Influence Farm Policy at the Local Level
Elect Community Member to Influence Farm Policy, Farmers Guide to CART, Pandemic Support for Organic and Transitioning Operations, and More in This Week’s News from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
Elect Community Members to Influence Farm Policy at Local Level
It’s that time of the year! Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee elections and Urban County Committee elections are underway in certain counties. Perhaps you are not able to make the trip to influence farm policy and programs in Washington, DC, but these decisions are also in the hands of farmers, ranchers, and rural community members across the country – like you! It is crucial that every eligible producer take part in these elections because county committees are a direct link between the farm community and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Farmer’s Guide to CART
Fall is here, and it has brought with it new Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program deadlines! NRCS recently unveiled a comprehensive list of program deadlines by state for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. This list has information on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) for the states that have posted deadlines. For more detailed information on what is happening in your state, you can contact your state’s NRCS office.
For folks ready to apply to these programs, NSAC has a new resource available to help. Our brand new Farmers’ Guide to CART is online and contains helpful insight on what to expect when navigating this new NRCS tool and accessing conservation programs.
NSAC Responds to USDA’s Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations
“NSAC is glad to see that USDA has committed $20 million to the new Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) as part of the agency’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Organic farmers and ranchers faced numerous supply chain and economic challenges throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This investment to support organic producers will help them achieve and maintain their certification, implement organic practices, expand market opportunities, and demonstrates the USDA’s continued commitment to helping farmers who are central to meeting the challenges of the climate crisis.”
What We’re Reading
In this space we share suggested readings that NSAC staff find relevant to the Coalition’s mission and work. The opinions expressed in these readings are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an official NSAC policy or position.
“Can Hatch Green Chiles Survive the Climate Crisis?”
The continued drought and an unprecedented workforce shortage worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic have rattled the agribusiness that is central to the state’s identity, said Stephanie Walker, a chile specialist at the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University, one of a handful of research centers in the world dedicated to the plant. “We’re definitely at a breaking point now.”
“How Thousands of Black Farmers Were Forced Off Their Land”
Black people own just 2 percent of farmland in the United States. A decades-long history of loan denials at the USDA is a major reason why.
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