Tag: USDA

USDA Announces Recipients of New Health Food Financing Expansion Grant

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Photo credit: USDA

Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) announced that it will partner with Reinvestment Fund, a national mission-driven financial institution, to fund 16 public-private partnerships. As an expansion of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), the Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program (the HFFI Partnerships Program) will provide technical or financial assistance (including loans). 

This is the inaugural round of the HFFI Partnerships Program, and they awarded over $ 40 million in grants to 75 partners in 20 states and Washington, DC. This new program is partly funded through the American Rescue Plan and will be used to expand or create new Healthy Food Financing Programs. 

Program Background 

The Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) is a public-private partnership administered by Reinvestment Fund. The initiative offers grants and technical assistance to grocery …

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Release: USDA Updates Good Farming Practice Definition, Strengthening Support for Conservation Practice Adoption 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net 

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: USDA Updates Good Farming Practice Definition, Strengthening Support for Conservation Practice Adoption 

Washington, DC, December 6, 2023 – Today, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced important updates to the definition of Good Farming Practices (GFPs), removing a longstanding obstacle to the adoption of Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-approved conservation practices and enhancements for insured producers. 

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds this decision from RMA to update the definition for GFPs, which has been a priority for our coalition members for more than a decade,” said Billy Hackett, NSAC Policy Specialist. “This represents an important step that removes a persistent disincentive against the voluntary adoption of good soil health practices for farmers enrolled in the crop insurance program, or seeking enrollment.”

Previously, the …

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USDA Unveils Streamlined Local Food Funding

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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the 2023 Regional Food System Partnership, Farmers Market Promotion and Local Food Promotion program awards, totaling  $ 32 million for 98 projects to bolster local and regional food economies across the country. 

This year, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) offered a new ‘turnkey’ application process for applicants seeking funding for a specific set of marketing and promotion activities for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion grants. ‘Turnkey’ is a term for simplified federal grants with short applications and lower barriers to entry. This post highlights this new process and features National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) members who were awarded a grant this year.

Background

The 2018 Farm Bill created new opportunities to coordinate and maximize investments in local and regional food systems by creating the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). This …

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USDA Announces $300 Million in Awards to Support Access to Land, Capital, and Markets for Beginning and Undeserved Framers

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Photo credit: Sanctuary Farms

This month, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced more than $ 300 million in awards to 50 projects focused on increasing underserved farmers and ranchers’ access to land, markets, and capital. These projects were awarded under the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (Increasing Land Access) Program (LCM). This program funds cooperative agreements or grants for projects that help move underserved producers from surviving to thriving. The awardees – which include many National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) members – proposed national, regional, and local projects that cover 40 states and territories including Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Background

Land access is one of the biggest challenges for young and beginning farmers all across the country – whether small-scale dairy farmers in New England, livestock and grain …

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Comment: NSAC Welcomes Further Investment in Regional Meat Processing By USDA

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Comment: NSAC Welcomes Further Investment in Regional Meat Processing By USDA 

Washington, DC, June 29, 2023 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Connor Kippe, NSAC Policy Specialist, in response to an announcement of the “Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Agricultural Producers to Promote Competition, Strengthen Food Supply Chain and Rural Economies.”

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes a new round of investment in the local and regional meat processing industry. This investment, through its focus on regional lending, will bring new avenues of growth to rural and urban communities alike. It will provide much needed choice for farmers and ranchers through investments in fee for service options and independent processing across the US. The relending program grants will

…

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Secretary Vilsack Underscores Priorities for USDA to House Agriculture Committee

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USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack testifies before the House Agriculture Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on March 28, 2023

Last week, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack testified at a lengthy – even by Congressional standards -six-hour hearing held by the House Agriculture Committee. The hearing comes at a particularly unique moment. The USDA, at the direction of Congress, has spent the last several years implementing and administering a wide array of programs and resources designed to support farmers, ranchers, and food system stakeholders throughout the pandemic, and to ultimately build a more resilient, sustainable food and farm system. At the same time, the new 118th Congress is currently gearing up to reauthorize the Farm Bill this year. Situated at this pivotal juncture in early 2023, last week’s hearing is a window into the work done over the last several years, …

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Release: USDA Announces Implementation Plans for Inflation Reduction Act and Plans Around Western Water

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

Release: USDA Announces Implementation Plans for Inflation Reduction Act and Plans Around Western Water

Washington, DC, February 13, 2023 – Today, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced plans for the implementation of the agricultural conservation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, an act that provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes the Administration’s approach that encompasses both direct greenhouse gas benefits and the many co-benefits that accompany effective conservation practices.

In addition to the overall implementation of the conservation funds in line with the IRA, the agency also announced a Western Water and Working Lands Framework for Conservation Action to guide conservation spending in Western states toward practices that address drought and related concerns. The Secretary noted …

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Release: USDA Announces Second Round of Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Awards

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For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net

Release: USDA Announces Second Round of Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Awards

Washington, DC, December 12, 2022 – Today, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the second-round awardees of the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) effort to combat the climate crisis by partnering with agriculture, forestry, and rural communities to provide climate solutions that strengthen rural America. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is pleased to see that the Administration’s latest round of awards will benefit more than 30 minority-serving institutions and more than 20 Tribal partners.

“NSAC is pleased to see that USDA is investing $ 325 million in Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodity awards to 71 projects that focus on the needs of small and underserved producers. We look forward to seeing these

…

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