[MPWG] Fw: NSAC Weekly Roundup (fwd)

[Olivia Kwong]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
"Ferd Hoefner, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition"
<nsac at mail.democracyinaction.com>

Welcome to the NSAC Weekly Roundup!
To access the full articles 
http://sustainableagriculture.net/take-action/current-action-alerts/
In this Week's Roundup...
FARM BILL EXPIRATION: WHAT'S AT STAKE
Due to Congressional inaction, the 2008 Farm Bill has expired without a
new bill or extension to take its place.  In the absence of a farm bill,
numerous innovative programs that invest in sustainable agriculture
systems are shut down and left without funding.  This week marks the
beginning of NSAC's "What's at Stake" series that highlights expired farm
bill programs and what that means for farmers and communities throughout
the country.
Life Without a Farm Bill: What's at Stake?
As of October 1, our nation?s food and farm policy in the form of the 2008
Farm Bill has officially expired, with no workable replacement. There are
many who see this as a better course of events than the passage of one of
the new, admittedly imperfect, bills passed by the Senate and proposed in
the House.  Others view congressional inaction as no big deal.  Read
more...
What's at Stake: Beginning Farmers
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) is the only
federal program exclusively dedicated to training the next generation of
farmers and ranchers. This highly successful initiative provides
competitively awarded grants to academic institutions, state extension
services, producer groups, and community organizations to support and
train new producers across the country.  Read more...
Stories from the Field: Training My Generation
"Like so many other beginning farmers today, I don?t come from a farming
family and I have no land or agricultural skills to inherit from my
parents...the programs funded by the BFRDP are creating unique
opportunities for young people who might not otherwise have had access to
affordable farm training."  Read more of this guest blog from Sophie
Ackoff of The National Young Farmers' Coalition.
USDA NEWS
FY 2013 Enrollment Deadlines for Conservation Programs May Be Fast
Approaching
As the new fiscal year begins, states have begun to set Fiscal Year (FY)
2013 ?ranking deadlines? for enrollment in farm bill conservation programs
and initiatives.  These dates are important for farmers and ranchers to be
aware of if they are considering applying for conservation funding.  Read
more...
USDA Releases Results of 2011 Certified Organic Production Survey
On Thursday, October 4, USDA?s National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS) released the results of its 2011 Certified Organic Production
Survey.  NASS conducted the survey in conjunction with USDA?s Risk
Management Agency (RMA) in order to collect data that RMA requires to
develop certain organic crop insurance products.  Read more...
2012 Specialty Crop Block Grants and Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Grants Announced
On Monday, October 1, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced a total of
$101 million in funding for specialty crops through the 2012 Specialty
Grant Program (SCBG) awards and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative
(SCRI) awards for 2012.  The 2012 funding includes specialty crop block
grants to each state funding 748 projects nationwide for a total of $55
million, and also $41 million in specialty crop research funding.  Read
more...
NSAC is hiring!

We're currently seeking a 2012 Winter/Spring Policy Intern.


Member Spotlight

Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota
The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota supports the development
and enhancement of sustainable farming systems through farmer-to-farmer
networking, innovation, demonstration, and education.

Visit them here.