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True sustainability in the agriculture industry starts with equity. When we take steps to recognize the challenges members in our community face around issues of equity – when we are committed to providing all farmers and farmworkers an equal chance of success and prosperity—we are building a community that is stronger, a community that is more resilient, and a community where all groups are valued and affirmed.
With spring on the horizon, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a number of funding opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This blog post outlines the funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements for a range of food and farm system grants funded through USDA that are currently accepting applications.
The funding opportunities listed below are broken down into three categories:
- Research and Education
- Local Food (including urban and rural-focused programs) and Nutrition
- Climate, Conservation, and Energy
The Requests for Applications (RFA) in this post are organized by category and then by application date, from earliest deadline to furthest out. Many deadlines are rapidly approaching in February and early March!
For more detailed information on these and other USDA grant programs, see NSAC’s Grassroots Guide to Federal Food and Farm Programs.
Research and Education ProgramsOrganic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
Deadline: February 15, 2025
The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) is a competitive grant program operated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding projects that integrate research, education, and outreach activities that will assist farmers and ranchers who have already adopted organic practices to expand their production of high-quality agricultural products and their marketing strategies. The program focuses on projects that deliver research-based information in a practical way to farmers and ranchers. This year, NIFA announced the availability of $44 million for OREI grants.
Those eligible to apply include: state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; research institutions and organizations; federal agencies, national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; individuals; or any combination of the groups listed above. Apply here.
Risk Management Education Partnership Program
Deadline: March 4, 2024
The Risk Management Education Partnerships Program (RMEPP) provides funding for partners to develop training and education tools to help farmers and ranchers, especially those traditionally underserved or with limited resources, learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges. This year, Risk Management Agency (RMA) is making $3 million available in cooperative agreements funds to help organizations provide risk management education and training. This is a great opportunity for organizations working with underserved farmers and ranchers to obtain support for providing information on Whole Farm Revenue Protection and other risk management tools. Apply here; more details here.
Organic Transitions Program
Deadline: March 7, 2024
The Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is a competitive grant program that supports the integration of research, higher education, and extension programs to address the challenges of transitioning to organic agriculture. Projects funded by ORG help farmers transitioning to organic agriculture by providing research and education resources that improve the competitiveness of organic operations, offer guidance on understanding the economic and environmental benefits of organic agriculture, and share culturally-relevant alternatives to substances addressed by the National Organic Program. This year, NIFA announced the availability of $7.5 million for ORG grants.
Those eligible to apply include colleges and universities (including research foundations at a college or university); 1862 Land-Grant Institutions, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and Hispanic-Serving agricultural colleges and universities. Apply here; additional details here.
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
Deadline: April 4, 2024
Created in the 2018 Farm Bill as part of the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO) Program, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) is the only USDA program focused on funding projects that provide technical assistance, education, and training for the next generation of farmers in the United States. The program supports local, state, and regional partnerships that create opportunities for beginning farmers to learn and develop business and farm production skills. The estimated total amount of grant funding available for BFRDP this year is $24 million.
Those eligible to apply include collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally based networks or partnerships of qualified public and private entities. Apply here. A technical assistance webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 21 at 2pm EST, details – including office hours – available here.
Local Food and Nutrition ProgramsRural Business Development Grants
Deadline: February 28, 2024
The Rural Business Development Grant Program (RBDG) supports the development and growth of rural small and emerging businesses with fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. The program awards grants on a competitive basis to towns and other governmental entities, Native American Tribes, rural cooperatives, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations for planning, technical assistance, job training, and acquisition of land, capital, equipment and other business development needs. Support is available in the form of either enterprise or opportunity grants. Apply here; additional details for applicants here.
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – Produce Prescription Program
Deadline: February 28, 2024
Originally created in the 2014 Farm Bill, and later expanded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, or GusNIP, is a competitive grant program that funds nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects that increase the purchases of fruits and vegetables for low-income consumers by offering incentives. One of the funding opportunities under this program offers “prescriptions,” or other financial and education incentives, for healthy produce for consumers who either have or are at risk of developing diet-related diseases. By offering these incentives, GusNIP hopes to increase healthy food consumption, and reduce food insecurity and healthcare costs. NIFA announced $5.28 million available for the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program this year.
Those eligible to apply include nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Eligible applicants are encouraged to partner across the food and healthcare system. Apply here; additional details are here.
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – Nutrition Incentive Program
Deadline: May 14, 2024
Originally created in the 2014 Farm Bill, and later expanded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, or GusNIP, is a competitive grant program that funds nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects that increase the purchases of fruits and vegetables for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients by offering incentives. The Nutrition Incentive Program embodies the original goals of the program with three distinct program area priorities: pilot projects, standard projects, and large-scale projects. NIFA announced approximately $36.3 million available for the Nutrition Incentive Program this year.
Those eligible to apply include nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Eligible applicants are encouraged to partner with public or private, non-profit, or for-profit entities, and may offer subgrants to a wide variety of entities. Apply here; additional details are here.
Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program
Deadline: April 9, 2024
First announced and funded in fiscal year 2020, the Urban Agricultural and Innovation Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program made competitive grant funding available for projects that support the development of, and innovation in, urban agriculture projects. Operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the program offers two types of grants: planning project grants and implementation project grants. Planning projects initiate or expand the efforts of farmers, citizens, governments, or schools in urban and suburban areas working to develop urban agriculture to address food access issues, business start-up costs, or development of zoning policies. Implementation projects provide funding to accelerate existing urban or community agriculture spaces and practices that improve local food access. Competitive projects include the collaboration of multiple partners to support infrastructure, education, and policy implementation that reaches networks of growers. NRCS announced approximately $6 million available for UAIP projects this year.
Those eligible to apply include county governments, nonprofit organizations with or without a 501(c)(3) status, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribes, special district governments, schools serving students in grades K-12, soil and water conservation districts, and city or township governments. Apply here; additional details for applicants here.
Value-Added Producer Grant
Deadline: April 11, 2024
The Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program, part of the umbrella Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), provides competitive grants to individual agricultural producers, groups of independent producers, producer-controlled entities, and farmer or rancher cooperatives to create or develop value-added, producer-owned businesses. Proposed projects must demonstrate creating or expanding into a market and an increase in farm revenue. These grants may be used to fund business and marketing plans and feasibility studies, or to acquire working capital to operate a value-added business venture or alliance. This year, there is approximately $30 million available for VAPG grants. In addition to priority given to beginning, socially-disadvantaged, small or medium-sized and family farms, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and mid-tier value chain projects, USDA Rural Development is newly prioritizing projects create more and better markets, advance racial justice and place-based equity and opportunity, and address climate change and environmental justice. Apply here; additional details for applicants here and Rural Development priorities here.
Climate and ConservationWorking Lands Climate Corp
Deadline: March 8, 2024
A brand-new initiative, the Working Lands Climate Corp (WLCC) – a collaboration between USDA, AmeriCorps, and the National Association of Conservation Districts – is a workforce training and service initiative that will place at least 100 individuals with host organizations across the country to expand programming in support of Climate-Smart Agriculture & Forestry practice adoption. Eligible host organizations, who can apply through the request for proposal, may include organizations that operate at the state and local level in cooperation with NRCS to provide conservation assistance and other climate-smart agriculture programs, including outreach and education to reach new farmers and ranchers across the country. Application details and application portal here.
Rural Energy for America Program
Deadline: March 31, 2024 (also June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2024)
The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loans to farmers and rural businesses interested in making energy efficiency improvements. The program also supports the purchase of wind, solar, or other renewable energy systems, and provides grants to help farmers with energy audits and renewable energy development. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided significant additional funding for REAP through Fiscal Year (FY) 2031, including $180.28 million per year from FY2023 through FY2027. This funding can cover up to 50 percent of the cost of a project and double the existing grant-based cost-share level of 25 percent. Interested applicants should contact their State Energy Coordinator. Additional program details here.
The post RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) members gathered in Washington, DC between January 29 and February 1, 2024, to work together on the coalition’s campaigns and strategy for the following months. The event culminated with a visit from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and a Hill Day with more than 120 meetings with lawmakers and staff in the House and Senate. At these meetings, coalition members and farmers urged lawmakers to pass a new farm bill that builds a more resilient and equitable food system by investing in healthy communities, leveling the playing field for small and mid-sized farmers, advancing racial equity across the food system, and building a climate-resilient future.
This year’s winter meeting was especially grounded by the attendance of farmers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. While NSAC staff and coalition member organizations often engage in strategy work and direct advocacy, the presence of farmers in the meeting and during the lobby day emphasized the real-life implications of NSAC and its members’ work by speaking directly to some of the hurdles that farmers face accessing federal resources and navigating the impacts of extreme weather on their farms and in their communities.
Campaign planning at its finest! The DC ReportNSAC Policy Director Mike Lavender gave an update on the progress of the farm bill. He highlighted the work NSAC members have done while pointing to the authorization extension passed for an additional year, and the need to continue forging ahead for a new farm bill that addresses NSAC’s priorities. Specifically, NSAC priorities include investing in healthy urban and rural communities, leveling the playing field for small and mid-sized farms, and building a climate resilient future. Advancing racial equity across the food system by removing the structural and institutional barriers that have long excluded BIPOC communities from access to land, credit, and technical assistance weaves through these priorities. NSAC’s farm bill platform likewise includes recommendations for more rigorous data collection and analyses that can inform decision-making.
Nearly 150 NSAC staff and members gathered in Washington, DC Highlighting Campaign WorkAs a coalition, NSAC’s priorities and campaigns are set through a democratic process as members vote on tiered priorities on which the coalition commits to work together. Members work closely with NSAC staff on each of these priorities through issue committees that collaborate on campaigns. During the Winter Meeting, members worked long hours with dedication, focus, and on more than one occasion, the help of the performance arts. Together, coalition members decided on the work ahead for our current campaigns: Climate, Resilient Local and Regional Food Systems, and Farm Safety Net. Each of these campaigns has its unique message, and all highlight the importance of an equitable and resilient food and agriculture system that addresses the racial disparities that have plagued our country from the beginning.
Climate
NSAC continues to advocate for programs that facilitate the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices with programs such as CSP and EQIP, including by protecting critical Inflation Reduction Act funding for climate-smart conservation practices. The introduction of the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act only days prior to the Winter Meeting was welcome news that members celebrated during the campaign plenary. Key to further advancement of climate resilient practices in agriculture is the role that research will play in identifying these practices, and NSAC celebrated the 2023 Senate introduction of the Organic Science and Research Investment Act. This act will increase public investment in organic agriculture research and authorize the Organic Transitions Program, both important climate solutions in agriculture.
Local and Regional Food Systems
NSAC’s Local and Regional Food Systems Campaign aims to direct policy to strengthen local economies and infrastructure through federal procurement of local and regional foods while addressing the inequities that have left smaller producers and BIPOC communities behind. The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act and the Strengthening Local Processing Act are two pieces of legislation that will help build that local infrastructure and address those inequities, among others.
NSAC staff and partners gathered for a Happy HourFarm Safety Net
Our Farm Safety Net Campaign aims to level the playing field for small farmers who are at a disadvantage when competing with large, commodity farm operations that receive the majority of subsidies often inaccessible to smaller-scale and diversified farms. The campaign also focuses on fair access to credit for socially disadvantaged farmers, and increasing land access to underserved farmers. The Farm Program Integrity Act and the Assisting Family Farmers through Insurance Reform (AFFIRM) Act are two bills that NSAC backs as part of this campaign and that would cap commodity support at $250,000 annually and reduce crop insurance subsidies respectively.
Farmers’ VoicesSeveral NSAC member organizations invited farmers to join them on Capitol Hill to share their own stories and engage directly with their members of Congress. This kind of grassroots farmer involvement helps build leadership and adds depth to internal conversations within NSAC and to the advocacy taking place. The Chicago Tribune featured some of the Illinois farmers who brought attention to the lack of access to federal grants for BIPOC farmers, and the opportunity to turn empty lots in Chicago into urban farms.
Senator Debbie Stabenow Addresses MembersSenate Agriculture, Forestry, and Nutrition Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow received a warm welcome from coalition members when she addressed the crowd on the last day of the meeting prior to a day of direct advocacy on Capitol Hill. Long a champion of many of the same values that NSAC and its members stand for, Senator Stabenow in her remarks said that “I want to make sure we address the needs of the country,” adding, “which is very diverse.” Stabenow also vigorously reaffirmed her position that she will not support a farm bill that cuts nutrition assistance or the Inflation Reduction Act conservation and climate funding.
Longtime sustainable agriculture champion, Sen. Debbie Stabenow addresses NSAC membersEchoing the Illinois farmers’ call for more equitable access to land and resources, she also acknowledged the inequities that have been part of our agricultural system. “I want to make sure we are helping beginning farmers and underserved farmers, and BIPOC farmers.” She went on to add that her goal is “to build a safety net that protects our small and diversified family of farms.” Senator Stabenow responded to questions from the audience and took a moment to greet and chat with coalition members and farmers in attendance from Michigan.
Lobby DayThe gathering culminated on February 1 as members took to the Hill to engage in direct advocacy with their representatives. NSAC members held over 120 visits with their representatives – including dozens of agriculture committee members and agriculture appropriators – bringing these messages and asking for support for the bills and programs that advance the Coalition’s priorities. Members streamed in and out of meetings on the Capitol Grounds – an intense day for a lot of members, some of whom had five or six visits with their delegations. Between meetings, members caught up with each other, or on their work at home, planned for their next meetings, ate snacks, and caught their breath.
On lobby day, NSAC members and farmer advocates took to the Hill!Hours after the last meeting had taken place, the last few members to leave sat in the NSAC office and shared their experiences, the responses they received, and what their next steps would be once they got back home. It had been a long week, but also one filled with hope and a deeper understanding of the landscape that lays ahead in the road to the next farm bill.
The post NSAC Members Meet in DC for Annual Meeting appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
The 2024 Black History Month theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” intersects with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Program’s dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility as we celebrate African Americans’ artistic contributions.
Black History Month is a time of celebration, education, and reflection at Black Seeds Urban Farm, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Bobby and Derravia Rich started the community garden to provide local, organic fruits, vegetables, and nuts to neighbors with little or no access to fresh, nutritious food.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Release: 2022 Census of Agriculture Underscores Need for Policy ShiftWashington, DC, February 13, 2024 – Today, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the highly-anticipated results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The Census remains the most comprehensive source of agricultural data for states and counties across the United States and serves as a guide for federal farm program, policy, and funding decisions. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes the release of the 2022 Census of Agriculture data, which comes at a crucial moment for federal agriculture policy.
“The 2022 Census of Agriculture, while offering some bright spots, emphatically underscores the need to shift federal policy toward equitable support for all farms and types of farming, particularly small and mid-sized farms,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director. “Today farms are larger and fewer in number than in 2017. While the total number of farms with more than $1 million in sales grew by an astounding 36 percent since 2017, the number of all remaining farms decreased by nearly 9 percent during that time. Furthermore, Black-owned farms appear to have disappeared at nearly twice the rate of all other farms. One bright spot is an 11 percent increase in the number of beginning farmers.“
The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, collects critical data on the status of agriculture, addressing a variety of topics, including the number and size of farms, the prevalence of organic agriculture, the use of conservation and other federal programs, the number of beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, and the average age of American farmers.
“This survey is a wake up call. It’s essentially asking the critical question of whether as a country we are okay with losing that many farms, okay with losing that much farmland? Or is there a better way?” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack commented while releasing the new Census data at a USDA livestream event earlier today.
“The data included today in the 2022 Census of Agriculture shows clearly how imperative it is that Congress prioritize the passage of a strong farm bill to ensure that federal programs – from the farm safety net and conservation programs to programs that invest in local and regional food systems – are consistently accessible for all. In the weeks ahead, NSAC will continue to analyze Census data on our blog,” noted Lavender.
For more information visit: nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or view the USDA livestream data release event: USDA.gov/Live.
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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: https://sustainableagriculture.net/
The post Release: 2022 Census of Agriculture Underscores Need for Policy Shift appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
As an associate professor of beef cattle nutrition and metabolism at Texas Tech University’s Davis College, Dr. Jhones Sarturi combines his teaching and research responsibilities with public service. For over ten years, he has taught a course on cattle feeds and feeding that combines classroom instruction with field-based learning that directly benefits agricultural producers.
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