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 […]
National Organic Program
Guest Post: Remembering Michael Sligh, a champion for farmers and food justice
Editor’s Note: NSAC has been shaped for decades by creative, joyful, and smart leadership from hundreds of advocates and farmers. Today we mourn the recent loss of our longtime colleague Michael Sligh and are proud to celebrate his life and contributions to building a better world for farmers. This guest post was written by Kiki […]
Examining the Latest Agricultural Census Data
Last month, USDA released the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture, which has been conducted since 1840 and currently is updated once every five years, serves as perhaps the primary data source for understanding the state of US food and agriculture and is a critical tool for farmers, researchers, and stakeholders because of the wealth of data it contains about everything from farmer demographics to cover crop acreage. This post is the first in a two-part series through which NSAC examines the latest Census of Agriculture in detail. This post explores some of the high-level themes from across the Census…. Read More →
RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities
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 →
Funding Now Available for Organic Transition and Certification Cost-Share
Organic agriculture continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors of American agriculture, yet during the COVID-19 pandemic, certified organic and transitional operations faced challenges including loss of markets, increased costs, labor shortages, and expenses related to obtaining or renewing their organic certification. Producers who are certified organic, along with producers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) to help cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022…. Read More →
To Accurately Track Organic Sector Growth, Better Data Collection Is Needed
There is no question that organic production is on the rise. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported twelve percent growth in the organic sector between 2014 and 2015, the highest growth rate the sector has seen since 2008. However, given the diverse sets of data that make up this growth rate, […]
New Outreach and Education Tools Available to Support to Organic Certification
New resources for transitioning organic producers are now available through the Agriculture Marketing Service’s National Organic Program (NOP). Through the Sound and Sensible initiative, NOP aims to makes organic certification more “accessible, affordable, and attainable” by helping transitioning farmers on a wide array of issues including record keeping and documentation, preventative practices, and much more. Utilizing […]