This guest blog post by Margaret Krome, Policy Program Director at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, an NSAC member based in East Troy, WI, details the recent announcement of $12 million for cooperative agreements under this year’s request for applications for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI).
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NRCS
Release: NSAC Celebrates GLCI Funding Announcement
This week the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced $12 million for its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). NRCS will accept proposals through GLCI until September 22, 2022. … Read More →
$25 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced the availability of $25 million in funding to advance the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation practices on agricultural lands. The funding is for on-farm trials, a subprogram of the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. The deadline to apply for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials is September 22, 2022…. Read More →
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program: Between Farm Bills
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) was created in the 2014 Farm Bill through the combination of the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRE), the Grassland Reserve Program, and the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. The program is administered through Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS,) and is divided into two tracks: a wetland easement component and an agricultural land easement (ALE) component. The 2018 Farm Bill gave ACEP a major increase in annual funding – adding $200 million per year as compared to levels under the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2018 Farm Bill also added new provisions to prioritize projects that maintain farm viability and land affordability. … Read More →
What’s in the President’s Budget Request for Sustainable Agriculture?
The Biden-Harris Administration released the President’s Budget Request (PBR) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 on March 28, 2022. The $5.8 trillion budget request comes several months late and includes the President’s discretionary spending plans and builds on the PBR FY 2022. NSAC outlines the Administration’s proposed budget as it pertains to the sustainable agriculture community and specifically: climate and conservation, research and food safety, local food and rural development, and farm loans and beginning and socially disadvantaged producers. … Read More →
CSP RENEWAL DEADLINE COMING UP QUICKLY!
Did you know that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently accepting applications for contract renewals in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)? CSP is a comprehensive working lands conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to actively manage and maintain existing conservation systems and to implement additional conservation activities on land in production. The deadline to apply for a renewal is fast approaching! … Read More →
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM SIGNUP BEGINS JANUARY 31, 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 instead in conserving practices. CRP signups begin January 31, 2022…. Read More →
Release: NRCS Announces Improvements to CSP and EQIP
Yesterday, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) made a series of changes to its premier conservation programs to better support farmers’ ability to face climate change. … Read More →
NSAC’s New Farmers’ Guide to CART Published
Fall is here, and it has brought with it new Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program deadlines! NRCS recently unveiled a comprehensive list of program deadlines by state for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. This list has information on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program […]
Cover Crops and CAFOs: EQIP in FY 2019 and FY 2020
In this blog post, we analyze how EQIP financial assistance was utilized in FY 2019 and FY 2020 through the EQIP general pool. … Read More →
RELEASE: House Adopts Three Significant Amendments to Advance Sustainable Agriculture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 RELEASE: House Adopts Three Significant Amendments to Advance Sustainable Agriculture NSAC urges the passing of the full minibus of Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills Washington, D. C., July 29, 2022 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds the adoption of three […]
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, […]
$25 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS
On April 21, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of $25 million in funding to advance the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation practices on agricultural lands. The funding is for on-farm trials, a sub-program of the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. CIGs are designed to support collaboration between NRCS and […]
A Deeper Dive: The Regional Conservation Partnership Program Rule
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) has helped conserve thousands of acres across the country by promoting partnerships between producers and organizations, with support from the federal government. These partnerships, most often led by non-profit conservation organizations, involve sometimes hundreds of landowners and work to address resource concerns across landscapes and watersheds. Earlier this year, […]
USDA Updates Options for Cover Crop Termination
Cover crops are a critical tool that farmers can use to improve soil health, reduce erosion, retain moisture, and suppress weeds. Especially as farmers are up against devastating floods, drought, and unpredictable weather and pressures, cover crop adoption is an essential practice to build resilient systems and mitigate risk. Despite these clear benefits for risk […]
Less than One Month to Sign up for the Conservation Stewardship Program in 2019
Farmers and ranchers across the country have less than one month to sign up for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation’s largest working lands program. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that the deadline for applicants to submit an initial application for CSP, in order to […]
Farmers Continue to Reap Big Benefits from Cover Crops
Farmers and agriculture advocates have for years been extolling the benefits of cover crops – crops grown specifically with the intention of enriching the soil. Not only have producers seen the health and biodiversity of their soil increase, erosion decrease, and improvements in crop production thanks to the use of cover crops, their experiences are […]
$23 Million for Conservation Innovation Projects!
In order to support the development of promising new conservation approaches, yesterday the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will award more than $22.6 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIGs) to 33 projects that have demonstrated great potential in the advancement of resource conservation. This year’s projects focus on: conservation finance, pay-for-success, water […]
Stories from the Field: Conservation for a Better Future
Rick Story never imagined he’d be named one of the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Farmers of the Year; but considering his extensive use of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the last four years, it’s easy to see why he was chosen. A pilot by training, at first Rick was more comfortable flying […]
Unified Support for Conservation as Good Farming Practice Needed at USDA
Every farmer with crop insurance knows they need to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Good Farming Practices (GFP) standard in order to maintain their coverage. Under guidelines established by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), farmers must undertake all the “generally recognized practices” that will give their crops the best chance to reach […]
CSP Sign-Up Opens, Program “Reinvention” Details Remain Elusive
Farmers and ranchers are important managers of our shared air, water, and soil resources, and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) recognizes and rewards this critical role. CSP is built on the belief that we must enhance natural resource and environmental protection as we simultaneously produce profitable food, fiber, and energy. By providing comprehensive conservation assistance […]
New Organic Champions Opportunity at NRCS
Conservation is in the best interest of all farmers, however, best practices for conservation can vary significantly depending on the region, type of crops or animals raised, and nature of the farming operations. Organic and transitioning-to-organic farmers have particularly unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to on-farm conservation practices. Given the unique-nature of the […]
Sustainable Agriculture Groups Call for Improved Organic Conservation Support
As demand for organic production continues to grow, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has enormous potential to provide support to transitioning-to-organic farmers through conservation planning and technical and financial assistance. Through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative (OI), NRCS offers important conservation supports to organic farmers, but […]
High Tunnels Create Opportunities for New Farmers
Zoë Bradbury of Valley Flora Farm is part of a team of family farmers (Zoe, her sister Abby, and her mother Betsy) raising over 100 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables on 90 acres along Flora’s Creek in Langlois, Oregon. Their CSA serves families within a 50-mile radius and the farm is committed to sustainable […]