systems
This blog post is the post in a series highlighting how recent supply chain investments were unique and pivotal in expanding infrastructure to respond to growing farmer demand, reducing costly wait times, and reaching diversified operations. … 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 →
Report illustrates initial success of local food purchasing agreements
In the short time since its inception in 2021, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program has demonstrated its capacity to create economic opportunities for producers, scale regional supply chains, and deliver healthy, culturally relevant food to those in need. The Wallace Center at Winrock International, an NSAC member, recently released a report highlighting the results of initial research that evaluates the preliminary impact of USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program in communities nationwide. … Read More →
NSAC’s Top 10 of 2022: A Year in Review
The end of a year signifies a time to reflect on all the most important accomplishments and tribulations of the past year. At NSAC, we had the opportunity to celebrate and find new reasons to expand our advocacy to support sustainable agriculture practices, small-scale producers, diversified farming, local food systems, and beginning and underserved farmers and ranchers. This post shares NSAC’s Top 10 accomplishments of 2022. … Read More →