For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Release: NSAC Members and National Stakeholders applaud USDA’s commitment to local and regional supply chains
Secretary Vilsack’s recent announcement for additional funding for local food purchases ensures farmers, food pantries, and schools don’t experience an abrupt cutoff
Washington, DC, October 1, 2024 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) celebrates the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of $ 500 million in additional funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Earlier this month, NSAC delivered a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack signed by nearly 600 food banks, hubs, pantries, farmers, and organizations requesting that the USDA continue funding the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program after stakeholders began expressing serious concern of the program’s anticipated end. Congressional delegations in both the House and Senate have also expressed strong support for LFPA.
“The impact of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) has exceeded all initial expectations among our membership. The LFPA program eliminated burdensome and time-consuming applications and instead allowed states to work closely with their existing regional networks to identify farmers ready to scale operations and recipient agencies that existing emergency food assistance programs have underserved,” said Hannah Quigley, NSAC policy specialist.
“States that have seen the most success have proactively engaged in production planning with food hubs to offer the producer a guaranteed contract. While this model is similar to USDA procurement programs, LFPA has allowed local and small farmers equal opportunity by focusing on a regional scale,” added Quigley.
This funding will ensure that any delay in the farm bill reauthorization does not negatively impact the emerging and growing local food supply chains. However, Congress must follow the lead of Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) Proposal and ensure that there is a permanent authorization of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program in any upcoming farm bill reauthorization that includes sufficient funding for all states to participate in a meaningful manner.
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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net
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