Researchers and scientific institutions across the food and farm communities have been on edge as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun the process of relocating the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (and agency staff) to its new headquarters in Kansas City. Even in these early stages, the relocation process has already […]
Organic
Organic Cost Share Funding Makes Organic Certification More Affordable
Organic certification under the National Organic Program (NOP) can provide significant benefits to farmers by opening new market opportunities and increasing the takeaway profit for sales; it can also, however, be a prohibitively costly process. For producers and handlers interested in certification who require cost share assistance, the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) is an excellent resource. On May […]
Organic Survey: Update and 2019 Recommendations
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is preparing to survey the nation’s organic farmers in an effort to collect data on acreage, production, and sales for a variety of organic crop and livestock commodities. Earlier this year, NASS announced that it would begin soliciting feedback on its proposal for the 2019 Organic Survey, which the […]
Organic Transitions Program Applications Now Open
On the heels of the publication of the Request for Applications (RFA) for the the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has also just released this year’s RFA for the Organic Transitions Program (ORG). Like they did with OREI, NIFA has […]
Organic Research Funding Opportunities Released
Family farmers, researchers, and advocates like the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) helped to achieve historic victories for the organic and research communities in the 2018 Farm Bill. Of particular significance was the establishment of permanent, mandatory funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) over the next five years. This funding increase […]
2018 Farm Bill Drilldown: Organic Agriculture
Editor’s Note: This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the final negotiated 2018 Farm Bill, which was released on December 11, 2018 by the leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: conservation, research and seed breeding, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies; previous posts focused on local and regional food and beginning/socially disadvantaged […]
Organic Research Programs Award Last Round of 2014 Farm Bill Funds
When Congress allowed the 2014 Farm Bill to expire on September 30, 2018, a host of important food and farm programs lost their authority to operate, their funding, or both. Among the programs thrown into farm bill limbo by this delay are two competitive organic research grant programs that recently announced what could be their […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Senate Agriculture Committee Advances Farm Bill
Every five years or so, Congress reauthorizes the federal farm bill, a large and complex package of legislation that affects all facets of food and agriculture policy in the U.S. The current farm bill, which Congress passed in 2014, expires on September 30, 2018. The 2018 Farm Bill must be passed before September 30 in […]
Draft Senate Farm Bill: Organic Agriculture
This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on June 7, 2018 by the Senate Agriculture Committee. Subsequent posts focus on: local/regional food systems and rural development, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. The bill will be considered and “marked-up” (aka amended) by the full […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Organic Agriculture
This is the sixth and final post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Previous posts focused on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, research and seed breeding, and conservation. […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Research and Seed Breeding
This is the fourth post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, local/regional food systems and rural development, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to […]
$17.6 Million Available for Organic Research Funding
After much anticipation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released its Request for Applications (RFA) for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) last week. OREI grants provide crucial support to the organic industry by funding research, education, and extension projects to improve and advance organic agriculture. NIFA estimates there […]
PRESS COMMENT – Organic Agriculture, Soil Health, and Sustainable Grazing Prioritized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Organic Agriculture, Soil Health, and Sustainable Grazing Prioritized in FY 2018 Conservation Innovation Grants Washington, DC, December 18, 2017 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for supporting organic farmers, grazing lands conservation, and soil health opportunities […]
Over $20 Million Awarded for Organic Research Projects
Editor’s Note: This blog was written in partnership with our member organization, the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced more than $20 million in competitive grant awards to support one of agriculture’s fastest growing sectors – organics. The funding was […]
Gaps in Organic Data Make Projections a Challenge
When it comes to agriculture, revenue is only one of many important metrics in measuring growth and industry health. For the last two years, organic producers and consumers have cheered reports citing growth in sales revenue. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2016 Organic Production Survey, production rose 23 percent from 2016 to […]
Progress on Organic Insurance Options and Data Collection
According to two recent reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to Congress, the Department is making some significant progress in their effort to increase the availability of data on organic production as well as the availability of insurance options for organic producers. Quality production data and the expansion of insurance options are inexorably […]
Bipartisan Legislation Proposes Funding Boost for Organic Agriculture Research
Organic is one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture – over the last several years the organic food industry has been creating jobs at four times the national average. Unfortunately, growth in the organic sector has been held back from reaching its full potential due to a lack of investment in research, education programs, […]
Expanded Options for Organic Certification Cost Share in 2017
Late last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) underwent some significant changes as administration of the program was shifted from the Agricultural Market Service (AMS) to the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The change was intended to expand opportunities for producers and handlers to access certification funding, as when the […]
Report Highlights Barriers and Opportunities for Farmers Interested in Organic
Farmers enter into organic production for many reasons, chief among them are typically a concern for the conservation of natural resources and environmental protection and a desire to benefit from the higher price points that organic products typically demand. With consumer demand for organic products continuing to grow, one might expect more and more farmers […]
Organic Animal Welfare Final Rule – What It Says and What’s Next
Animal living conditions and well being have long been a key component of organic livestock production systems, including allowing animals to exhibit their natural behaviors and have access to their natural diets. However, inconsistencies in organic livestock and poultry production standards have emerged in recent times, causing confusion in the organic marketplace and jeopardizing the […]
Expanded Opportunities for Organic Certification Assistance
The annual process of organic certification can be expensive, but it is an essential step for farmers who hope to capitalize on the growing demand for certified organic foods. Organic certification cost share assistance, available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is one good option for small and mid-sized organic farmers and producers looking to […]
RELEASE: Organic Certification Just Got Easier Thanks to Reformatted Cost Share Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, RKovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Alyssa Charney, 202-547-5754, ACharney@sustainableagriculture.net Organic Certification Just Got Easier Thanks to Reformatted Cost Share Program National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition praises USDA efforts to improve access to organic certification funding Washington DC, December 21, 2016 – Thanks to a newly re-positioned farmer cost share program, announced today […]
$3.8 Million Available for Organic Agriculture Research
Faced with a growing demand for organic products that dramatically outstrips available supply, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. organic industry have steadily increased efforts to bring new farmers and ranchers into the fold. While some organic producers, like Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farms, are funding their own transition initiatives, many others rely […]
New Publications Help Farmers and Certifiers Incorporate Biodiversity Practices on the Farm
Editor’s Note: We are pleased to share the following guest post from Wild Farm Alliance (WFA), an NSAC member organization. The post highlights two publications WFA recently released to support organic farmers as they incorporate biodiversity practices into their operations. There is a direct linkage between conservation practices on the farm and National Organic Program (NOP) standards, and […]