Agriculture Resilience Act supports young farmers in fight against the climate crisis
On February 26th, Representative Chellie Pingree (ME-01) introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (H.R. 5861). This bill sets ambitious goals for reaching net zero emissions from agriculture by 2040 and would provide much-needed resources for farmers and ranchers as they work to reduce their carbon emissions and sequester carbon in their soils. Congresswoman Pingree, who […]
“Water is Scarce, Water is Rare”
“If we don’t start doing things differently, there won’t be agriculture to pass down.” Climate change is a hot-button political issue, but in the Western U.S., no one can deny that the drought and above average temperatures are real. Mike Nolan, a young farmer in Mancos, Colorado, gives an insider perspective on farming in extreme […]
From Colorado to Washington, DC, How one NYFC Member’s farm bill proposal made it to the Senate
When the Senate Agriculture Committee passed their draft farm bill out of committee on June 13, they also passed an amendment with a programmatic tweak to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This tweak creates a “microEQIP” pilot program to make it easier for small farms to access this conservation program. Although it’s a small […]
Senate Agriculture Committee Passes Farm Bill with Additional Wins for Young Farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kate Bittman | View full release and contacts Senate Agriculture Committee Passes Farm Bill with Additional Wins for Young Farmers NYFC celebrates adoption of beginning farmer and land access amendments as Farm Bill heads for Senate floor WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 13, 2018) – The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) celebrated additional […]
With West in Drought, House Farm Bill Cuts Conservation, Funds Land Access
Wedged in between White House scandals and Beychella, the House Agriculture Committee released their draft of the 2018 Farm Bill.
As NYFC outlined in our initial analysis of the bill, there is some good news for young farmers. Programs that support the next generation, like the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), are reauthorized, and funding for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), a critical tool for protecting farmland for future generations, is restored to $500 million.
July News: NYFC at White House, Student Debt on the Agenda, FSA Elections, Land Trust Ed
Here at NYFC, we think farmers should be spending the summer fighting weeds, fixing fences and growing food—not worrying about student debt and untenable leases. In this July newsletter, we’ll tell you about two exciting campaigns NYFC is taking on: tackling student loan debt and fighting for affordable land. Plus, see us at the White House […]
Farm Bill 2014 – What it Means for Beginning Farmers for the Next 5 Years
This post is the second of three in-depth analysis pieces on the bill and how it will affect you. Last week, after we shared the news that the new farm bill passed, we delved into a three-part series breaking the bill down and what its impact will be over the next five years. (The bill […]
USDA's “Know Your Farmer” Compass Expanded
The USDA just expanded their “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Compass, an online database of resources for farmers, now including resources from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor, EPA and many other federal agencies. The Compass is a searchable map of projects that have received some form of support […]
Database of EQIP Deadlines Now Available From OFRF
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has compiled a one-stop database for information on applying for EQIP Organic Initiative grants, available here. EQIP – the Environmental Quality Incentives Program – supports voluntary conservation programs for farmers and ranchers. It offers financial and technical assistance to eligible participants to install or implement structural or management practices […]
Hudson Valley Farmers Speak Up at the Farmers' Forum
A US Farm Bill potentially worth nearly one trillion dollars over ten years has stalled in Congress, and with it the hopes of young farmers, conservationists and agriculturalists in general have stalled as well. When Congress returns to Washington in September, they have only until the end of the month, September 30th, before the current […]