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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: NSAC Responds to Termination of Regional Food Business Centers

Washington, DC, July 15, 2025 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Hannah Quigley, NSAC Policy Specialist, in response to the termination of cooperative agreements with Regional Food Business Centers.

“About a month after the Trump administration released the Farmers First agenda, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made yet another decision to prematurely end multi-year agreements that are effectively serving the small family farms the administration claims to be the focus of their agenda. The recent termination of agreements with twelve Regional Food Business Centers comes as another blow to rural communities who benefit greatly from USDA business development resources. The President’s budget has also proposed eliminating funding for

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Comment: NSAC Responds to House Agriculture Committee Budget Reconciliation Approval

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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 House Agriculture Committee Budget Reconciliation Approval

Washington, DC, May 15, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the House Agriculture Committee’s 29-25 party-line approval of budget reconciliation text that would remove more than $ 290 billion from the farm bill baseline.

“The House Agriculture Committee’s approval of budget reconciliation marks the end of a decades-long era in federal food and farm policy. The bill resorts to cannibalization, making unprecedented cuts to nutrition programs and mistaking increased farm subsidies as a panacea for farmers, our food system, and rural America. This choice willfully ignores the severe impacts these cuts will have on families and communities, and shatters

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Release: NSAC Responds to USDA Announcement on Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program

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| Sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Email: press@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: NSAC Responds to USDA Announcement on Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program

Widespread Farmer Support Informs USDA Decision to Rebrand Program and Restart Payments, but Overhaul Nonetheless Disregards Lawful Agreements with Farmer-Serving Organizations

Washington, DC, April 14, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) responded to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s announcement on the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program (PCSC) being reframed and continued for projects that meet newly created criteria, a move met with some optimism as well as significant concerns.

”After months of self-inflicted uncertainty, today’s announcement is a significant and welcome step toward the clarity that farmers, ranchers, and the organizations who support them have desperately needed, particularly the farmers who have spoken in favor of the program. Unfortunately, this

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Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal

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| Sustainability

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal

Washington, DC, March 15, 2025 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) reacted following Senate approval of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (H.R. 1968) on a vote of 54-46. Earlier this week, the House of Representatives approved the bill – which will fund the government through September 30, 2025 – on a vote of 217-213. The following statement is attributed to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

“Today’s government funding deal locks in and deepens cuts that will have a direct line to farmer livelihoods and the economic well-being of their communities. The continuing resolution escalates cuts from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 by slashing USDA’s conservation and research programs, undermining the real progress needed to bolster

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

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| Sustainability

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

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

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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 “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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| 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

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