Sustainable Agriculture Coalition News

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Upcoming Deadlines for Federal Food and Farm Programs
Planting season is upon us, which means deadlines for federal farm and food grant programs are too! For farmers, ranchers, and groups who work with producers, the next few months are critical for successfully completing these applications on time. NSAC has compiled a list of upcoming deadlines for federal food and farm grant applications and grant assistance workshops.

USDA Awards $10 Million in Water Quality Assistance through Mississippi River Basin Initiative
On April 7, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack awarded $10 million through the Mississippi River Basin Initiative for 27 new conservation projects, each located in a watershed new to the Initiative, as well as 13 ongoing projects that have previously received MRBI funding. These new awards build upon $18.5 million that was invested through MRBI earlier in the fiscal year.

FDA Clarifies Facility Rule Exemption for Direct-to-Consumer Sales
Last week, USDA announced the availability of $19 million in funding for beginning farmer training grants through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP).  This highly successful initiative, administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), provides competitively awarded grants…

Upcoming: Organic Working Group Webinar
The USDA’s Organic Working Group will be hosting a webinar on April 29 to showcase a variety of resources for farmers interested in organic. The webinar will feature presentations on the process to obtain an organic certification, organic labeling, and resources on farmers markets. The webinar will take place at 1:00 pm eastern time.