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Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

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USDA Staffing Cuts Hurt Farmers and Rural Communities

NIFA

USDA Staffing Cuts Hurt Farmers and Rural Communities

March 14, 2025

While the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not confirmed the number of employees that have already been laid off or their plans for a forthcoming “reduction in force”, staffing chaos has reigned at the agency for the past several weeks. The firing of nearly 6,000 probationary employees was ruled illegal and extensive terminations are […]

Filed Under: Carousel, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Rural Development

Guest Post: Is the Future of Organic Food at Risk? Research Funding Holds the Answer

November 19, 2024

Editor’s Note: This blog post is a guest post authored by Gordon Merrick, Senior Policy and Programs Manager at the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Mark Schonbeck, Research Associate, also at OFRF, which is an NSAC member. The world is increasingly recognizing the value of sustainable food systems, and organic agriculture plays a vital role in […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Climate Change, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

Path to a New Farm Bill: Sustainable and Organic Research 

September 17, 2024

Editor’s Note: This post is the fifth 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, Climate Change, Farm Bill, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

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

Funding Available to Support Underserved Farmers: A Look at USDA’s 2501 Grants

May 16, 2024

The USDA announced $22.3 million in funding for 2501 grants to support socially disadvantaged farmers through targeted outreach and technical assistance programs, with applications due by July 5, 2024. The program aims to address historical disparities faced by farmers of color by providing resources and opportunities for success in agriculture. Despite challenges such as funding cuts and delays, ongoing advocacy efforts seek to improve program accessibility and ensure equitable support for underserved farming communities, with potential enhancements outlined in upcoming farm bill proposals…. Read More →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

Organic Research Funding: Examining and Refuting USDA’s Justifications for Decreasing Dedicated Organic Funding

April 30, 2024

This guest blog post highlights the critical role of organic agriculture in addressing sustainability and health concerns within food systems. It discusses the concerning decrease in funding specifically allocated for organic-dedicated competitive grant programs in the Presidential Budget Request for fiscal year 2025 and analyzes the justifications provided for this shift. The post emphasizes the importance of proactive engagement from the scientific community, legislators, and funding agencies to ensure robust support for organic agriculture research and development…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Research, Education & Extension

Everything You Need to Know About FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations

March 27, 2024

On March 8, 2024, Congress finally approved a final FY2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 funds USDA and FDA – alongside numerous other departments and agencies – through September 30, 2024. This blog post examines the food and agriculture components of the CAA and its significance amidst Congress’s delayed appropriations process. … Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Carousel, Climate Change

RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities 

February 15, 2024

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 →

Filed Under: Beginning and Minority Farmers, Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems, Research, Education & Extension

From Commodification to Conservation: Restoring Agrobiodiversity Through Seed Breeding – Part I: 

October 5, 2023

This post is the first in a two-part series about seed breeding. It explores the history of seed breeding in the US, the impacts of consolidation and concentration of seed breeding on farmers and our food systems, and what a more democratic seed breeding system might look like. … Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Research, Education & Extension

Bipartisan Agrivoltaics Bill Introduced in Senate

June 1, 2023

On May 31, 2023, Senators Heinrich (D-NM) and Braun (R-IN) introduced the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023 (S. 1778). Featuring a proposal first outlined in the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), the bill provides for the Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to jointly focus on advancing research on agrivoltaics and demonstrations of the value of such systems…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Conservation, Energy & Environment

Release: Briefing Addresses Building Agricultural Resilience for Future Generations

February 28, 2023

NSAC, Union of Concerned Scientists, Carbon180, and the Breakthrough Institute hosted a joint briefing on how public funding for agricultural research and development (R&D) has the potential to improve sustainability and build farmer and rancher resilience in the face of increasing food system disruptions caused by climate change. … Read More →

Filed Under: Press Releases, Research, Education & Extension

RFA ROUNDUP: SPRING 2023 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

February 28, 2023

This post shares all the information that food and farm organizations might need to best utilize the newly released funding resources. From funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements, NSAC covers everything needed for the latest round of Requests for Applications (RFAs) to support your community of farmers and advocates…. Read More →

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

New $25 Million Funding Opportunity to Provide Technical Assistance to Underserved Farmers Closes Soon

May 12, 2022

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new investment of $25 million in grants for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Technical Assistance Investment Program (ARPTAI) – a new program to provide historically underserved farmers, ranchers and forest landowners technical support in accessing USDA programs and services…. Read More →

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

$19 Million Available to Support Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in 2022

March 28, 2022

USDA announced $19 million for the BFRDP in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Request for Application (RFA). Applicants have until May 19, 2022, to apply for this year’s round of grants…. Read More →

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

Over $50 Million Awarded to Train Next-Generation Farmers and Ranchers

December 7, 2021

With additional funding from recent legislation to address the impacts of the pandemic, new projects to train and educate beginning farmers and ranchers are underway…. Read More →

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

Over $30 Million Awarded for Organic Research, Education, and Extension

September 24, 2021

NIFA has awarded over $30 million to fund organic research, education, and extension projects to improve yields, quality, and profitability for producers and processors who have adopted organic standards…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

$150M for Sustainable Agriculture Research, Impacts, and Assessment

December 11, 2020

Long-term sustainable agriculture research is critical to growing and supporting every American farm, especially as farmers across the country continue to address the challenges posed by a changing climate. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS) program – initiated to enhance the sustainable production of food in the face of […]

Filed Under: Carousel, General Interest, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

More Funding Available for 2021 Organic Research

November 25, 2020

Just a few weeks after the 2019 Organic Survey reported a 31 percent growth for organic sales and an increase in certified organic farms and transitioning acres, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released its FY 2021 Request for Application (RFA) for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

USDA Announces New COVID Rapid Response Research Program

April 23, 2020

The nation’s food system and agriculture supply chains have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant impacts are being felt across the entire food and agriculture sector including the reduction in operation of restaurants, farmers markets, processing and packaging facilities, to name a few. Farmers and ranchers have voiced the strong need for intervention to […]

Filed Under: Research, Education & Extension, Rural Development

Food Safety Outreach Program to Provide Additional Trainings in 2020

February 27, 2020

This is the first year small farms will be inspected if they fall under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Fortunately, there are a number of exceptional FSMA training programs that were recently funded by the Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) that will assist farmers trying to navigate the complex rules. The […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Research, Education & Extension

Comment: Farm, Union and Science Groups Urge Congress to Stand Strong Against USDA Relocation

October 21, 2019

Statement prepared by AFGE, ASA, NFU, NSAC, and UCS urging Congress to stand by ERS and NIFA research that supports farmers and consumers. … Read More →

Filed Under: Press Releases, Research, Education & Extension

Is Organic Farming Risky? New Report Suggests No More So Than Non-Organic Farms

October 21, 2019

NCAT’s new report suggests organic farming is no more risky than non-organic farming. The report was funded by a research and education grant from NIFA. … Read More →

Filed Under: Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension

COMMENT: OIG Report Fuels Foul Play Claims in USDA Research Agency Relocation

August 5, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net OIG Report Fuels Foul Play Claims in USDA Research Agency Relocation Washington, DC, August 5, 2019 – Following the release of a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Inspector General concluding that the USDA may have broken the […]

Filed Under: Nutrition & Food Access, Press Releases, Research, Education & Extension

Demolition by Relocation: ERS and NIFA Moving Day Looms Closer

July 24, 2019

Last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee took the latest action in the ongoing, collaborative effort to reverse the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) relocation of two core research agencies from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City, Missouri. The Committee called on Dr. Scott Hutchins, Deputy Undersecretary for USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area to […]

Filed Under: Research, Education & Extension

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