Farm Bill News, Appropriations News, USDA News and More

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The latest news from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition featuring Farm Bill News, Appropriations News, USDA News and More

FARM BILL NEWS  

Down to the Wire for Farm Bill Extension

Editors Note: Since this post was written, the 2014 Farm Bill has expired. Currently there is no sign that Congress is poised to find common ground in their effort to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the Bill. Please stay tuned to beginningfarmers.org for more updates, and to find out what you can do. Congress has left town without passing a new Farm Bill or a temporary extension of the 2014 Farm Bill. This inaction will inevitably result in program implementation delays that will ultimately harm farmers, communities, and eaters. Just over $1 billion in unobligated conservation and specialty crop funding will be frozen starting October 1, in addition to a number of “tiny but mighty” programs formally shutting down until Congress acts. 

Major Differences Remain Over Farm Bill Commodity Title 

Stark contrasts remain over farm subsidies and payment limitations as farm bill negotiators try to resolve differences what may be the biggest of all the big sticking points in the new farm bill. This week, nearly 30 members in both chambers wrote to the farm bill conference committee urging support for stronger enforcement of payment limitations, as outlined in the Senate farm bill.  

 APPROPRIATIONS NEWS  

Continuing Resolution Passes House, Agriculture “Minibus” Stuck While averting a government shutdown with the passage of a temporary funding extension, Congressional appropriators were unable to achieve on-time passage of a final agriculture appropriations bill for the coming fiscal year. The agriculture portion of the so-called “minibus” that is now stalled until December, includes significant investments in sustainable agriculture priority programs for FY 2019.

USDA NEWS  

Value-Added Agriculture: Creating New Opportunities in an Era of Uncertainty 

USDA could see significant cuts to its commodity producer grants unless the new farm bill (or a farm bill extension) provides new funding. Programs like Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) have helped family farmers tap into growing markets for organic and local and regional food and farm products.

MEMBER NEWS  

Guest Post: Agriculture Spotlights at the Global Climate Summit 

NSAC Member CalCAN attended a recent global climate summit which featured international experts, presidents of island nations, indigenous and youth leaders and many more who laid out out the challenges of a changing climate. One message was clear: we cannot meet our greenhouse gas emission reduction goals without agricultural solutions to climate change.

 

Find more Farm Bill news, appropriations news, USDA news, and other farm policy and ag. politics resources at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-policy-agricultural-politics/

Find additional farming resources from beginningfarmers.org at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/additional-farming-resources/