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Editor’s Note: This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA), which was reported out of the House Committee on Agriculture on Friday, May 24. The first post details an overview of the markup process and the bill as a whole, as well as its likely (or unlikely) path to becoming law. The second post explores the FFNSA’s impacts on local and regional food systems. This post provides a deep-dive analysis of the bill’s potential impacts on the farm safety net, farmers’ ability to access land and capital, fair competition, and treatment of food workers. The final post in the series will focus on climate resilience through the lens of how conservation, research, and organic programs fare under the FFNSA.

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of …

Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 2

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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 underserved producers, conservation and climate resilience, and sustainable and organic research, among other issues.

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (FFNSA, HR 8467) offers a number of policy reforms and authorizes new programs that seek to strengthen existing programs and …

Release: NSAC Applauds Introduction of the Save Our Small Farms Act

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Washington, DC, June 4, 2024 – Today, Connecticut Representatives Hayes (D-CT-5), Larson (D-CT-1), Courtney (D-CT-2), DeLauro (D-CT-3), and Himes (D-CT-4) teamed up with Reps. Adams (D-NC-12), Neal (D-MA-1), McGovern (D-MA-2), and Jackson (D-TX-18) to introduce the Save Our Small (SOS) Farms Act. This bill would meaningfully expand access to the farm safety net for small, diversified, and underserved farmers and ranchers who find themselves at the mercy of worsening storms but unable to access coverage.

“There is no acceptable reason that our country’s small farmers should be forced to crowdfund to stay afloat after unexpected floods and worsening droughts,” said Billy Hackett, NSAC Policy Specialist. “The SOS Farms Act represents a true commitment to building a farm safety net that supports all farmers, in sharp contrast to the House farm bill mark which recently passed from

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Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act

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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 Director.

“NSAC is encouraged to be one step closer to a new farm bill. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act approved by the House Agriculture Committee, however, remains fundamentally unchanged, falling short of meeting our members’ key priorities. We look forward to continuing to work with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees toward

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Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward

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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 yet takes no meaningful steps toward building a fair, responsible, and accessible farm safety net. It stubbornly dismisses climate change – in part by decoupling the climate-focus from conservation investments – while countless farmers and ranchers nationwide experience the worsening impacts of a changing climate. And although the bill reflects some lessons

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Funding Available to Support Underserved Farmers: A Look at USDA’s 2501 Grants

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Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $ 22.3 million in funding for 2501 grants 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 find success in agriculture. While 2501 typically has a 90-day application period, this year’s window is only 60 days.

All applications must be submitted via grants.gov by 11:59 pm EDT on July 5, 2024.

USDA will host two upcoming webinars to answer questions from potential grantees.

Session 1: May 22, 2024, …

A Deep Dive on the Senate’s Farm Bill Proposal: the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024

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On May 1, 2024 – after months of stalled farm bill negotiations on both sides of Capitol Hill – Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a detailed section-by-section summary of her farm bill proposal. NSAC welcomed the pragmatic Senate bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024 (RPFSA), as an important step toward completing a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization this year.

The RPFSA protects conservation and climate funding included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), strengthens access to the farm safety net, invests in local and regional food systems, fully protects nutrition assistance, and takes meaningful steps toward a more racially just food and farm system, all while rejecting harmful policies that would undercut local and state authority and restrict the Secretary of Agriculture’s authority to respond to emergent agricultural needs. In this post, NSAC …

Release: NSAC Welcomes FDA’s Risk Based Approach to the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: NSAC Welcomes FDA’s Risk Based Approach to the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water

Work Remains to Fully Support Farmers in Compliance

Washington, DC, May 3, 2024 – Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water, which finalizes a series of updates to Subpart E of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. This is one of the remaining components of the 2015 Produce Safety Rule and has been much anticipated by agricultural and public health communities. For nearly ten years, FDA has wrestled with crafting an appropriately risk- and science-based standard. This final rule represents an impressive shift from the original one-size-fits-all approach to one that can be adapted to farms of varying types …

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Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 3

Digging into the House Farm Bill: Part 2

Release: NSAC Applauds Introduction of the Save Our Small Farms Act

Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act

Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Markup of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act

Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward

Release: House Farm Bill Misses Opportunity to Move Agriculture Forward

Funding Available to Support Underserved Farmers: A Look at USDA’s 2501 Grants

A Deep Dive on the Senate’s Farm Bill Proposal: the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024

Release: NSAC Welcomes FDA’s Risk Based Approach to the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water

Release: NSAC Welcomes FDA’s Risk Based Approach to the Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water

Work Remains to Fully Support Farmers in Compliance