USDA has announced several funding opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This blog post outlines the funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements for a range of food and farm system grants funded through USDA that are currently accepting applications. The funding opportunities fall into three categories: Research and Education, Local Food (including urban and rural-focused programs) and Nutrition, Climate, Conservation, and Energy…. Read More →
local food
Guest Post: USDA’s Proposed Rule for School Meals Shines a Light on Local
Editor’s Note: This guest blog post by FoodCorps, an NSAC member, discusses the USDA’s proposed school nutrition and local sourcing guidelines to update nutrition standards for school meals. These recommendations build off of the work of school nutrition professionals to deliver nourishing food to students every day. The public comment period on the guidelines is open until April 10. … Read More →
Comment: NSAC Applauds USDA Announcement of Regional Food Business Centers
NSAC applauds USDA’s announcement of $400 million to establish Regional Food Business Centers. NSAC is pleased to see that USDA is structuring this critical investment in a way that builds on existing partnerships and initiatives and prioritizes resources where they are most needed. … Read More →
National Farmers Market Week Provides Platform for Essential Engagement with Elected Officials
Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog post authored by Ben Feldman, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition, an National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition member, in honor of the 22nd annual National Farmers Market Week, August 1-7th, 2021. For over two decades, National Farmers Market Week (NFMW) has been a time of celebration for everyone […]
Unpacking the House Appropriations Committee FY 2022 Agriculture Funding Bill
On June 30th, the House Appropriations Committee marked up and approved its fiscal year (FY) 2022 Agriculture Spending bill. The full House Appropriations Committee markup and approval followed the Agriculture Subcommittee’s approval of the funding bill on Friday, June 12. The agriculture appropriations bill includes funding for a wide range of farm and food programs, […]
$15 million Now Available to Support Regional Food Economy Development Projects
On May 5, 2021 USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the availability of $15.3 million in funding for the second ever Request for Applications (RFA) for the Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) Program. RFSP is a new program that supports foodshed-level approaches to developing regional food economies. RFSP was launched in the 2018 Farm Bill […]
$76.9 million in Local and Regional Food Project Grants Now Available
On May 5, 2021 USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the availability of $76.9 million in funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP). FMLFPP has two subprograms – the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) – with a separate Request for Applications (RFA) for each […]
USDA Awards $27 million to Support Local Food Projects
Local food systems and direct-to-consumer marketing through farmers markets, farm stands, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) programs have flourished across the country over the past several decades. Once viewed as a fad or niche part of the food sector, local food systems and direct marketing agriculture are now an integral part of American agriculture and […]
USDA Food Box Program Falls Short of Supporting Small Farms
In late April, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the highly anticipated Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), a two pronged plan the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would implement to distribute $23.5 billion in Congressionally provided aid to farmers impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. CFAP consists of two distinct programs: $16 billion in direct […]
Inaugural Urban Agriculture and Community Compost Funding Opportunities Announced
Americans’ interest in knowing more about where, how, and by whom their food is produced has been growing for many years and the coronavirus pandemic has shown new light on the serious shortcomings in our highly concentrated food production system. Along with the rise of the local food movement there has also been a building […]
What Farmers Need to Know About the USDA COVID-19 Aid Program Opening Next Week
USDA recently announced details of the new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) which will open for enrollment on May 26, 2020. CFAP will provide $16 billion in aid to farmers who suffered economic losses due to the pandemic. NSAC is glad to see relief begin to flow to farmers, but there are several shortcomings in the program that will make it more difficult for some farmers to seek relief. In this blog, we break down what farmers need to know about this new program…. Read More →
Will the HEROES Act Rescue Farmers?
As farmers and communities across the country continue to struggle to adapt to the new normal that is life amidst a global pandemic, Congress set the stage this week for the fourth round of federal aid to combat this crisis. And while previous aid packages have addressed some of the most urgent relief, our nation’s […]
National Guide to Finding Local Food
Editor’s Note: This post was developed in spring 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so some links may be outdated or no longer active! We’re in the process of reviewing and updating it in early 2025 — but in the meantime, feel free to look around! Just do expect some broken or outdated […]
USDA COVID Aid Program Raises More Questions than Answers
USDA recently announced plans to distribute $19 billion in aid to farmers impacted by COVID, raising serious concerns about which farmers will benefit. … Read More →
$3 Billion in Coronavirus Response Funds Available to Food Hubs and Distributors to Provide Fresh Food Boxes to Those in Need
Editor’s Note: The RFP has now been published and can be accessed below. We will continue to update this post as more information and resources become available. Last updated 4/27 at 5:02pm Late on a Friday night (4/17), Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the highly anticipated plan for how the U.S. Department of Agriculture […]
Inaugural Regional Food Systems Partnership Program Funding Opportunity Announced
Local and regional food economy entrepreneurs and organizations received some long-awaited news earlier in March – the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) finally released the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) Program. RFSP is a new program that supports foodshed-level approaches to developing regional food economies. […]
A Closer Look at Farmer Relief in Senate Pandemic Aid Package
As farmers and communities all across the country continue to deal with the impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Congress has been working around the clock to pass another round of emergency aid – this time targeted at small businesses and those who have lost income as a result of the crisis (including farmers), as […]
$27 million in Grant Funding Available for Farmers Markets and Local Food Projects
On March 9, 2020 USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the availability of $27 million in funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP). FMLFPP has two subprograms – the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) – with a separate Request for Applications (RFA) for each […]
COVID-19 Economic Impact on Local Food Markets
The following economic impact assessment was compiled on March 18, 2020 for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition by Dawn Thilmany, Becca Jablonski, Debra Tropp, Blake Angelo, and Sarah Low. More information about the authors can be found at the end of the document. Last updated March 21, 2020. Bottom Line Across key local and regional […]
$23.5 Million to Support Local Food Projects Awarded
When consumers connect with farmers from their region, they not only get access to the freshest fruits, vegetables, and value-added goods, they also help to drive economic opportunity in rural and food producing communities. Developing the farm to fork supply chains that make those connections possible, however, is no small task. In order to help […]
USDA Awards Over $41 Million for Healthy Food Access Projects
When it comes to food production, the United States is a land of abundance and plenty. On the food access front, however, the numbers are not very encouraging. One in 10 American households is struggling with food insecurity, meaning that over 100 million low-income, urban and rural Americans cannot afford or have trouble affording healthy […]
The Untold History of Federal Farm to School Support and its Impact on Local Food Research
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Debra Tropp, former Deputy Director, Local Food Research and Development, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Debra retired from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service in January 2019 after 26 years of service. She continues to keep her hand in local and regional food issues through her appointments […]
$9 Million in Farm to School Awards Brings Local Food to Schools, Bolsters Farm Sales
School is out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean efforts to connect schools with their local growers have stopped. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced a record level of funding – over $9 million – for projects funded through the Farm to School Grant Program. […]
$23 Million Available for Local Food Programs
As part of our 2018 Farm Bill efforts, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) sought to strengthen programs and policies that support the growth of local food economies and support direct market opportunities for family farmers. One of the most significant achievements of those efforts was the development of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), […]