National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Always great reporting on issues that matter by Leah Douglas ??

If you've worked with livestock at all, you're probably familiar with the electric fence, and have maybe even bumped into it once or twice. After that, you avoid it at all costs. Seems like those in power are grabbing the fence on purpose and sending shocks through the farm economy. I wrote an article diving into the ways, one month in, the new administration has done this. Grateful for all of the farmers who have told their stories, and sending love to all the public servants who are now jobless for no good reason. https://lnkd.in/e-t_RdTc #Farmers #NRCS #USDA #FoodAid #USAID #Conservation #Trump #DOGE

Developing: More cuts on USDA funding, harm to farmers, food enterprises and rural communities.

??? ??????????????: ???????? ???????????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ???? ???????????????? ?????????? ???????? ??????????????, ?????????????????? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????? “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 stability through new and expanded domestic markets. LFPA is an incredibly popular program, generating enormous economic opportunities by fostering regional supply chains and investing in local farmers. We’re eager to get to work envisioning a future for these essential investments that support direct purchases and allow farmers to retain a larger share of the dollar,” said?Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director. “The decision to terminate the latest round of LFPA and LFSCC funding will have profoundly harmful economic impacts nationwide. Farmers and businesses have invested their own resources to scale operations to respond to local need and meet demand. This decision comes at a time where many have already planted for the upcoming season and may leave a substantial market gap for producers,” commented?Hannah Quigley, MPH, NSAC policy specialist. ??? Read the full release: https://lnkd.in/eWDyJT2m #sustainableagriculture #foodpolicy #localandregionalfoodsystems #LFPA #LFSCC

???????????? ????????????????: ???????? ????,?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ?????????? The USDA is withholding promised payments to farmers, breaking legal agreements tied to voluntary conservation contracts. With the pause in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), farmers who already invested their own money in critical conservation and energy projects are now left bearing the financial burden. NSAC's recent blog post dives into the impact on rural communities and highlights the urgent need for the USDA to honor its commitments. ?? ?? Read more on how this decision threatens farm businesses and rural economies: https://lnkd.in/eNM_szXt #SustainableAgriculture #Farmers #Conservation #RuralEconomy #AgriculturePolicy #FarmFunding #IRA #FarmersDeserveBetter

USDA’s Purge of Climate Data is Illegal and Reckless, Doing Immediate Harm to Farmers, Lawsuit Alleges? Small agricultural operations and farmers new to the industry were left particularly vulnerable when the Trump administration took down websites that provide climate information, the plaintiffs claim. By Miranda Lipton March 5, 2025 https://lnkd.in/eFTaTpKf

??Mark's dedication to advancing sustainable agriculture and his decades of leadership in championing soil health, organic practices, and equitable food systems is unparalleled.?Mark is a gem! ??

?? ?? ?? ?????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? ???????? ??????????, ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? In much of the country, spring is on its way. For farmers and ranchers, it’s time for planting decisions, for calving and lambing, for lining up their financial capital and markets for a busy season, and more. But this year, it’s different:?across the country, tens of thousands of farmers and farmer-serving organizations have been thrown into limbo by an unprecedented freeze of federal funding. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently withholding payments owed under signed, lawful contracts, causing turmoil across the food system. ?? Tell Congress!! ?? Farmers and rural communities are counting on you to stop the chaotic and reckless funding freeze at USDA that leaves farmers out to dry and will drive up food prices at the store. ?? Take Action: https://lnkd.in/eh43tT6V #UnfreezeFundsNOW #DONTFAILFARMERS #sustainableagriculture #foodsystems #foodjustice #foodpolicy

Thank you Billy Hackett for this lovely post about the recent NSAC Lobbt Day, when coalition members held nearly 150 meetings with key members of Congress, including House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders and agriculture appropriators. Farmers and advocates from across the nation gathered to share stories of how continued uncertainty and confusion from USDA and Congress results in real-world impacts on farms and communities.

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." Find the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/eGBDvYUB