NSAC | Environment.org

Release: NSAC Responds to Termination of Critical Local Food Funding, Envisions Future for Popular Program

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Release: NSAC Responds to Termination of Critical Local Food Funding, Envisions Future for Popular Program

Washington, DC, March 11, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) lamented the termination of previously announced funding for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement (LFSCC) and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement program (LFPA). On Friday, March 7, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified States, Territories and Tribes of the termination of previously announced 2025 funding for LFSCC and LFPA, stating that it no longer effectuates the Department’s priorities.

“USDA’s decision to re-initiate reimbursements on signed LFPA and LFS contracts is a welcome development, yet the termination of the LFPA25 cooperative agreements misses a key opportunity to bolster opportunities for farmers seeking financial

…

Release: NSAC Holds Briefing as USDA Funding Freeze and Layoffs Threaten Farmers and Communities Nationwide

No Comments

| Sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Release: NSAC Holds Briefing as USDA Funding Freeze and Layoffs Threaten Farmers and Communities Nationwide

Washington, DC, March 6, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), a coalition of more than 150 farm, food, conservation, and rural organizations, held a virtual briefing on how the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding freeze and employee layoffs are affecting farmers and ranchers.

Panelists – who called on USDA to end the freeze and release funding on all signed contracts – included farmers from North Carolina, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and California. These farmers shared their own stories of how the ongoing federal funding freeze – in addition to significant layoffs at USDA – has created challenging and often dire circumstances for farmers and communities from coast to coast, threatening farm …

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

No Comments

| Sustainability

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

…

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

No Comments

| 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

…

Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal

No Comments

| Sustainability

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

…

Release: NSAC Applauds Final Rule to Bring Fairness to Poultry Tournament System

No Comments

| Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: NSAC Applauds Final Rule to Bring Fairness to Poultry Tournament System

Washington, DC, January 14, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for today’s announcement of a new final rule under the Packers and Stockyards Act: Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems.

“The latest rule is a long-anticipated and necessary step toward completion of a congressional directive from the 2008 Farm Bill to strengthen the century-old Packers and Stockyards Act,” said Billy Hackett, NSAC Policy Specialist. “The rule introduces guardrails and transparency to an otherwise opaque payment system that is commonly manipulated to unfairly benefit individual growers and punish others.”

Specifically, the measures announced in the final rule:

require poultry companies to provide contract broiler

…

2024 Year in Review: Key Wins, Challenges, and What’s Next for Sustainable Agriculture

No Comments

| Sustainability

There’s no such thing as a ‘quiet’ year when it comes to federal food and farm policy, and 2024 proved to be no exception! As the year comes to a close, we are reflecting on the progress we have made toward building a more resilient and equitable farm and food system. Amidst endless delays in Congress, a noisy election cycle, and major natural disasters that affected farmers nationwide, NSAC continued to do what we do best: advocate for better federal food and farm policy through legislation like the farm bill, annual appropriations, and ongoing engagement with USDA, all aimed at building a future where farmers, workers, and communities sustain a thriving food and farm system that nourishes people, stewards our environment and builds strong economies.

Farm Bill Reauthorization

As of posting, we anticipate that Congress will finish 2024 with yet …

Release: NSAC Urges Congress to Include Popular Conservation Funding in Farm Bill Extension

No Comments

| Sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Release: NSAC Urges Congress to Include Popular Conservation Funding in Farm Bill Extension

Washington, DC, December 13, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), a coalition of more than 150 farm, food, conservation, and rural organizations, called on Congress to prioritize additional funding for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) working lands conservation programs as lawmakers finalize an extension of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.

In a letter sent today to key Congressional leaders, NSAC highlighted the widespread popularity of USDA conservation programs among farmers and ranchers, noting that many cannot access critical funding due to overwhelming demand. The letter emphasized that programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) help farmers increase productivity, improve soil health, build resilience to extreme …