Cover Crop News and More!

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Taylor in Farming Practices, Farming Resources, Funding, News, Policy, Politics, Sustainable Agriculture // 0 Comments

This week’s blog posts from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) feature Cover Crop News, Farm and Ranch Assistance Network News, NSAC Farmer Fly-In, and Opportunities with NSAC…

COVER CROP NEWS

Cover Crop News – Good For Crop Yields, Soil Health, and Bottom Lines

Last month, USDA’s SARE program released a new technical bulletin called “Cover Crop Economics: Opportunities to Improve Your Bottom Line in Row Crops.” The bulletin includes data from SARE’s National Cover Crop Survey and the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) from the 2012-2016 growing seasons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) market information, and farmer testimonials. The message from the research is clear: When viewed holistically, cover crops pay for themselves – and then some. Check out the Cover Crop News here…

FUNDING NEWS

$2 Million Available To Ramp Up Farm Stress Response

USDA recently announced $2 million in funds to better support farmers in stress. In this initial year of funding, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) seeks to establish a network of organizations to connect farmers and ranchers, along with farmworkers, to stress assistance programs and resources across the country. FRSAN is a competitive grant program and administered by NIFA.

NIFA is seeking applications from regional partnerships and collaborations that are led by or include nongovernmental organizations, state departments of agriculture, Cooperative Extension Services, and Indian tribes with expertise in providing professional agricultural behavioral health awareness, counseling as appropriate, education, training, and referral for other forms of assistance as necessary.

NSAC NEWS

From the Farm to the Hill: NSAC Hosts FY 2020 Farmer Fly-In

Fly-in advocates from ten different states across the country came to DC to champion the federal programs important to them and their communities before congressional appropriators. As part of their “ag-vocacy,” NSAC staff and fly-in participants spent time thanking House appropriators for their hard work on delivering such a strong appropriations “minibus” and encouraged them to keep up their support for sustainable agriculture when the two chambers ultimately conference their draft bills. In the Senate, ag-vocates used NSAC’s FY 2020 appropriations recommendations to highlight for the Senators and their staff the food and farm programs that most deserve and need additional support in the coming year.

NSAC is seeking a Policy Director!

Are you deeply committed to sustainable agriculture and experienced in federal policy? Would you enjoy charting the next phase of NSAC’s policy work and leading our passionate, high-performing, member-engaged, and collaborative policy team that is dedicated to working for racial equity? If so, please consider stepping up to be NSAC’s new Policy Director! NSAC offers competitive non-profit salary and benefits and is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply to be NSAC’s Fall Policy or Grassroots Fellow!

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is currently seeking a Policy and a Grassroots Fellow for the Fall/Winter term beginning in early September 2019 and lasting until mid-May 2020. Both positions are paid, full-time, include benefits, and are located at NSAC’s Washington, D.C. office on Capitol Hill.