United States Capitol building in Washington, DC. Photo credit: USDA. On July 11, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill with unanimous, bipartisan agreement. The Senate Appropriations Committee skipped subcommittee markup this fiscal year, and the full committee’s unanimous approval took less than 10 minutes (59:00 – 1:07:54). This outcome in the Senate stands in contrast to what transpired in the House Appropriations Committee just a day earlier: a roughly tw ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: NSAC Welcomes Proposed “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets” Rule  Washington, DC, June 25, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack for publishing another proposed rule to modernize the century-old Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act): “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets.” This is the fourth rule to impleme ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to Senate Republicans’ Draft Farm Bill Summary Washington, DC, June 11, 2024 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans’ farm bill framework published today.   “The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is encouraged by the continued momentum toward completing ..read more

Photo credit: Lindsey Scalera Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on Friday, May 24. The first post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole, as well as its likely (or unlikely) path to becoming law. This post explores the FFNSA’s impacts on local and regional food systems. Subsequent posts provide a deep dive analysis of the bill’s potential impacts on farmers’ access to land and capital, beginning and other underserve ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: Senate Hearing Highlights Need for Broader View of Beginning Farmer Challenges Washington, DC, June 5, 2024 – Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade held a hearing entitled, “Pathways to Farming: Helping the Next Generation of Farmers.” The almost two-hour hearing featured four witnesses who spoke to their experiences as beginning farmers and ranchers. In respon ..read more

Healthy soil,. Photo credit: USDA Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was reported out of the House Agriculture Committee on May 24. This post provides an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole, as well as its likely (or unlikely) path to becoming law. Subsequent posts provide a deep dive analysis of the bill’s potential impacts on local and regional food systems, farmers’ access to land and capital, beginning and other underserved producers, conservation and climate resilience, an ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Steve Etka, Policy Director Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform steveetka@gmail.com | 703-519-7772 CCAR Praises Secretary Vilsack on the Proposed Rule to Infuse Basic Fairness Requirements into Poultry Grower Payments Systems and Capital Upgrade Requirements Rule marks an important next step toward broader fairness for our nation’s poultry growers Editor’s Note: NSAC shares the following statement by Steve Etka, Policy Director for the Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform CCAR in support of the USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Act proposed rule on “Poultry ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: NSAC Welcomes Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act  Washington, DC, June 3, 2024 – Today, Representatives Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), alongside Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), introduced the Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act in the House and the Senate.   The Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act directs the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to develop a ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act Washington, DC, May 24, 2024 – Early this morning, the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture reported the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (HR 8467), out of committee on a vote of 33-21. In response, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following comment, attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy D ..read more

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward Washington, DC, May 20, 2024 – On Friday, May 17, the House Agriculture Committee released the long-awaited Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA). The 942 page discussion draft arrived just six days ahead of an expected Committee markup on May 23. “The Farm, Food, and National Security Act fundamentally fails to meet the moment. The bill dramatically increases subsidies ye ..read more