FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ferd Hoefner 202-547-5754 USDA Revokes Grass Fed Label Standard Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Speaks Out Against Decision Washington, DC, January 12, 2016 – Today in the Federal Register, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) rescinds the labeling standard for grass fed meat that was developed over the course of […]
USDA
Farm to School Grant Awards Announced for 2014
In his third communication in as many days on the importance of local and regional food systems and marketing for America’s farmers and rural communities, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Fiscal Year 2014 awardees of the national Farm to School Grant Program. USDA awarded $5.2 million in grants to 71 funded […]
Target Date Passes for Black Farmer Settlement
The settlement reached between the government and black farmers denied USDA funding and services included a target date of March 31. That date has now passed, but the issue remains very much alive. The major remaining hurdle is for Congress to find a funding source or “offset” to allow it to provide the additional $1.15 […]
USDA Women and Working Lands Panel and Discussion
March is National Women’s History month, making yesterday (March 25) a fitting date for the USDA “Women and Working Lands: Past, Present, Future” forum held at the USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The forum celebrated the hard work and achievements of women farmers, ranchers and foresters across the nation, and was moderated by USDA Deputy […]
USDA Adds Pork to Existing Poultry Loan Rules Aimed at Preventing Contract Abuse
On Thursday, March 11, USDA announced that Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loan policies already in place for contract poultry production will be extended to contract pork operations as well. The aim of the guidance is to try to put an end to the practice of FSA financing new hog or poultry operations in cases […]
10 Days of Sustainable Ag Advocacy: An Intern’s Perspective
by Kara Slaughter, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute “With reference to individual or national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance.” -George Washington So reads one of the three quotations at the top of the stone edifice at the U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters in Washington, D.C. Part of what prompted me to quit my “real job” […]
Perspectives on Policy from a Beginning Farmer
We are excited to have Sarah Brown, beginning farmer at Diggin’ Roots Farm in Milwaukee, Oregon write a reflection on her experience at NSAC’s beginning farmer fly-in and Drake University’s Forum last week. If you, like Sarah, have suggestions for federal policies to support beginning farmers and ranchers, please email them to us at beginningfarmer(at)sustainableagriculture.net. […]
Update on Food Safety: Wins and Future Directions in the Senate
At the end of January, we sent out an action alert supporting Senator Stabenow’s Growing Safe Food Act (S. 2758) which would provide scale-appropriate training and technical assistance on food safety for small and mid-sized producers and small processors and wholesalers. In it, we outlined the deficiencies in the pending Food Safety Modernization Act (S. […]
Farm to School Included In Administration’s Child Nutrition Priorities
Secretary Vilsack’s much anticipated speech at the National Press Club outlining the Administration’s priorities for Child Nutrition Act reauthorization was canceled Monday as the federal government remained snowbound, but excerpts of his comments were made available Tuesday in conjunction with the roll-out of the First Lady’s childhood obesity initiative. Monday’s speech included support for the […]
Obama Budget – Snapshot of Sustainable Agriculture
By Aimee Witteman Today, President Obama unveiled his $3.8 trillion budget for fiscal year 2011. The big fat volumes with all of the program line items for each department of government were published online at the U.S. Government Printing Office this morning. This post summarizes just a few of the proposed losses and gains for […]
Important Update on NRCS High Tunnel Pilot Program
By Martha Noble, NSAC High tunnels help to extend the growing season for lettuce on Don Bustos’ Santa Cruz farm in Santa Fe, NM; Photo by Jess Daniel Update on Final Tally (February 2, 2010) The date for states to opt into the NRCS Seasonal High Tunnel Pilot Program closed on January 29 with 42 […]