National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Every summer, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) gathers to plan for the year ahead. NSAC summer meetings serve as an opportunity for coalition members to connect, exchange ideas and information, and strategize collectively on shared policy priorities. Summer meetings rotate locations yearly to reflect the geographical diversity of NSAC’s member organizations, also allowing NSA…

On Thursday, August 6, the Senate Agriculture Committee convened to consider the Agricultural Act of 2026, the Senate’s version of a new farm bill. The early August Committee meeting (known as a “markup”) was the Senate Agriculture Committee’s first farm bill markup since June 2018. The journey to a new farm bill is never straightforward […] The post The Senate Farm Bill Markup: What Happened and…

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Senate Farm Bill Takes A Step Forward, Significant Work Remains Washington, DC, August 6, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Senate Agricultu…

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers Washington, DC, August 2, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to Senate Agricultu…

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: Farmers Advance Sustainable Agriculture Priorities During NSAC Lobby Day Washington, DC, July 21, 2026 – Today, nearly 40 farmers, ranchers, and agriculture stakeholders participated in a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Lobby Day.  Farmers from 12 states…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Release: NSAC Applauds the Introduction of the Fair Seeds for Farmers Act Washington, DC, July 15, 2026 – Yesterday, Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced the Fair Seeds for Farmers Act. Over the past few decades, the continued cons…

For Immediate Release Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Release: NSAC Urges Reconsideration of Problematic OMB Proposed Rule Washington, DC, July 14, 2026 – Yesterday, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) submitted detailed comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) citing major concerns with OMB’s proposed …

History The Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) was originally authorized with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Recognizing the importance of providing training – particularly for smaller, more economically vulnerable operations, Congress created FSOP to fund outreach, education, training, and technical assistance projects that directly assist small and mid-sized farms, be…

Since January 2025, farmers, agricultural organizations, and the communities they serve have experienced unprecedented instability in long-standing federal partnerships with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Lengthy funding freezes, unanticipated grant terminations, full program cancellations, and a woefully understaffed USDA have detrimentally disrupted the programs, services, and resourc…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net  Tel. 347.563.6408 The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship honors the co-founder of the first network for African American organic farmers in the United States by providing $5000 scholarships to two undergraduate students and one graduate student who identify as Black and/or Indige…

On Tuesday, June 23, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the long-awaited text of the Agricultural Act of 2026 (the Agricultural Act). Clocking in at just over 900 pages, the Agricultural Act would update wide swaths of federal food and farm policy – yet NSAC’s initial analysis found that the draft falls well […] The post Digging Deeper into the Senate’s Farm Bill ‘…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net Comment: Senate Farm Bill Draft Offers Untapped Potential Washington, DC, June 24, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following statement attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director, in response to the Agricultural Act of 2026 discuss…

“Farmers have waited far too long for a new farm bill while dealing with rising input costs, market volatility, and shrinking margins,” said Darin Von Ruden, a Wisconsin farmer and president of the state’s Farmers Union chapter. Farmers across the country agree and have been clear with Congress: they need a new farm bill that […] The post Farmers React to House Farm Bill appeared first on Nationa…

Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC.  Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as en…

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends roughly $4 billion buying food at the lowest price possible, and American family farmers are locked out due to high volume and complex federal contracting requirements. Yet there is a low-cost policy solution that would unlock this existing funding source for more farmers to compete.  NSAC members […] The post 450 Organizations Push Congre…

Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC.  Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as en…

Editor’s Note: This series draws on analysis the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) conducted in partnership with Bernie Kluger, Managing Partner at Prospect Partners, LLC.  Bernie has led strategic realignments, crisis recoveries, and major capacity-building initiatives in government, higher education, and the private sector. Prior to joining Prospect Partners, Bernie served as en…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Laura Zaks National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net Tel. 347.563.6408 Comment: USDA Small Processor Plan Highlights Recent Work, Future Opportunities Washington, DC, June 5, 2026 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) commends the release of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Processors Action Pla…

After a year of funding freezes, cancellations of programs, and disruptions to grant fund distributions, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened applications for several sustainable agriculture grant opportunities. This blog post provides an overview of each funding program currently open, the application deadline, and eligibility criteria. This list serves as a useful reference […] Th…

The year was 1988, and in rural Minnesota during the cold of winter, several dozen sustainable agriculture leaders across the Midwest gathered for the first time to build a policy campaign to address the aftermath of the farm crisis and build a more sustainable future for farmers. This first small gathering contained the seeds of […] The post NSAC Marks its Transition to an Independent 501(c)3 ap…