Research is transforming food systems in urban communities, one award at a time. On May 21, 2018, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) celebrated its members and partners who received funding through the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, which was established by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered in partnership with the U.S. Department […]
Research
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: Agricultural Research and Plant Breeding
This is the second 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: organic agriculture, local/regional food systems and rural development, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, and crop insurance and commodity subsidies. The bill will be considered and “marked-up” (aka amended) by the […]
$180 Million Available for AFRI Research Grant Projects
Farmers face a variety of challenges on their operations every day (e.g., figuring out how to suppress weeds, minimize pest pressures organically, and determining which plant varieties grow best in their climate). Many of these challenges are becoming increasingly difficult to resolve and detrimental to farmers’ bottom lines, particularly those caused by climate change. In […]
New Funding Opportunity Aims to Increase Sustainability Research
A new funding opportunity offered by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks to help researchers address critical challenges related to the long-term sustainability of agriculture. Late last month, NIFA released a new Request for Applications (RFA) for “Sustainable Agricultural Systems” projects under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). According to […]
Top Ten Reasons to Reject the House Farm Bill
1. Helps the big get bigger and rich get richer Over the last three decades, American agriculture has become increasingly consolidated. As of 2015, a majority of our food (51 percent) came from farms with over $1 million in annual sales – up 20 percent since 1991. Federal policy has historically contributed to this consolidation […]
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 […]
SARE Celebrates 30 Years, Looks Forward to $35M in FY 2018 Funding
There was a lot to celebrate last week at the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program’s (SARE) Our Farms, Our Future conference in St. Louis, MO. For one, SARE and the Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas (ATTRA) program were celebrating their 30th anniversaries and all the amazing accomplishments each program had helped to make […]
RELEASE: Family Farmers Deliver Farm Bill Priorities to Congress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Family Farmers Deliver Farm Bill Priorities to Congress National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition brings 20 farmer advocates to Capitol Hill Washington, D.C., March 9, 2018 – With the next farm bill and annual agriculture funding decisions actively being debated, now is the time to amplify the voices of […]
RELEASE: Seeding a Sustainable Future for American Agriculture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Seeding a Sustainable Future for American Agriculture Seeds for the Future Act will increase support for and access to public seed breeding programs Washington, DC, March 8, 2018 – The relationship between seed and crop is a simple one – no seeds means no […]
$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 […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Sustainable Agriculture Research
Editor’s Note: On October 24, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released its 2018 Farm Bill policy platform, An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill, which provides a comprehensive vision for a more sustainable farm and food system based on the recommendations and experience of American family farmers and the organizations that represent them. This is the fifth […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: A Comprehensive Approach to Food and Farm Policy
Editor’s Note: On October 24, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released its 2018 Farm Bill policy platform, An Agenda for the 2018 Farm Bill. NSAC has been a leader in agricultural policy for over 30 years, and has been instrumental in helping to develop some of our nation’s most successful agricultural programs for conserving […]
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 […]
SARE Roundup: News on Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program funds farmer-driven research and education through a competitive grants program. SARE is the only competitive research grant program offered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that focuses solely on sustainable agriculture; the program been supporting research in this field for nearly 30 years. SARE is administered […]
Coalition Calls for Congress to Prioritize Research in 2018 Farm Bill
Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition joined with over 60 other organizations and educational institutions in delivering a consensus document to legislators with priority recommendations for the Research, Education, and Extension Title of the 2018 Farm Bill. The undersigned universities, farmer and research organizations, and advocates emphasized the danger of allowing America’s investment in research […]
Senate Appropriators Prioritize Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
Following closely on the heels of the House Agriculture Appropriation Subcommittee’s funding bill, which was approved by the full House Appropriations Committee last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced its agriculture appropriations funding measure for fiscal year (FY) 2018. The Senate bill moved quickly through the Subcommittee and full Committee approval process, with just […]
Over $17 Million Awarded for Plant Breeding Research Projects
When it comes to agriculture, variety is much more than just the “spice of life,” it’s one of the keys to a successful and sustainable farm operation. Though consumers are generally aware of a few different types of farming (e.g., organic, conventional, integrated pest management), the reality is that each farm is unique and each […]
Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Would Spell Disaster for Rural America
The outcry from farmers, farm and food groups, and Members of Congress came swiftly this week following the release of President Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget proposal. The nation got its initial preview of the Administration’s priorities this March in an outline budget document termed “the skinny budget”. This week the full proposal, which […]
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, […]
Increasing Yield and Enhancing Natural Resources Through Crop Diversification
The conservation benefits of diversified crop rotations have long been known – from healthier soil and less erosion to fewer pests and better water retention, diversified rotations can help farmers address a multitude of environmental concerns. A new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) member organization, highlights […]
A Late Start Doesn’t Have to Mean a Slow Start: 10 Things Secretary Perdue Can Do Now to Support Family Farmers
On his first day on the job, Sonny Perdue – a former two-term governor and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited new Secretary – addressed two very important audiences. The first, a formal introduction to USDA staff, was an opportunity for the Secretary to lay out his general vision for the department’s next four […]
New Opportunities for Sustainable Agriculture Research
Overview All farmers know that success in agriculture requires more than just a green thumb and a little luck. Farmers rely upon experimentation and research to ensure their lands, crops and animals stay healthy and viable, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a primary source of support for this critical work. Last […]
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Priorities for Sustainable Agriculture
Editor’s Note: As a lead up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is previewing some of the major programs and policies that advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The final post in our series, “Path to the […]