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Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Release: NSAC Welcomes Pragmatic Senate Proposal as a Concrete Step Toward a Bipartisan Farm Bill ReauthorizationWashington, DC, May 1, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded the renewed momentum toward a bipartisan farm bill reauthorization prompted by the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) release of a detailed section-by-section description of its farm bill reauthorization proposal. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act framework charts a path for completing a farm bill this year.
“NSAC is extremely encouraged to see a pragmatic Senate farm bill proposal that includes numerous bipartisan policies. The proposal takes meaningful steps to build a fair and accessible farm safety net for farmers and ranchers, protect conservation and climate spending, and invest in local and regional food systems. For countless farmers, ranchers, and food system stakeholders, this will jump-start a beleaguered farm bill reauthorization with workable policies that meet their needs. NSAC thanks Chairwoman Stabenow for her leadership and encourages Congressional agriculture leaders to seize the moment and work together toward a solid, bipartisan bill,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.
Simultaneously, the House Agriculture Committee released a topline summary of its farm bill proposal, which is currently expected to be marked up in late May. The brief five page summary raises significant concerns and represents a marked difference from the Senate’s proposal. Neither of the documents released today offer full legislative text, and NSAC will reserve final assessments of the farm bill and its impacts – from advancing racial equity to investing in healthy communities, leveling the playing field for small and mid-sized farmers, and building toward a climate-resilient future – until full bill text becomes available.
“The path to passing a farm bill in 2024 is through bipartisanship – a bill that invests in farmers, ranchers, and their communities while fully protecting nutrition assistance and the immensely popular climate-smart conservation funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Veering from that path is a recipe for inaction. NSAC thanks Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman (R-AR), Chairman Thompson (R-PA-15), and Ranking Member Scott (D-GA-13) for their tireless work toward a 2024 Farm Bill reauthorization, and is eager to continue working together for a truly bipartisan farm bill,” Lavender added.
The following are select promising provisions based on NSAC’s initial analysis of the section-by-section framework of the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. In the days ahead, stay tuned to NSAC’s blog for continued analysis and coverage of the farm bill reauthorization, including the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.
Conservation, Research, and Climate
- Commits to reinvesting Inflation Reduction Act funding into four critical working lands conservation programs, and permanently improving those programs’ and farmers’ ability to address the climate crisis.
- Provides improved support for farmers addressing climate change through support for building perenniality into their operations, improving soil health, protecting water quality, operating organic systems, and building upon their conservation efforts over time.
- Delivers increased support for small and mid-sized farms, leading to improved access to working lands programs for more diverse operations.
- Authorizes the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Climate Hubs and establishes an Organic Agriculture Research Coordinator, important steps forward in furthering research at the intersection of agriculture and climate change.
- Protects and maintains the farmer-driven Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
- Increases investments in 1890 land-grant institutions, including mandatory funding for the 1890’s Scholarship Program and four new 1890’s Centers of Excellence.
Local and Regional Food Systems
- Sustains investments in local meat processing which expands processing options for farmers by providing food safety resources, meat processing workforce development funding, and expansion grants for meat processors themselves.
- Continues support for the Food Safety Outreach Program, a critical program in light of forthcoming food safety rules, which will demand further outreach to underserved farming communities.
- Permanently authorizes the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement program with a combination of mandatory and discretionary funding to purchase agricultural products from underserved producers nationwide. The program will continue to offer a funding set-aside for Tribal communities.
- Enhances access for under-resourced organizations and underserved farmers to proven, effective and impactful local food programs by removing match requirements for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Grants and Value-Added Producer Grants.
- Improves access to local foods using SNAP benefits, through investments in the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Programs and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, as well as simplifying vendor applications for farmers and farmers markets.
- Builds upon the popular Food Supply Chain Guarantee Program while expanding it to also include grants for essential employee training, food safety training and certification.
- Offers much needed support for urban agriculture and innovative producers through mandatory funding and the ability to scale and reply to program demand through increased discretionary funding. The proposal also invests in community partnerships that have experience serving urban and underserved producers while providing tweaks to ensure that urban and small-scale agriculture is better served by the Office.
Farm Safety Net and Fair Competition
- Removes barriers to access existing farm safety net programs for beginning, small to mid-sized, and diversified farmers with needed improvements to Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, in addition to new pathways to coverage and discounts for beginning and veteran producers.
- Authorizes USDA to consider premium discounts tied to the voluntary adoption of certain conservation practices, expands sodsaver nationwide, and directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to consider crop genetics and worsening weather in a more regular review of risk-rating metrics.
- Closes loopholes to actively engaged requirements and strengthens the means test for commodity program payment eligibility from $900,000 to $700,000 to ensure taxpayer dollars benefit working farmers, not absent landowners.
- Expands farmers’ ability to access credit from USDA by removing the seven-year graduation requirement, restores loan eligibility to farmers who have previously received forgiveness, and increases limits of direct operating, farm ownership, and micro loans.
- Reauthorizes and sustains mandatory funding for the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach program, which houses USDA’s flagship training and technical assistance programs for historically underserved producers.
- Provides critical safeguards, investigatory power, and research needed to combat the continued consolidation of livestock and poultry markets by creating the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters.
- Takes steps toward advancing solutions for workers in order to create a more truly sustainable food system.
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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net
The post Release: NSAC Welcomes Pragmatic Senate Proposal as a Concrete Step Toward a Bipartisan Farm Bill Reauthorization appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the names of individuals who hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.
Jeremy Adamson was promoted to Chief of Staff for Research, Education, and Economics
Editor’s Note: This blog post was co-written by OFRF’s Senior Policy and Programs Manager, Gordon Merrick, in collaboration with partners at NSAC. The post is available on the OFRF website as well. The authors are grateful to work alongside our coalition partners to amplify and strengthen the organic movement.
As the world becomes increasingly attuned to the sustainability and health implications of our food systems, the role of organic agriculture has never been more crucial. Organic management has been shown to not only build resilience in ecological systems, but also in economic ones. However, recent developments in the Presidential Budget Request for fiscal year 2025 (PBR25) reveal a concerning decrease in funding specifically allocated for organic-dedicated competitive grant programs. This shift requires a closer look and a strong response from the scientific community, policymakers, and funding agencies alike. In this blog, we aim to look at the justifications given for these policy changes, and discuss the impacts that will follow if these changes are made.
A Closer Look at the Funding ShiftThe National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) proposes to reduce funding for the Organic Transitions Research Program, opting to include more organic research through broader programs like the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and the Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI). The rationale provided for this shift hinges on two main points. First, that NIFA is transitioning away from its integrated (§406) authority* to focus on congressionally authorized programs. Put simply, NIFA’s integrated authority is a method for NIFA to answer research and extension questions related to issues not sufficiently covered by existing programming. Second, and relatedly, that several initiatives already support organic research at a substantial level. Despite these justifications, there is substantial evidence to suggest that AFRI and SCRI have historically not allocated adequate resources specifically to organic agriculture research, even with Congressional direction to do so.
The Gap in Organic Research FundingWhile it is true that the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) exists to support organic agriculture, the decrease in dedicated funding for organic research in the PBR25 undermines the growth of organic farming practices, which are vital to addressing environmental challenges and health concerns. A review of the research projects awarded through SCRI and AFRI from 2009-2023 shows that the allocation for organic research does not meet the ongoing need. Within AFRI, funding levels have been historically substantial but have been falling short recently, while organic continues to grow its market share and presence. Through SCRI, funding has been sporadic and ultimately makes a small dent in the total funding for organic research topics. This underinvestment can lead to limits on the ability of these sectors to thrive or innovate at the pace required to address pressing agricultural challenges.
The % of funding from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), and the total between the two programs that went to a project with an organic agriculture component. This does not mean the entire project was dedicated to organic agriculture topics, but rather they were investigating a topic that involved organic so this is an overestimation of funding.The NORA-22 report confirmed that there are persistent challenges that also possess regional wrinkles and peculiarities. Without robust, consistent investments into organic agriculture research projects investigating these topics, the Organic Sector will not be able to reach its full potential or meet the need for a climate-resilient food and farm system. Given all of the investments being made by the USDA to support transitioning growers into organic farming through the Organic Transition Initiative, there is a significant need to make sure that when producers have questions, they can readily find the answers. Additionally, even those that are not transitioning into organic certification have time and again been interested in adopting organic practices that are shown to be ecologically sustainable and economically viable.
Given these circumstances, it is essential for the scientific community, legislators, and NIFA itself to take proactive steps:
Engage with Researchers:The scientific community should be encouraged to apply for more grants that focus on organic agriculture. Increased participation will not only highlight the demand for such funding but also push agencies to allocate more resources toward these areas.
Take Legislative Action:Congress must play a pivotal role by explicitly directing NIFA to prioritize and expand funding for organic research within AFRI and SCRI programs. Clear legislative directives can realign priorities and ensure that organic agriculture receives the attention and investment it rightly deserves.
Increase Agency Accountability:NIFA should refine its Request for Applications (RFAs) to emphasize the importance of organic agriculture. By making organic agriculture a highlighted topic in RFAs, NIFA can communicate its significance to the research community and ensure that it is treated as a priority area for funding and development.
The decision to underfund organic research is more than a budgetary adjustment—it’s a statement about priorities. As participants in the formation of a sustainable future, we must advocate for a recalibration of these priorities towards a more robust support system for organic agriculture. Through collective action and a unified voice, we can ensure that organic research is not only preserved but enhanced, fostering an agricultural system that benefits our health, our environment, and future generations.
What You Can DoJoin us in urging NIFA, Congress, and the scientific community to bolster their commitment to organic agriculture. Whether you are a researcher, a policymaker, or a concerned citizen, your voice matters. Let’s plant the seeds of change and grow a healthier future together. Here are some ways you can get involved today:
- If you are a farmer:
- Reach out to us! If you have a story about interacting with research, from participating in a research project to reading a research paper, and how it impacted your operation, please share it with us!
- Reach out to your local research institutions to ask if they have any organic research projects involving crops you grow. If you are comfortable, also ask if they are looking for producers to partner with in future research projects and offer your farm as an option.
- Reach out to your elected officials in DC, (find their contact info here) both your Congressional Representative as well as both Senators, and use this simple script:
- “Hello, I am [Name], I live in [Town/City] and am a constituent of [Congressperson/Senator]. I am calling because I am an organic farmer and I hope [Congressperson/Senator] can support programs and agencies that answer my production questions. Can you ask the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees what they are doing to support organic agriculture research in the Farm Bill and FY25 Appropriations?”
- If you are a researcher:
- Reach out to us! We are always interested in collaborating with researchers on projects, or at the very least can work to connect you with our network of producers and researchers interested in organic agriculture topics.
- Apply for research funding for organic agriculture research projects through OREI, ORG, SCRI, and AFRI, it is important to make sure that demand for organic research projects is communicated to agency staff in this way.
- Reach out to your elected officials in DC, (find their contact info here) both your Congressional Representative as well as both Senators, and share what you are working on with this script:
- “Hello, I am [Name], I live in [Town/City] and am a constituent of [Congressperson/Senator]. I am calling because I am an organic agriculture researcher with [Institution/Business] and I hope [Congressperson/Senator] can support programs and agencies that fund my work answering producer’s questions and helping them overcome their challenges. Can you ask the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees what they are doing to support organic agriculture research in the Farm Bill and FY25 Appropriations? These opinions are my own, and should not be attributed to my employer. ”
* “The Integrated Research, Education, and Extension (IREE) Competitive Grants Program was authorized in Section 406 (7 U.S.C. 7626) of AREERA to fund integrated, multifunctional agricultural research, education, and extension activities. While the overall approach to solving critical agricultural issues, priorities, or problems will be through an integration of research, education, and extension activities, within IREE individual programs may request applications that are research, education, or extension only, or a combination thereof.” Integrated Applications Information | NIFA, https://www.nifa.usda.gov/integrated-programs-application-information (last visited Apr. 23, 2024)
The post Organic Research Funding: Examining and Refuting USDA’s Justifications for Decreasing Dedicated Organic Funding appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Natural beauty, vibrant cities and diverse ecosystems make up USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Northwest Region, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. With its temperate northern climate, it’s no surprise that the region is diverse in crops and livestock. With the 2022 Census of Agriculture, we discovered more about these agricultural treasures in the Northwest Region.
Leigh Adams grew up in Houston, Texas, where agriculture and the outdoors were a way of life for her. “When I wasn’t at school, I was in the country tending to the ranch, fishing, baling hay or hunting,” she said. “Doing these activities brought nothing but happiness.”
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is funding dozens of new infrastructure upgrades and clean energy projects in rural and Tribal communities participating in the Rural Partners Network (RPN).
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced its final determination to declare Salmonella an adulterant in raw breaded stuffed chicken products when they exceed a specific threshold (1 colony forming unit (CFU) per gram or higher) for Salmonella contamination.
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