NSAC celebrates the introduction of the Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act, landmark legislation that supports the resilience and innovation of American farmers. Greater investment in publicly funded, regionally adapted, seed varieties and animal breeds will supply US farmers and producers with the tools they need to build a more resilient food system in the face of climate change. Public plant and animal breeding programs have encountered shrinking budgets, declining institutional support, increased labor and land costs, and insufficient federal investments…. Read More →
seeds and breeds
Farmers Trapped in Unsustainable Cycle by Biotechnology, Seed Consolidation
A deep dive into the role that corporate consolidation and concentration play in the commoditization and appropriation of seed and farming practices and what this means for farmers. … Read More →
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 […]
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 […]
Farm Bill Hearing Explores the Role of Agricultural Research
Agricultural research is little understood, but an incredibly important part of our food and agricultural economies. It is through agricultural research programs that we are able to develop more resilient seeds and crops, learn more about how to manage soil health, and conduct on-farm research experiments that help farmers and ranchers be more effective and […]
Plant Breeding Priorities for Organic Farmers
Editor’s Note: This article is a guest blog by Kristina Hubbard, Director of Advocacy and Communications with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). OSA is a non-profit organization based in Port Townsend, WA, and a close partner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) “Seeds and Breeds” campaign work. Reports Describe Plant Breeding Priorities for Organic Organic Seed Alliance […]
New Report Highlights Successes and Opportunities For Growth In Organic Research
Research is the unsung hero underpinning every aspect of successful farming. For hundreds of years farmers have driven their own research, sharing their knowledge and experience with one another and passing down tips and techniques through the generations. Today we live in an increasingly connected world, one in which farmers are no longer limited by […]
New Report Highlights Need for Organic Seed Breeding
The fresh produce from your local grocery store or farmers’ market may be certified organic, but anywhere from 25-80 percent of it might not have started out that way. A recent report from the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) reveals that the organic seed industry is far from keeping pace with the growth in demand for […]
SARE Stories From the Field: Breeding Seeds of Success
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of blog posts highlighting Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) projects. Our last SARE: Stories from the field blog featured a Kansas project which used SARE funds to help farmers quantify the financial risks of adopting cover crops. In agriculture, it all starts with seeds. And when […]
A Need for More and Better Targeted Plant Breeding Research Grants
A sustainable, localized, and resilient food system depends on the availability of seeds that are compatible with a variety of unique growing systems and climates. Organic farmers, for example, have different approaches to managing weeds and pests on their farms than traditional producers and therefore require seeds that are bred for their particular type of […]