comment | Environment.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408

Comment: NSAC Responds to “First Tranche” Release of Popular Conservation Funding

Washington, DC, February 21, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to USDA’s announcement that it would release a fraction of paused conservation investments.

“While USDA fires its staff and deliberates whether or not to honor its own legal contracts, tens of thousands of farmers are being left in limbo. The ‘first tranche’ released this week represents roughly one percent of the IRA funding USDA guaranteed farmers through signed contracts from CSP and EQIP alone beginning in FY2023 – meaning that from coast to coast, countless farmers are waking up today still uncertain of how they’ll make ends meet or whether

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Comment: NSAC Responds to Senate Confirmation of Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins

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| Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408

Comment: NSAC Responds to Senate Confirmation of Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins

Washington, DC, February 13, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate confirmation of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture with a 72-28 vote:

“Secretary Rollins’ first order of business must be to relieve and reverse the pain and confusion being felt by farmers and communities nationwide from the federal funding freeze. This includes honoring legal obligations to farmers and organizations by immediately releasing funding on all signed contracts. For weeks now, farmers and communities have been subjected to the chaos and uncertainty of an indiscriminate federal funding freeze, including unlawful contract terminations. Other critical work lies ahead

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Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal

Congressional Agreement Omits Key Conservation Funding for Farmers

Washington, DC, December 17, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following comment in response to a deal reached by Congressional leaders to fund the government, extend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), and provide disaster relief funding for areas hit by natural disasters. The deal does not incorporate Inflation Reduction Act conservation investments into the farm bill extension. The comment is attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

“For the hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers whose livelihood depends on building the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of their operation through conservation, today’s deal is a colossal setback. Faced with a generational opportunity to improve

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Comment: In Package to Avert Government Shutdown, Congress Picks Winners and Losers in Farm Country

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| Sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: In Package to Avert Government Shutdown, Congress Picks Winners and Losers in Farm Country

Washington, DC, December 21, 2024 – On Friday evening, Congress approved the American Relief Act, 2025 to extend government funding through March 14, 2025, extend certain provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, and provide disaster relief for farmers hit hard by natural disasters during 2023 and 2024. The following is attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director:

“In approving the American Relief Act, Congress sent a clear message to farmers across the country – some of you matter, and some of you don’t. Negotiators managed to include $ 10 billion in economic aid for which only some farmers are eligible, but agreed to exclude a permanent, generational investment in conservation programs

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Comment: Partisan House Deal Falls Short of Meeting Farmers’ Needs

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Washington, DC, December 19, 2024 – On Thursday afternoon, reporting indicated that House Republicans had reached a partisan internal agreement on a deal to fund the government that includes disaster relief and a “clean” farm bill extension, but lacks other key priorities. The following is attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director:

“A farm bill extension without full funding for programs lacking permanent baseline is absolutely unacceptable. These “orphan” programs have small price tags but big impacts across all fifty states, from improving farm system efficiency, increasing farmers’ and ranchers’ resilience to extreme weather, supporting young farmers, and growing market access. Without guaranteed funding, these programs’ vital work will freeze, setting back years of advancement in agricultural research, rural support, and conservation efforts. Funding for these programs was

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Comment: NSAC Responds to Senate Republicans’ Draft Farm Bill Summary

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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 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 a farm bill this year. For any farm bill to cross the finish line, all four corners must be fully engaged. The high-level summary released today by the Senate Agriculture Committee Minority offers curated details suggesting significant similarities to the House’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act – a bill which should not, and has no viable path to, become law. Any final farm bill must meaningfully

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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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Comment: NSAC Welcomes Senate Amendment to Restore Funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

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| Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Senate Amendment to Restore Funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Washington, DC, September 13, 2023 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Hannah Quigley, NSAC Policy Specialist, in response to Senator Stabenow (D-MI) filing an amendment to restore $ 8.5 million in funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to the Senate’s Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill, which is cosponsored by Senators Brown (D-OH), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Fetterman (D-PA), Gillibrand (D-NY), and Rosen (D-NV).

“NSAC applauds Senator Stabenow, Senator Heinrich and other champions as they work to restore funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture

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