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 →
USDA
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Releases New Resources for Small Processors
In February 2022, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) announced that their Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Validation webpage was updated to include validation studies that can be used to support HACCP plans for fermented products, salt-cured products, and dried products. This was based on recommendations from a 2020 report addressing guidance, tools, outreach, and responsiveness to the needs of smaller-scale meat processors…. Read More →
$19 Million Available to Support Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in 2022
USDA announced $19 million for the BFRDP in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Request for Application (RFA). Applicants have until May 19, 2022, to apply for this year’s round of grants…. Read More →
Release: NSAC Publishes Newly Revised Growing Opportunity Guide
NSAC published a brand new, fully updated Growing Opportunity: A Guide to USDA Sustainable Farming Programs. This free, comprehensive, practical guide is for farmers and ranchers who want to better understand which key federal programs offered by USDA can help them meet their needs and support their diversified, sustainable farming operations…. Read More →
A Record $35 Million Now Available to Support Historically Underserved and Veteran Farmers
Earlier this month, USDA announced a record $35 million in funding for 2501 grants, almost $20 million more than was available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, to help organizations conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers. The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, more commonly known as the “2501 Program,” and administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), helps to ensure that historically underserved producers have equitable access to the information, programs, and opportunities that will help them to find success in agriculture. June 8, 2022 is the deadline for applications. … Read More →
USDA Opens Latest Round of Funding to Support Local and Regional Food Economy Development Projects
NSAC looks at USDA’s recently announced round of grant funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) and Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) program to build and expand local and regional food and agriculture markets. The deadline to apply for the FMLFPP and RFSP program is Monday, May 16, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Full details on the NSAC blog. … Read More →
Release: NSAC Publishes Newly Revised Farmers’ Guide to the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Program
This week USDA announced its 2022 Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG). For the last several years, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has updated its Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program to help producers navigate this program. … Read More →
Value-Added Producer Grants Are Now Open
On March 1, 2022, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $19.75 million in total funding for VAPG projects. … Read More →
New Partnerships Between USDA Climate Hubs and Cooperative Extension to Boost Climate Research
$9 million in new grants for climate-friendly research through partnerships between USDA Climate Hubs and Cooperative Extension…. Read More →
$1 billion Available for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide $1 billion in funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.) to fund pilot projects aimed at “creat[ing] market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices.”… 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 →
Release: NSAC Applauds Biden-Harris Administration Releases Action Plan for Fairer Meat and Poultry Supply Chain
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released its Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain. The plan aims to address competition and fairness in the meat and poultry sector by dedicating $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to expand independent processing capacity…. Read More →
Over $50 Million Awarded to Train Next-Generation Farmers and Ranchers
With additional funding from recent legislation to address the impacts of the pandemic, new projects to train and educate beginning farmers and ranchers are underway…. Read More →
ELECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO INFLUENCE FARM POLICY AT LOCAL LEVEL
FSA County Committee elections and Urban County Committee elections are underway in certain counties. Submit your ballot by December 6th…. Read More →
COMMENT: NSAC Responds to USDA’s Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations
NSAC Responds to USDA’s Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations… Read More →
COVID Relief Funding NOW Available for Farmers Markets, Processors and Underserved Farmers
With farmers pulling long hours at the height of harvest season, and cases of the coronavirus skyrocketing across the country, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now providing additional funding to help many in our food and farm supply chains who were left out of previous aid programs. As of October 6, USDA […]
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 →
Over $30 Million Awarded for Organic Research, Education, and Extension
NIFA has awarded over $30 million to fund organic research, education, and extension projects to improve yields, quality, and profitability for producers and processors who have adopted organic standards…. Read More →
Everything You Wanted to Know About Budget Reconciliation
Editors Note: At the time of publication, the anticipated conservation and debt relief provisions were not yet publicly available, they have since been released to the public, for analysis on those previously missing pieces, check out our subsequent post “Budget Reconciliation: The Missing Pieces”. At this point if you are paying attention to the news […]
Closed out: How U.S. farmers are denied access to conservation programs
Editor’s Note: This blog post is co-authored by Cathy Day, PhD, NSAC Climate Policy Coordinator and Michael Happ, Program Associate for Climate and Rural Communities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, (IATP). ITAP is an NSAC member organization with a 30-year history of pursuing cutting edge solutions that benefit family farmers, rural communities and […]
Advancing Racial Justice and Equity Through the USDA
NSAC recently submitted a response to USDA’s request for comment on how the department can advance racial justice and equity for underserved communities. USDA is hoping to identify barriers that Black, Indigenous, and other BIPOC communities and individuals may face in accessing, enrolling, and participating in USDA programs and services, and engaging with USDA staff. […]
NSAC Releases Brief on Financing Options for Meat Processing Infrastructure
Editor’s Note: This blog post was co-authored by Matt Kneece, S.C. Policy Coordinator for Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, the lead drafter of NSAC’s Issue Brief on Financing Options for Local/Regional Meat Processing Infrastructure and Kelly Nuckolls, Senior Policy Specialist at NSAC. As the food system begins to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
Investments and Opportunities for Input on Meat and Poultry Processing Infrastructure
USDA recently announced over $600 million in future investments to support and increase processing capacity through grants, loans, and technical assistance to address concentration within the meat and poultry sectors, as well as small plant fee relief. On July 16th, 2021 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a notice in the Federal Register, seeking […]