CSP Renewal, Sustainable Ag Priorities, and More
NRCS is currently accepting applications for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract renewals. CSP is a comprehensive working lands conservation program that provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to actively manage and maintain existing conservation systems and to implement additional conservation activities on land in production. CSP contracts last for five years, at which time they are eligible for renewal. The window for this year’s renewal applications is a tight one: CSP renewal applications are due between March 13 and March 20, 2020. These renewals are for farmers and ranchers who initially enrolled in CSP in Fiscal Years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Read our blog to get up to speed on changes made to the renewal application process and next steps!
Once again President Trump has offered a budget request to Congress that contradicts many of his public statements regarding his Administration’s support for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Like each of the previous budget request proposed by President Trump, the fiscal year 2021 budget includes substantial cuts to federal food and farm programs. The proposed budget would slash USDA’s total budget by nearly $62 billion total, made up of $2 billion in cuts to discretionary programs and $60 billion in cuts to mandatory agriculture programs. NSAC will be working with Congress over the next few months to ensure that the President’s shortsighted proposals are not enacted and instead robust investments in sustainable agriculture research, conservation, and food systems that support farmers and consumers in every community are included in the FY 2021 agriculture spending bill.
NSAC Winter Meeting
NSAC’s annual Winter Meeting convened around 70 coalition members from all across the country to discuss food and agriculture policy in McAllen, TX. The Winter Meeting is the Coalition’s opportunity to set policy priorities for the upcoming year, review campaign progress, and work together in issue-based committees on complex farm and food issues. At the four-day convening, participants selected and strategized around the Coalition’s priorities for 2020. In addition to strategy work, members had the opportunity to visit local farms, attend presentations by students in the Agroecology Program at UT-RGV, and explore the biodiversity of the Rio Grande Valley. Additionally, members learned about the ongoing inhumane treatment of asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border by partnering with Angry Tías & Abuelas, a local nonprofit dedicated to help asylum seekers. Read our blog post to learn more about how our Coalition work is done and all that we accomplish during our annual in-person meetings. With our priorities in place, NSAC is now ready to go into 2020 with renewed energy and a focused vision of success. Thank you to all of our members for their unparalleled dedication and diligence!
- Learn more about Farm Policy and Agricultural Politics at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-policy-agricultural-politics/
- Find tons of other useful farming resources at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/additional-farming-resources/
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