Be at the Ready!  Action Alert on the Senate Food Safety Bill Forthcoming!

The Senate Health,  Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled to begin markup of the Food Safety Modernization Act (S 510) on November 18.  The Act seeks to decrease foodborne illnesses by strengthening the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety oversight and enforcement–including provisions that would extend authority to on-farm production and processing.  NSAC will issue an alert on Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week with specific recommendations to HELP Committee members and a call to action on S 510.  NSAC is working to limit negative impacts on small and mid-sized sustainable and organic farms.  Stay tuned for our action alert aimed at key HELP committee members and prepare to send to your networks!
For background on the issue, please see  NSAC’s Food Safety on the Farm policy brief.

Comment Now on the Proposed Rule for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program

USDA has issued a proposed rule for the new Rural Micro-entrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP).  RMAP was created in the 2008 Farm Bill to provide loans and grants to Micro-enterprise Development Organizations that support micro-enterprise development in rural areas.  While the law directs USDA to provide grants to allow development organizations to offer training and technical assistance to micro-entrepreneurs the proposed rule fails to do so. Training and technical assistance are essential to the success of these new businesses. Comments on the rule are due on November 23rd and can be submitted here. An alert with talking points is available here.
You can learn more about RMAP by checking out this summary in the Grassroots Guide to the Farm Bill.

LAST WEEK

Senate Climate Change Legislative Proposals: On Thursday, November 5, the Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved by a vote of 11-1 a marked up version of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S.1733).  The only vote against the measure came from Senator Baucus (D-MT) whose state is a major coal producer.  The markup was preceded by three days of hearings the week before with 9 panels including 54 witnesses.  The seven Republican members of the Committee boycotted the markup, with the exception of Senator George Voinovich (R-OH).  He showed up briefly on Tuesday, the first day scheduled for the markup, to state that Republican members were boycotting the markup pending preparation of an EPA economic analysis of S. 1733.  Senate rules require the presence of at least two Republicans at the markup, unless the Majority feels it is in the best interest of their states and of the nation to act, a finding that Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer was quick to make.

Completion of a climate bill in the Senate, however, appears to be receding into 2010.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid agreed to ask the EPA for economic analysis of any climate bill before it goes to the Senate floor.  This week, EPA officials testified that it would take the agency about five weeks to complete an analysis of the current version of S. 1733.

In the meantime, there are separate bills from at least five Senate committees that are to be merged into S.1733, including S 2729 – the Senate Agriculture Committee’s contribution to the Senate climate change package which was drafted under the lead of Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and introduced this week.  S2729 has not yet been posted to Thomas but you can keep checking here and search for bill number “S2729″.  No further Agriculture Committee hearings have been scheduled yet, but on Tuesday both Senator Baucus’ Finance Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold climate bill hearings.

Further complicating the process, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the co-sponsor of S.1733, has joined forces with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to work on a revised version of the bill which will patch together various pieces, including what are reported to be large increases in nuclear subsidies and off shore oil drilling permits, in an attempt to gather the 60 votes that will ultimately be needed to pass climate change legislation in the Senate.  At this point, the only clear thing is that there will be no climate change legislation until 2010 at the earliest, with a final product that may look like a patchwork quilt.

USDA NEWS

VAPG Beginning Farmer Clarification Un-clarified:  NSAC was told by USDA this week that in order to qualify for the 10 percent of funds reserved for beginning farmers in the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program, 100 percent of the farmers in a farm coop or business must be beginning farmers, an unlikely occurence.  This is a change from what we reported previously in the Weekly Update, based on earlier assurances from USDA.
Now we are told the problem will be fixed in the VAPG rule-making process now underway, but that will be too late for this round of grants.  However, applications by groups of farmers that include some beginning farmers will be considered in the regular pool of grants and the proposals will receive points for including new farmers, a priority clearly expressed in the Farm Bill language.  Barring a substantial number of proposals by individual beginning farmers, it is likely that for this year at least the reserve funds will not be used and will need to be merged into the regular pool.

Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces Beginning Farmer Program Award:  Last Tuesday, November 3, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the recipients of the 2009 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program competitive grDULY NOTEDant awards.  Merrigan made the announcement on a farm in southeastern Minnesota operated by Eric and Lisa Klein – farmer members of the Land Stewardship Project and graduates of LSP’s Farm Beginnings program.

The $17 million in BFRDP funds was awarded to 29 universities and organizations, including four NSAC member groups, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), California Farmlink, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), and the Land Stewardship Project.  A full list of program award recipients is here.  NSAC’s press release with further descriptions of the projects awarded to NSAC member groups is here.

Farm to School on Facebook: On Thursday, November 5, Deputy Secretary Merrigan had her second Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Facebook chat — this time to discuss Farm to School.  She kicked off the discussion with a report on her visit to the St. Paul, Minnesota school district last week.  The St. Paul school district purchased 110 thousand pounds of regional food valued at $76,000 in the first six weeks of the school year, accounting for 56% of their total produce purchases.

Merrigan also reported on the Department’s Farm to School Tactical Team which has been formed with representatives from the Agriculture Marketing Service and the Food and Nutrition Service.  The goal is to collect information and create a library of knowledge on the Know Your Farmer website.  Merrigan said that USDA is deeply interested in Farm to School and hopes to see an equally high level of support in Congress when it takes up the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization, scheduled to begin early in 2010.

FDA NEWS

Extended Comment Period on Leafy Greens, Tomatoes, and Melons: As we mentioned last week, the Food and Drug Administration has granted the public more time to submit comments on new food safety standards for the production of leafy greens, tomatoes and melons.  With the two-month extension, the comment deadline is now January 4, 2010.  For more information, see the Federal Register notice here.

Traceability Listening Session:  On Tuesday, November 3, FDA and USDA announced a public listening session on December 9 and 10 in Washington, DC to stimulate discussion about enhanced tracing systems for all types of food from production to processing to distribution.  More information is available here.
DULY NOTED

ERS Releases New Report on Organic Dairy Sector: On Monday, November 2, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) released a new report on the characteristics, costs, and issues for organic dairy farming.  The study uses data from the 2005 Agricultural Resource Management Survey on US dairy operations, which includes a targeted sample of organic farmers.  Additionally, the report compares conventional and organic production costs, and suggests that organic and conventional operations are increasingly similar.  The report concludes that the future structure of the sector will depend upon the interpretation and implementation of new organic pasture rules.  To access the report, click here.

Farmer Input Needed for EQIP Organic Initiative Survey:  The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is seeking the input of conventional and organic farmers to help improve the 2010 Organic Initiative – a program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Offered first in 2009 as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the program distributed $50 million to support farmers’ transition to certified organic production and to existing certified organic farmers for transitioning additional acres to certified organic production.

OFRF wants to hear from conventional and organic producers; from producers who applied to the Organic Initiative and from those who didn’t.  All survey responses are confidential and will be used to provide feedback to NRCS on how to improve the program.  Click here for more information and here to complete the survey.  And please distribute the link among your farmer members and urge them to complete the survey by November 10th.

Beginning Farmer Comments Due:  Comments on the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Interim Final Rule are due Tuesday, November 3.  A copy of the Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking is here.

You can submit comments by email to: RFP-OEP@csrees.usda.gov or at www.regulations.gov.  Be sure to include the Regulatory Information Number (RIN) 0524-AA59 in the subject line of the message.  You can also fax comments to: 202-401-7752.

A copy of NSAC’s comments on the BFRDP interim final rule are here.

LAST WEEK

Senate Hearings on Climate Change Legislation:  Last week the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a three-day marathon hearing session, with 54 witnesses, on the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act (S.1733).  This climate change bill is sponsored by the Committee chair Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA).

USDA Secretary Vilsack, who was out of the country, was not among the Obama cabinet Secretaries testifying in person although he did submit a statement for the record.

The only agriculture sector witness testifying at the hearing was Bob Stallman President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.  He stated that the Federation is opposed to both S. 1733 and the recently passed House climate change bill H.R. 2454 because the cap-and-trade proposal in the bills will not offset higher energy costs to farmers.  Roger Johnson, the President of the National Farmers Union, submitted a statement criticizing the bill for lacking a “robust and flexible” agriculture offset program but also emphasizing that climate change legislation is needed to help the agriculture sector deal with some of the potential severe effects of climate change.

Webcasts of the hearings and witness statements are posted here.

Senator Boxer has scheduled a markup of S.1733 for next Tuesday, November 3 but the markup may be blocked by Republicans.  All seven Republicans on the Committee have reportedly agreed to boycott a markup session pending completion of the EPA’s economic analysis of the bill.  The Committee rules require that at least two Republicans be present for the markup in order to establish a quorum for the Committee.

Meanwhile, other Senate committees, including the Agriculture Committee, are moving forward with proposals within their jurisdiction for the bill.  Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), taking the lead for the Agriculture Committee, is drafting an agriculture and forest title for the bill which would establish agriculture and forestry allowances to help fund projects and activities and agricultural offsets for a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions.  No date has yet been set for incorporating this measure and other measures from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Finance Committee.

House Agriculture Committee Hearing on Biofuels:  On Thursday, October 29, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research of the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the future of next generation biofuels, i.e biofuels from feedstock other than corn ethanol.  The hearing focused primarily on federal subsidies for construction of next generation biofineries provided in the 2008 Farm Bill and other legislation.

Dallas Tonsager, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development and Rajiv Shah, USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics testified as did an number of representatives from companies looking for funding for next generation biofuels research and financing.  Most of the company representatives stated that credit for any biofuel venture is tight, especially with recent bankruptcies of a number of corn ethanol enterprises, including Vera Sun the largest corn ethanol producer. Under Secretary Tonsager noted that some applications for federal loan guarantees in the Farm Bill’s Section 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program were denied because no lender would back the project.  In addition to having the USDA shoulder more of the financing costs, some company representatives called on Congress to extend the cellulosic fuels production tax credit to cover all fuels produced before 2022 instead of the current 2012 cutoff.

THIS WEEK

Deputy Secretary Merrigan to Announce BFRDP Awards:  On Tuesday, November 3, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will be the announcing the recipients of the first round of Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program awards.  Her announcement will be made from a farm in Wabasha County, Minnesota, that is the home to Eric and Lisa Klein, graduates of the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program.  Among the FY 2009 BFRDP award recipients are NSAC members California Farmlink, Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), Land Stewardship Project, and the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES).

NSAC was a key advocate in helping to create the BFRDP program in 2002 and then secure $75 million in mandatory funding for the program over the next five years in the 2008 Farm Bill.   BFRDP provides competitive grants to community-based organizations, non-profits, universities, and local and federal governments that provide training, mentoring, land-link, and other forms of support for beginning farmers and ranchers.

For more information about the program, visit the NSAC Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill.

USDA NEWS

Conservation Stewardship Program Comments:  The public comment period on the Interim Final Rule for the new Conservation Stewardship Program closed Wednesday, October 28.  We will report in a future edition about the number and type of comments received.  In the meantime, you can read the comments submitted by NSAC here.

Organic Research Awards Announced:  On Friday, October 30, Deputy Secretary Merrigan announced $19 million in awards through the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) and the Integrated Organic and Water Quality Program.  The grants are directed towards projects that research various aspects of organic farming systems, ranging from barriers to the sector’s growth to impacts of organics on water quality. Winning mandatory funding for OREI was an NSAC 2008 Farm Bill priority.

Among the awards: $1.2 million to North Carolina State for farmer-driven assessment and support for public plant breeding for field crops; $1 million to Washington State for extension and applied research on dryland grain, forage and intercropping systems, and $1 million to Iowa State for a 3-state (IA, KY, PA) integrated project on pest and pollination concerns with cucurbits.  A full list of awards with abstracts is available here.
USDA Looks at Rural – Urban Linkages: USDA co-sponsored a workshop on Friday, October 30, with International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture and Heifer Project to discuss ways to increase food security while supporting sustainable production at home and abroad.  The emphasis was on the need to develop regional food systems to counter rising food prices as a result of volatile and rising energy costs and reduce agriculture’s contribution to greeenhouse gas emssions.  The primary audience was USDA agency personnel.

Several international speakers emphasized that there will be serious pressures on food production with  increasing urbanization, anticipating that 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050.

Domestically, planning for regional food systems is increasing as more areas develop Food Policy Councils and professional planners begin to understand that food systems are integral to a community’s health.  Speakers also emphasized the potential that public health and nutrition programs, including the Women’s, Infant’s, and Childrens’ Program (WIC) and National School Lunch Program, have to support the growth of regional agriculture if benefits are targeted to local food products.

There was considerable discussion of the need to improve rural infrastructure and increase small and mid-scale processing for regional food systems to be able to scale up to meet the food demand of cities.  Unfortunately, there were no representatives from USDA’s Rural Developement Agency to discuss the Value-Added Producer Grant program’s new 10% reserve fund ($1.8 million in FY 10) to support the development of mid-tier value chains or the $85 million in Business and Industry Loan Guarantees for FY 2010 to support regional food system businesses.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan closed the meeting with a request that the participants continue to talk with the Department and to share their knowledge of successful projects so that they can be added to the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website.

Beginning and Socially Disadvantage Farmer Loans in 2009: Congress responded to the financial crisis in farm lending by substantially increasing funding for farm operating and ownership loans through emergency funding in the economic recovery and supplemental appropriations bills for 2009.  Funding was also increased for 2010 in the recently passed agricultural appropriations bill.  For a table of appropriations levels, see the NSAC appropriations chart.

Despite the economic downturn, Down Payment Loans for first-time land acquisition by beginning and minority farmers took a big upturn since passage of the 2008 Farm Bill.  The farm bill lowered the interest rate and the new farmer down payment amount and also increased the value of land which could be financed, all of which combined to send the loan program skyrocketing.  The program has financed 1,100 farmers with a total of $147 million in loans in 2008 and 2009, compared to the nearly 3,000 beginning farmers assisted with $131 million in loans in the previous 14 years of the program’s existence combined.

The program continues to perform best in states that have State first time farmer loan and tax programs.  For instance, the top three states – Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas – accounted for nearly 50 percent of the total number of loans, and are followed by Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Indiana, of which only Ohio does not have a state program.  Those top ten states accounted for 83 percent of total down payment loan borrowers these past two years.

In FY 2009, the Farm Service Agency made or guaranteed about $4.5 billion in loans to 34,210 farmers, including over 20,000 farmers receiving direct operating loans.

The farm bill targets a percentage of loan funds to beginning and to minority farmers — details are included in the NSAC farm bill guide.  About 14,500 beginning farmers received loans totaling $1.5 billion.  Nearly half of all direct operating loans and over 70 percent of direct ownership loans went to beginning farmers, just shy of the farm bill targets of 50 and 75 percent, respectively.  While direct loans were close to the target rates, guaranteed loans were off by nearly half the 40 percent target rate.

Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, including minority and women farmers, received over 5,600 loans in FY 2009, including over 4,400 direct operating loans.  In dollars, these loans equaled 14 and 15 percent of total direct operating and ownership loans, and 7 and 9 percent of guaranteed operating and ownership loans, respectively.

NSAC has advocated for credit funding and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmer credit programs and targets since the late 1980s.

FDA NEWS

Food Safety Updates: On Sunday, November 1, the Department of Health and Human Services announced in the Federal Register that the FDA in collaboration with the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service will be holding a joint public meeting on traceability (tracing foods along their supply chains).  The meeting will be held December 9 and 10 at the USDA in Washington D.C. and is open to the public.

Also, later this week, NSAC expects the FDA to announce a 60-day extension for comments on the new food safety guidance for melons, tomatoes, and leafy greens.
EPA NEWS

EPA Issues Regulation for Greenhouse Gas Reporting with Livestock Operations Included:  On Friday, the EPA issued a final Clean Air Act regulation for the mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that would require reporting of GHG emissions from manure management activities of very large livestock operations.  A livestock facility that emits 25,000 metric tons of COs equivalent or more per year from manure management systems must report.  EPA estimates that about 100 very large livestock operations would meet the threshold for reporting.

The regulation becomes effective on December 29, 2009.  Congressional action, however, may block the rule’s application to livestock manure management.  On Tuesday, House and Senate conferees on the FY2010 Interior and EPA Approriations bill agreed to include language in the bill that would place a one year moratorium prohibiting the EPA from requiring mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting from manure management systems.

EPA Issues Clean Water Act Enforcement Plan with Emphasis on CAFOs:  On October 15, the EPA issued a Clean Water Act Enforcement Action Plan in conjunction with testimony of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  Both the Report and Administrator Jackson’s testimony targeted pollution from CAFOs as a threat to the nation’s surface waters and to drinking water sources. The Action Plan is short on detail but does state that EPA will pursue “new strategies to enforce existing rules limiting pollution from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), especially where they occur in areas close to imperiled waters.”

The House Committee also heard from other federal agencies and individuals representing communities adversely impacted by water pollution. Witnesses included Wisconsin resident Judy Treml, whose family was infected with virulent E. coli which ran into their well from manure applied by a neighboring dairy.

Time Running Out to Comment on the Conservation Stewardship Program!!
Time is running out for sustainable and organic farming advocates to submit comments to shape the implementation of the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Nation’s first and only green payments program.   In particular, USDA needs to get a loud and clear message that resource-conserving crop rotations, management-intensive rotational grazing and organic crop and livestock systems should receive high ranking and payment points under the CSP.  These systems deliver multiple environmental benefits and should earn high rewards.  You have until Wednesday October 28th to submit your comment. Additional talking points and an alert for circulation can be found here.

LAST WEEK

HELP on Food Safety:  The full Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee had its first food safety hearing on Thursday, October 22.  The anticipated focus of pending Senate action will be the Food Safety Modernization Act (S 510) introduced by Senator Durbin (D-IL) and cosponsored by HELP Committee members Gregg (R-NH), Dodd (D-CT), Burr (R-NC), and Isakson (R-GA).  HELP Chairman Harkin (D-IA) began the hearing by recognizing Senator Durbin’s long commitment to the issue of food safety and pledging to move the bill as quickly as possible, saying as the hearing ended that he hoped to have a bill on the President’s desk by the end of the year.  Most observers think the end of the year goal is unlikely, though not completely outside the realm of possibility.

We noted in last week’s edition of the Weekly Update that Russell Libby, executive director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners, would be testifying at the hearing on behalf of NSAC and small and mid-size farm interests.  However, shortly after we went to press, we found out the Libby had been uninvited, the casualty evidently of a veto by Senator Enzi (R-WY), the committee’s ranking minority member.  As a result, the committee sadly heard only from the agency, from industry, and from consumers.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in her first appearance before the Committee, outlined the Administration’s three priorities for improving the Nation’s food safety: concentrating on prevention, strengthening surveillance and enforcement, and improving response and recovery.  She noted that FDA would like increased legislative authority to achieve the goals including “enhanced ability to use resources flexibly to target food at the highest risk.”

Hamburg was critical of S 510 in several respects.  The Administration wants the bill changed to provide FDA explicit authority to access food records during routine inspections as is the case for FDA drug inspections and USDA meat inspections.

She and the Administration also support a user fee to help pay for the additional inspections that would result from implementation of the bill.  Unlike the House-passed bill, S 510 does not include fees but would rather pay for the bill entirely by congressional appropriations; the House bill by contrast is three-quarters paid for by appropriations and one-quarter by the fee.  The House bill’s $500 flat tax per facility is opposed by NSAC as regressive placing an undo burden on small scale family farms and not properly reflecting the costs of inspecting large farms and complex processing facilites.

Hamburg noted that she and FDA food safety adviser Michael Taylor have been visiting farms in different states around the country and “are learning more in the field about the concerns of farmers big and small.”

There was a confusing discussion about farmers who direct market their product being exempted from regulation.  Under current regulations, farmers who engage in any on-farm processing, even very minimal processing, are “facilities” which are then regulated by FDA.  However, if more than 50% of the processed product is sold directly to consumers, then the entire farm is exempt from regulation.  Under questioning, Hamburg indicated that farmers selling directly intrastate are exempt but not interstate.  That distinction does not appear in FDA regulation, nor in the House-passed bill which intends to codify current FDA regulations on this point.  NSAC hopes the agency will issue a clarification of the confusing statement.

Senator Merkley (D-OR) asked whether the bill’s provisions would be prejudicial to small and organic farms getting different directions from different agencies.  Dr. Hamburg recognized that this was an important concern and maintained the unique needs and circumstances of the diverse agricultural community could be achieved through the bill.

Thomas Stenzel, President of United Fresh Produce Association, spoke in favor of commodity-specific standards that would be consistent across the country and on farms of all sizes and production methods, explicitly rejecting the argument that smaller farms or organic operations should be treated differently.  He did, however, support reduced fees for less affluent farmers.  NSAC will continue fighting for alternatives that work for small and mid-sized family farms and that are consistent with sustainable and organic farming systems.

Rural Development Hearing:  On Wednesday, October 21, Judy Canales, Administrator of USDA’s Rural Development Business and Cooperative Programs, reported to the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development that significant progress is being made in moving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds out to rural communities and that those funds are preserving and creating jobs.

Canales pointed to an announcement made by the USDA earlier that day that 20 projects had been approved for $71.7 million in Business and Industry (B&I) loan guarantees.

When asked by Rep. Conaway (R-TX) how many of those loans were for local and regional food system development projects, Canales did not know the answer.  NSAC worked on a successful 2008 Farm Bill provision to have 5% of the B & I guarantees reserved for regional food system businesses and the program has been one of tools Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has showcased as part of the Department’s Know Your Farmer Know Your Food effort.

Canales announced that permanent regulations for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) should be published in January 2010 and will be issued in tandem with the Notice of Funds Available (NOFA).  Proposed rules for RMAP were issued on October 7, 2009 and have a 45 day comment period.  Canales explained that the quick turnaround time on the rules, comments, and NOFA was a result of a new “good and aggressive relationship with [the Office of Management and Budget].”

Committee members were interested in hearing about how the USDA is making its programs more accessible in this time of economic downturn, asking particularly whether the Agency was easing restrictions on matching funds required for most grants and whether it was considering simplified forms.  Canales pledged to “be creative” to make sure their funds are doing all they can to stimulate rural economies.

Loan Suspension Petition Delivered to USDA:  On Tuesday, October 20, the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment delivered a letter with over 25,000 signatures to USDA Secretary Vilsack calling for a suspension of Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loans to new or expanding specialized hog and poultry facilities.  A CFFE press release with a weblink to the petition letter and its cover letter are posted on the Land Stewardship Project website.

CFFE based its request on the reasoning that FSA direct and guaranteed loans, which amounted to an estimated $264 million for FY2008 and FY2009, contribute to an increase in hog and poultry production in the face of severely depressed prices for hog and poultry growers.

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Conference:  On Thursday, October 23, the Chair of the Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project, Rudy Rice, spoke at the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Conference in Washington, DC.  Rice has been a conservationist and grain farmer for over three decades, and has recently become a spokesperson about the importance of native pollinators.  Rice’s presentation focused on the honey bee, the most commonly used pollinator, which is in sharp decline.  In an effort to reverse this trend, the Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project has formed the Agricultural Pollination Alliance.  Rice urged everyone to learn more about the Alliance, and to integrate native pollinator habitat into their farmland.  For more information, please see the website at www.agpollinators.org

THIS WEEK

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Climate Change Hearing:  This week, October 27, 28, and 29, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold its first set of hearings to review provisions of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S.1733).  The roster of panelists for each hearing is here.  The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed the House of Representatives in June.

The hearings are the first of several expected in Senate committees to review Climate legislation.  A total of five Senate Committees will be contributing to the final version of a Senate climate change bill.  Senator Deborah Stabenow (D-MI) is the lead for drafting the Senate Agriculture Committee’s contribution to the bill, which focuses on agricultural activities that could be eligible as offsets in a cap-and-trade program.  So far, only Senator Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, has announced that mark up of a climate change bill will happen this year.

USDA NEWS

Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-Up News:  The 21,000 farmers and ranchers who applied to participate in the 2009 version of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) now have until November 15 to complete the Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) that will be used to determined eligibility, ranking, and payments for the new CSP.  Once all the CMTs are complete, there will be a more refined number available for how many acres are applying to the program for the 2009 year.  Currently, USDA estimates the number at 33 million acres.

Sadly, the 2009 version of CSP will retain some flaws that NSAC has asked be corrected.  Last week, NRCS indicated the changes could not be made in time to take effect for 2009 enrollments.  Hopefully the necessary corrections will be made in time for the 2010 sign-up.  In the meantime, however, ranking and payment point values remain low for newly adopted management intensive rotational grazing and for existing resource-conserving crop rotations.  Moreover, USDA is allowing rotations to count for special CSP supplemental payments if they are comprised solely of three crops eligible for federal commodity subsidies, or two crop eligible for federal commodity subsidies provided there is one winter cover crop in one year.  NSAC continues to argue for a minimum requirement of at least one perennial in the rotation to be eligible for the bonus payments.

Also this past week, NRCS placed some new documents on their website that help explain the CSP ranking and payment process.  In addition to a short and longer document explaining the scoring process, the new post also includes revised versions of the spreadsheets with all the scores for all the existing conservation baseline questions and the new conservation enhancement and regular conservation practice choices.  Also, as we previously reported, the NRCS CSP website also now includes a special document to guide organic farmers or those transitioning to organic to enhancments and practices that are of particular relevance to the organic system plan required for organic certification.

Rural Development Funds Out the Door:  On Wednesday, October 21, USDA announced it has guaranteed almost $72 million in loans for business projects in rural America through the agency’s Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program. Rural Development received $1.7 billion in stimulus funds that supplements the $1 billion appropriated for the program for 2010.  The Agency is accepting applications for these guarantees through September 30, 2010 and will announce awards in batches every several months.  Five percent of the funds are reserved until April, 2010 for local and regional food system enterprises.

Speak Up About Interstate Meat Shipment:  USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service will hold two national public meetings for comments on the proposed rules for the interstate shipment of state-inspected meat.  The meetings will be held on October 27 and November 5 and will be in a teleconference format.  Participants must register in advance and should indicate that they would like to make a comment on the registration form.  Written comments are due by November 16.

DULY NOTED

Jacob Cowgill Hired as Tester’s Ag Liaison:  Last week, Senator John Tester (D-MT) announced that Jacob Cowgill, a Montana farmer and former board member of the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO), a NSAC member organization, will be his new full-time agriculture liaison in the state of Montana.  In the announcement Tester stated “I’m pleased Jacob is on board to help serve fellow Montanans who make their living off the land.  Jacob knows ag issues inside and out, and he’s ready to work hard to expand opportunities for farmers and ranchers.”  Congratulations, Jacob!

CSP Comments Due October 28!

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking comments on the administrative rules that will govern implementation of the Conservation Stewardship Program.  The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to October 28th.

NSAC analysis and talking points for writing your comments are available here.

You can submit your comment online here.

Special Announcement – New NSAC Policy Brief on Food Safety!

NSAC’s Food Safety on the Farm: Policy Brief and Recommendations is now available!  The brief examines some of the current legislative food safety proposals that have been introduced in the 111th Congress, as well as administrative developments within the Obama Administration, the FDA, and the USDA.  The paper concludes with NSAC’s policy recommendations grounded in the experience and interest of small and mid-sized family farmers.

LAST WEEK

National SARE Meeting:  Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Operations Committee of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program met in Washington, DC, to discuss regional activities and updates, outreach, and budget.  The Committee discussed at length new strategies for growth, as well as how to respond to the changing research climate at USDA.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan made a guest appearance at the meeting, during which she discussed her history with and hopes for the program, and described USDA’s new ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ Initiatve.  NIFA Director Roger Beachy also attended part of the meeting, and outlined his priorities for research and sought feedback on the role of SARE and sustainable agriculture at the new agency.  NSAC Research, Education, and Extension committee chair, Brise Tencer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, attended the meeting, as did NSAC staff Ferd Hoefner and Ariane Lotti.

NSAC Submits Comments on the Beginning Farmer Program:  On Friday, October 16, NSAC submitted comments to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (formerly called the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service – CSREES) on the 2009 Request for Applications for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

NSAC was a key advocate in helping to create the BFRDP program in 2002 and then secure $75 million in mandatory funding for the program over the next five years in the 2008 Farm Bill.   BFRDP provides competitive grants to community-based organizations, non-profits, universities, and local and federal governments that provide training, mentoring, land-link, and other forms of support for beginning farmers and ranchers.

For more information about the program, visit the NSAC Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill or the new NIFA BFRDP website here.

NSAC Submits Credit Rule Comments:  NSAC submitted public comments on the Farm Service Agency on the proposed rulemaking with respect to farm credit.  The comments emphasized the need to implement strong credit graduation features and to urge Congress to then overturn existing term limits that are preventing otherwise qualified farmers from receiving needed loans.

Hearing Set for Boxer-Kerry Climate Change Legislation:  Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has announced that the Committee will start a 3-day hearing on the Boxer-Kerry climate change bill (S.1733) on October 27.  The first witnesses will be administrative agency and cabinet heads including Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff.  Other witnesses have not yet been announced.

Senator Boxer indicated that she would like to have her Committee began markup on the bill early in November.  Other Senate committees, notably the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, are also working on parts of climate change legislation relevant to their Committees.  Senator Lincoln, chair of Agriculture, has not yet set dates for agriculture hearings. Senator Baucus (D-MT), chair of the Finance Committee, has said that his Committee will address the issues of international trade and emission allowance allocations, but has also not announced hearing dates.  The process and timetable for how a final bill will be marked up and melded together has not yet been announced by Senate leadership.

THIS WEEK

NSAC Delivers Petition on Beginning Farmers to USDA:  On Monday, October 19, NSAC delivered a letter signed by 80 grassroots organizations and 7,500 individuals urging Secretary Vilsack and the USDA to move forward with swift implementation of the Conservation Reserve Program Transition Option.  The Transition Option is a new provision that NSAC and others helped to secure in the 2008 Farm Bill.  It provides incentives for CRP landowners who do not extend their CRP contracts or re-enroll in CRP to transfer the land to beginning or minority farmers and ranchers who will use sustainable and organic grazing, cropping, and mixed cropping-grazing systems.

Rather than implement the Transition Option  immediately, however, the Farm Service Agency of USDA is holding up its implementation while it conducts a multi-year supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to review policies options concerning land enrolled in the CRP.  While the SEIS is relevant for land that remains in the CRP, the Transition Option is only for land that is leaving the CRP, making it inappropriate to include in the SEIS.

To read the final letter submitted to Secretary Vilsack click here.

NSAC to Testify at Senate HELP Food Safety Hearing:  The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold its hearing on pending food safety legislation, over which it holds jurisdiction, on Thursday, October 22 at 10 AM eastern.  Russell Libby, Executive Director of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, will be tesifying to present the views of sustainable and organic agriculture and small and mid-sized farms.  Libby will be jointed by witnesses from FDA, Grocery Manufacturers Association, United Fresh Produce Association, and Center for Science in the Public Interest.  You can listen to the hearing from this page on the committee website.

USDA NEWS

Dr. Molly Jahn New REE Deputy Undersecretary:  On Monday, October 12, the University of Wisconsin-Madision announced that Dr. Molly Jahn, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University, will be serving as USDA’s Deputy Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics beginning November 9.  Jahn plans to serve a one-year term and will oversee three of the four research agencies at USDA — the Economic Research Service, the Agricultural Research Sevice, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Before serving as Dean of CALS, Jahn was a professor of plant breeding and genomics and plant biology at Cornell University.  She also directed the Public Seed Initiative and the Organic Seed Partnership to promote genetic diversity and improve use of public plant varities.  Historical tidbit:  Dr. Jahn’s gave one of her very first public speeches as Dean at a 2006 SAC meeting!

Specialty Crop Block Grants Announced:  On Thursday, October 15, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the award of $49 million dollars to fund 745 projects through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program, a program designed to increase the competitiveness of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops.  Merrigan noted that some of the state-selected projects would increase the competitiveness of small farms and producers, support local agricultural interests, and create more opportunities for farmers to market directly to consumers.

Among the recipients are NSAC members Dakota Rural Action, the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), Georgia Organics, Illinois Stewardship Allliance, Kansas Rural Center, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Kerr Center, and Fay-Penn Economic Development Council.  If we have possibly missed you, or you have additional information about block grant awards important to sustainable agriculture, please contact Lucy Evans at levans@sustainableagriculture.net.  A summary of all of the recipients is here.

For more information about the SCBG program, visit the USDA website or the NSAC Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NEWS

Department of Justice Approves JBS Acquisition of Pilgrim’s Pride Poultry:  Though the Department of Justice recently announced that it will hold listening sessions on the concentration of the livestock and poultry processing sector and its impact on farmers and consumers in 2010, in the meantime, it looks like business as usual.  On Wednesday, October 14, after less than a month’s investigation, the Department announced that it does not object to the acquisition of the Pilgrim’s Pride poultry processing firm by JBS, which is already  the world’s largest beef processor and the No. 3 hog processor in the U.S.  With the acquisition of Pilgrim’s Pride, JBS will also hold about 23 percent of the poultry processing capacity in the U.S.

Pilgrim’s Pride is undergoing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy workout in a North Texas District Court.  Last year the company netted $8.5 billion.  Under the JBS deal, JBS will pay $800 million for a majority stake and will pay off Pilgrim’s Pride creditors in full.  Remaining shareholders will get new stock worth about $450 million.

There are some losers in the deal.  During the Chapter 11 proceedings, the court allowed Pilgrim’s Pride to cancel contracts with some 300 poultry growers in North Carolina, Arkansas, and Florida and the company also shuttered a number of processing plants.  JBS has not yet announced which plants, if any, it will reopen.  In addition, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, the United Steelworkers International Union, and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union had reportedly agreed to eliminate pension plans, change overtime rules and standardize paid holidays in order to save Pilgrim’s Pride about $23.4 million a year

DULY NOTED

Red Ink:  On Friday, October 16, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report estimating the size of the deficit and debt if Congress stays on its current course with respect to big ticket items in the budget.  On the same day, the White House Office of Management and Budget announced that the deficit for FY 2009 is now estimated at $1.4 trillion, or nearly 10 percent of GDP.  The GAO found that without course corrections on entitlements, taxes, war, and health care, within ten years the national debt will exceed 109 percent of GDP, the current all-time high achieved at the conclusion of World War II.

CRP Transition Option Sign On Ends October 13th!
Last Chance to add your organization’s name to our sign on letter urging USDA to implement the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Transition Option NOW.

The option will offer incentives to land owners not intending to renew their CRP contracts to sell or lease the land to beginning or minority farmers using sustainable or organic farming practices.  To sign on, just send an email to Annette@sustainableagriculture.net by Tuesday of this week.

NSAC has also launched a petition for individuals to sign.  Please sign on to the letter and circulate this petition.

The option has been swept up in a CRP program wide Environmental Impact Review expected to take at least two years.  4.3 million acres are expected to come out of the CRP program over the next two years.  That’s 4.3 million missed opportunities to put the land under wildlife-friendly sustainable or organic production and to provide economic opportunity and entry to beginning and minority farmers.

The Des Moines Register ran an article on the issue on Sunday, October 11.

CSP Comments Due October 28!

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking comments on the administrative rules that will govern implementation of the Conservation Stewardship Program.  The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to October 28th.  NSAC analysis and talking points for writing your comments are available here.  You can submit your comment online here.

LAST WEEK

FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Passes:  This week the Agriculture Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2010 was passed by the Senate (76-22) and the House (263-162).  For the bill’s full text, click here.   For an analysis of how sustainable agriculture appropriations priorities fared, read last week’s Weekly Update and NSAC’s final appropriations chart.

House Ag Subcommittee Holds Conservation Hearing:  On Wednesday, October 7, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research held a hearing on implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill’s Conservation Title programs.  Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Dave White and Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Jonathan Coppess were the only witnesses.  Their statements are available here.

The two issues of greatest concern at the hearing were  Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding and the prospects for a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up in 2010.  In addition, Chair Tim Holden (D-PA) asked about the Conservation Stewardship Program sign-up to which Chief White replied that over 21,000 applications were received covering about 33 million acres during the first sign-up which ended on September 30.  Chief White also noted that the next CSP ranking and sign-up would likely occur in January 2009.

Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) stated at length his objection to the new Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative announced by NRCS on September 23.  Goodlatte objected because, unlike the Chesapeake Bay watershed program that benefits farmers in his district, the new Initiative was not specifically authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill.  He also objected to the Mississippi Initiative funding through the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative because the funding was in addition to the minimum level specified in the Farm Bill.

Larry Kissell (D-NC) and Bobby Bright (D-AL) expressed concern about the concentration of the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program in the West, with awards for 15 out of 63 projects going to California.

Representative Jerry Moran (R-K) questioned FSA Administrator Coppess at length about the CRP environmental impact review which will likely delay a CRP general sign-up until 2011.  Coppess responded that FSA could extend expiring contracts and conduct signups for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and the continuous CRP without having to complete the environmental review.  However, the 2008 Farm Bill changes to the CRP are on hold and there will be no general sign-up for the CRP in 2009 or 2010.

Innovations in Child Nutrition Act?:  On Thursday, October 8, the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities held a hearing on innovations that are improving the way the national school breakfast and lunch programs work.  Witness testimony and questions and comments by Representatives  focused on how to make the meals better so that children will actually eat and be nourished by them and how to use meals as a catalyst for effective, participatory nutrition education that could affect how whole families eat.  The testimony is available here.

The two recurring themes from the witnesses were the importance of breakfast and increasing fresh fruits and vegetables in the school meals.  Westbury, NY and Baltimore, MD saw school breakfast participation surge after they introduced new healthy menus and a boxed breakfast that can be eaten in the classroom. Subcommittee Chairwoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), a  nurse, emphasized the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables several times in her opening statement and subsequent witnesses reinforced the message. Deborah Yargar-Reed of Biglerville Elementary School in Ranking Minority Member Rep. Platts’ district in southern PA talked about school and family nutrition events the school sponsors, including a fall apple festival with all locally grown apples.

The star witnesses were undoubtedly Baltimore City School Food Service Director Tony Geraci and Alice Sheehan, a Baltimore City Public School 8th grader and member of her school’s lunch committee.  Ms. Sheehan summed up the wisdom of many.  “Everybody deserves to have fresh, tasty and yummy food.  If possible, why not make it local food?  Why buy apples from Washington State when you can get them right here in Maryland at a cheaper price?  We should think about our meals not as nutritional packages, but as food that people like and want to eat, with fresh ingredients and tasting like it should.”  The audience in the staid Rayburn Building hearing room gave Ms. Sheehan a round of applause when she finished her testimony.  The Baltimore City schools now source all of the fresh produce used locally, according to Mr. Geraci.

Locally-sourced food also got resounding support from Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) who pointed out that his rural district has child obesity rates about equal to those of Mr. Geraci’s inner city Baltimore students.  A doctor, he emphasized the critical importance of starting good eating habits early in childhood and said that school’s purchasing locally is a “tremendous thing to do.”

Matthew Sharp of California Food Policy Advocates encouraged lawmakers to permit direct certification for free school lunch for children receiving Medicaid or State Child Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). California already does direct certification for children receiving SNAP (food stamp) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which has saved California schools “tens of millions of dollars” that can be spent on improved food.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture Launched:  On Thursday, October 8, Secretary Vilsack joined Research Under Secretary Shah, NIFA Director Roger Beachy, and the President’s Science and Technology Advisor, John Holdren, in launching USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the new name of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).  A USDA press release on the event is available here.

The Administration is using this name change as an opportunity to try to elevate government agricultural research to the stature of health and scientific research under the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, respectively, as well as to push for greater funding for competitive grant research programs and to reorganize the agency.

While continuing the programs and responsibilities of CSREES, NIFA will be divided into the following four institutes plus one center:  food production and sustainability; bioenergy, climate, and environment; food safety and nutrition; youth and community development; and the Center for International Programs.  The institutes reflect the Administration’s agricultural research priorities and will focus research efforts on the accompanying challenges — ensuring global food security and eliminating hunger, overcoming climate change, producing sustainable energy, eliminating childhood obesity, and ensuring food safety.

While NSAC supports the renewed interest in funding agricultural research, there is significant concern that the Administration is taking a limited, narrow approach to addressing these challenges through its appointment of Roger Beachy and the subsequent strong focus of Thursday’s event on the use of biotechnology and nanotechnology in addressing these challenges and in enabling agricultural sustainability.

Travels with Leafy (Greens):  The third week of hearings on the proposed national Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement took place this week in Columbus, Ohio and Denver, Colorado.  Last week, a hearing was held in Jacksonville, Florida and the previous week, as reported on by the NSAC Weekly Update, the hearing was held in Monterey, California.  NSAC members Carol Goland (Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association) and Brian Snyder (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) testified at the Ohio hearing.  Marty Mesh, (Florida Organic Growers) testified in Florida.  Allies from the National Organic Coalition and Food and Water Watch have also been testifying at each of the hearings.

Three more hearings are scheduled in Yuma, AZ (Oct 14-15), Syracuse, NY (Oct 20), Charlotte, NC (Oct 22).  Please contact Kate Fitzgerald in the NSAC office if you would like copies of testimony.

USDA NEWS

RMAP Proposed Rule Published:  A proposed rule on the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, October 7.  Public comments on the proposed rule must be received by November 23, 2009.  Details for submissions are included at the beginning of the proposed rule.

NSAC and its members helped to create RMAP in the 2008 Farm Bill.  It is authorized for $4 million in annual mandatory funding for 2009 through 2011.  The just-passed agricultural appropriations bill provides $5 million in additional funding.  Because the program was not implemented in 2009, for 2010 there will be a total of $13 million available.

The new rule proposes both grants and loans be awarded to Microenterprise Development Organizations which will provide technical assistance, loan serving, and marketing management to rural microenterprises, including agricultural businesses.  For more detailed information on RMAP, please see NSAC’s Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill.

A future edition of the Weekly Update will carry an action alert and key talking points to help guide public comments on RMAP.

33 Million Acres in 2009 CSP Applications:  In a press release and in congressional testimony this past week, USDA announced tentative totals for stage one of the 2009 Conservation Stewardship Program sign-up — over 21,000 farmer and rancher applications representing a total of nearly 33 million acres of crop, pasture, range, and forested land.  The USDA press release stated that the state-by-state acreage breakout was available on the Natural Resource Conservation Service CSP website, but that actually turned out not to be the case.  For 2009 as for future years, 12.8 million acres are available for enrollment.  The 25.6 million acres to be enrolled in 2009 and 2010 and those producers will receive the first of their five annual CSP payments in October 2010.

Advance Conservation Payments for Beginning and Minority Farmers Due to Start Soon:  One of NSAC’s farm bill wins to assist beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers with conservation assistance was allowance for up to 30 percent of the cost of conservation improvements to be paid upfront, in advance of the implementation of the conservation practice.  In order to implement the 2008 provision, the Natural Resources Conservation Service has needed to re-tool computer software and program business tools.  NRCS expects to be finished with the work within the next month and will then be able to start implementing the provision to help beginning and minority farmers with advance assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

EPA NEWS

EPA Undertaking New Review of the Herbicide Atrazine:  The EPA has issued a public notice that it is commencing a review of the effects of the widely used herbicide atrazine on human health.  The review, to be conducted by an EPA Science Advisory Panel, will begin in November 2009 and continue through most of 2010.  It will focus on scientific studies since the completion of an EPA review in 2003 which concluded that the levels of all triazine pesticides, including atrazine, were below the level of regulatory concern.  Atrazine is applied to about 60 percent of U.S. corn and its use has increased recently as farmers use it on weeds that have developed resistance to Round-Up and other glyphosate herbicides.

Atrazine is the leading pesticide contaminant of surface and groundwater.  In addition, a number of scientific studies indicate that atrazine is highly mobile and can travel hundreds of miles from its application point in snow and rain.  It is highly toxic to a number of aquatic species and has been implicated in a steep decline in amphibian species.  EPA indicated in the announcement that after the review for human health effects is completed, the agency will commence a review of atrazine’s effects on amphibians and aquatic habitats.  Detailed information about EPA’s review of atrazine is available on the EPA’s Atrazine Update website.

DULY NOTED

OCM Report Challenges GAO Report on Concentration:  On Monday, October 5, the Organization for Competitive Markets released a Special Report, entitled The Debilitating Effects of Concentration in Markets Affecting Agriculture, which demonstrates that market concentration for major raw food products hurts both producers and consumers.

The report is in response to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report issued in June that concluded that the concentration of buying power for farmers’ products in the hands of a few processing firms does not adversely affect producer or consumer prices.  Both the OCM report and the GAO report are posted on the OCM website.

The OCM report was prepared by OCM Senior Legal Fellow & General Counsel, David A. Domina, and OCM Senior Economic Fellow, Dr. C. Robert Taylor and reviewed by more than 20 academics, antitrust lawyers, and producers.  The report concludes that GAO’s methodologies were flawed, leading to incorrect conclusions.  It provides documentation that U.S. farmers and ranchers face market concentration for both inputs they purchase, like seed and fertilizers, and for harvested goods and livestock which they sell.  This concentration ultimately raises the cost of food to consumers.  The authors also point out the economic risks of having a food system dependent on a few large food processing companies considered “too big to fail.”  They note that as with the U.S. and international banking systems, the failure of one of these mega-firms can reverberate throughout the food system.

New Study on Successful Food Companies:  On Wednesday, October 7, the Crossroads Resource Center published a new study exploring the Minnesota food system and concluding that there is an emerging group of successful food companies that are built on more than just the economic bottom line.  According to Ken Meter, the study’s author and President of CRC, “these firms value trusting relationships.  Second, they plan for an uncertain future – especially the fact we don’t know if we will have oil, or at what cost, in a few years.  Third, successful firms build a business that recycles resources within the state, rather than exporting them.”

Loni Kemp a Farm Foundation Policy Competition Winner:  On Tuesday, October 6, the Farm Foundation announced the winners of a competition for essays on public policy development to meet agriculture and food system challenges over the next 30 years.

Among the winners is Loni Kemp for her climate change essay Greener Biofuels Tax Credits: A Policy to Drive Multiple Goals.  Until recently, Kemp served as the long-time Senior Policy Analyst for the Minnesota Project during which time she testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee on the need for a comprehensive, sustainable bioenergy program in the 2008 Farm Bill, which ultimately emerged into the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

Loni is now an independent consultant whose projects include writing the recently released NSAC publication The Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program.

Support the Next Generation of Sustainable and Organic Farmers and Ranchers!  Sign the Petition.  Share the link. In the last Farm Bill, the sustainable agriculture community successfully created the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Transition Option.  The option offers incentives to CRP land owners who do not intend to extend or re-enroll their acreage to sell or lease the land to beginning and minority producers using sustainable or organic farming practices at the end of their CRP contract. USDA is planning to delay implementation of the CRP Transition Option for at least two years having swept the program into a CRP wide Environmental Impact Review.  Since 4.3 million acres are expected to come out of the CRP over the next two years, this USDA delay would represent a tremendous lost economic and environmental opportunity.

NSAC has launched a petition demanding that USDA implement the Transition Option now.  Join the hundreds who have already signed.  Circulate our alert and share the link to the petition far and wide.  Let’s speak loud and clear and tell USDA we can’t waste this opportunity.

LAST WEEK

Tweet, Blog, Get a Farm Loan, Calculate Your Caloric Intake: USDA continued with the roll-out of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative this week with the launch of a website designed to start a nationwide conversation about farm and food policy. The Know Your Farmer website

has information about 20 grant and loan programs that USDA is promoting to support the development of local and regional food systems, as well alinks to nutrition information, great old USDA pictures, videos of the high points of last week’s Know Your Farmer roll-out, and lots of opportunities to provide feedback.

Agriculture Appropriations Bill Delayed:  Despite rumblings of Congress passing the Fiscal Year 2010 agriculture appropriations bill before the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, House and Senate conferees last week approved a Continuing Resolution — which includes agriculture appropriations — to fund government programs through the end of October at the FY 2009 levels.  The Continuing Resolution is piggy-backing on the FY 2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill.  The House passed the combined Legislative Branch bill and Continuing Resolution on Friday, September 25, by a 217-190 margin.  The Senate is expected to vote on the package on Tuesday, just two days before the start of the fiscal year.

While it is likely that the FY 2010 agriculture appropriations bill will be negotiated in conference and brought to the floor in the coming week or two, the bill is competing for attention with the health care legislation and other appropriations bills that have yet to pass through the Senate.  There are indications, however, the House-Senate conference on the agricultural spending bill could take place this coming week.

That cause was helped along by a negotiated settlement, announced Friday, September 25, of the longstanding debate over imports of chicken processed in China.  A ban on the import of Chinese-processed chicken has been in place since 2007 at the insistence of appropriators.  The new deal will allow USDA to do a rulemaking on the terms of imports from China.  Under the terms of the deal reached Friday, USDA is required to increase on-site audits and inspections in China and an increase in port-of-entry inspection in the US.

Still on tap before conferees can meet on the agriculture bill is some greater agreement among key dairy state lawmakers of exactly how emergency dairy money included in the Senate version of the bill should be utilized.

Report on Leafy Green Agreement Hearing:  The first of seven hearings to be held around the country on a proposed new National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (NLGMA) began in Monterey, CA on Tuesday, September 22 and continued throughout the week.   Several NSAC member groups testified, including the Wild Farm Alliance, California Certified Organic Farmers, and California Alliance with Family Farmers.  Also testifying and helping to coordinate farmer testimony as the National Organic Coalition.  You can watch a video of the proceedings here.

The word from our members and allies is that the hearing was grueling.  Steve Etka was on the stand for the National Organic Coalition for two hours on Tuesday responding to questions from the  proponent group and USDA.  Proponents of the national agreement are the United Fresh Produce Association, Produce Marketing Association, Georgia Fresh Vegetable Association, Texas Vegetable Association, Leafy Greens Council, California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, the Western Growers Association and state Farm Bureau affiliates in Arizona, California and Georgia.

NSAC members’ principal objection to the NLGMA is that AMS is an inappropriate agency to take the lead on a measure designed to improve food safety.  AMS does not have a food safety mandate or staff with proper credentials and could face an inherent conflict between promoting and regulating produce.  The NLGMA process requires acceptance of the standards before they are written and a committee structure that does not properly represent small, mid-sized, diversified and organic growers or consumers and a geographic zone breakdown that gives large production states control over the process.

NSAC members also point to the abysmal results of the California LGMA over the past two years in which the “voluntary” Agreement has in effect become a marketing order because of near-universal handler sign on.  The Agreement has not stopped the proliferation of corporate “supermetrics” but has clearly led to the abandonment of important conservation practices that actually increase the safety of product in the field.  See related story in Duly Noted below about the impact of the California LGMA on small and large growers.

Please contact Kate Fitzgerald in the NSAC office if you would like copies of testimony or other information.  The rest of the NLGMA hearings are Jacksonville, FL (Sept 30-Oct 1), Columbus, OH (Oct 6), Denver, CO (Oct 8), Yuma, AZ (Oct 14-15), Syracuse, NY (Oct 20), Charlotte, NC (Oct 22).  More information on hearings is available here.

GAO Investigation of Animal Antibiotic Use Requested:  On Monday, September 21, Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), chair of the House Rules Committee, sent a letter  to the US Government Accountability Office

requesting a report on the use of antibiotics in livestock and poultry production.  The letter requested that GAO investigate the status of the federal government’s tracking and monitoring of antibiotic use in animals and the government’s efforts to assess and mitigate human health risks related to antibiotic use in animals.

Earlier this year, Rep. Slaughter introduced the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (H.R. 1549)

which would prevent the use of medically important antibiotics for subtherapeutic treatment of livestock and poultry.  At a hearing held by the House Rules Committee this summer, the Food & Drug Administration indicated that it did not have comprehensive information on drugs used in raising farm animals, even though this use raises threats to human health.

THIS WEEK

What’s in a Name?:  On October 1, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service is getting a new name:  the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  NIFA will continue the programs and responsibilities of CSREES.  The change from CSREES to NIFA, and the renaming of the agency “Administrator” as “Director,” was required by the research title of the 2008 Farm Bill.

The idea of trying to make CSREES look more like the National Science Foundation was pushed by a well-financed lobbying campaign spearheaded by Dr. William Danforth, Professor Emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis and chairman of the Board of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, also in St. Louis and funding heavily by Monsanto.  Those combined forces hired a well known DC agricultural lobbying firm to work for the name change in the farm bill.

Dr. Danforth also chaired a research policy committee made up of university and business representatives that pushed hard several years ago for an increase in the amount of overhead costs that schools and labs can charge against federal agricultural research grants.

NIFA Director Announced:  Just in time for the transition of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced on Thursday, September 24, that Roger Beachy has been appointed the Director of NIFA.

Since 1999, Beachy has been the Danforth Center’s president.  Beachy also teaches at Washington University, where he has spent most of his professional carreer.  The Danforth Center was a strong advocate for changing the name of CSREES to NIFA in the 2008 Farm Bill.  The Center is located in St. Louis, MO, and partners with several universities and Monsanto on biotechnology research.  Beachy also serves as the President of the International Association for Plant Biotechnology and as a member of the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA).

Strangely, opposite normal protocol on such matters, the announcement of this particular Presidential appointment was made in St. Louis by the Center and not in Washington by the White House or USDA.  We expect the “after the fact” announcement from the White House this week.

House Agriculture Committee Research Hearing:  On Wednesday, September 30, the House Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill Research Title.  USDA Undersecretary Rajiv Shah, a representative of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and a representative of the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research are expected to testify.  The hearing will be broadcast on the Committee’s website.

The 2008 Farm Bill saw the inclusion of important new priorities for the largest of the CSREES (soon to be NIFA) competitive grant research program, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative:  classical plant and animal breeding, rural entrepreneurship, domestic marketing strategies, and renewable energy.  NSAC recently submitted recommendations to the agency about the implementation of these new priority AFRI programs in the upcoming FY 2010 Request for Applications.

Senate Climate Bill Coming This Week:  Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA) last week confirmed that they will introduce their climate change bill on Wednesday this week.  The bill will be the starting point of the Senate debate on climate change.  The House companion bill, HR 2454, passed in late June.

Boxer, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said EPW markup would follow in the coming weeks.  While EPW will be the main show and go first, the Finance and Agriculture committees will also have a bite at the apple.  Finance will weigh in on the allocation of emission allowances and international provisions, and will likely have its own mark-up.  Agriculture, on the other hand, is not likely to hold its own mark-up but will contribute to the bill’s agriculture-related provisions.  Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who sits on Finance and Agriculture, is expected to play a significant role among others in brokering the agricultural provisions.

NSAC will be submitting a revised version of its Senate agriculture-related proposals after the Boxer-Kerry bill drops and we have a chance to review it.

USDA NEWS

Fix for Beginning Farmer Value-Added Grants:  This week we have learned that USDA will accept project proposals under the the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program for group projects (farm coops, businesses, associations, etc.) in which some but not all of the beneficiaries are beginning farmers.

Under the terms of the recently issued Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the VAPG program, USDA had said that VAPG grants under funds specially set-aside for beginning farmer projects had to be 100 percent owned by beginning farmers.  NSAC urged the Department to relax this ruling, pointing out that producer associations and coops would rarely if ever be entirely comprised of beginning farmers.  We pointed out that the intent of Congress in creating the set-aside was to encourage value-added projects not just from individual beginning farmers, but also from farm coops and other groups projects in which a significant number of beginning farmers could participate.

We welcome the new flexibility on the part of the Department and commend its Rural Development division for committing to fixing the NOFA language on this point for the 2010 version next year.

Applications for this round of VAPG funding — $18 million is available, enough for approximately 80 project grants — are due by Monday, November 30.  Awards will be made in early January.  For more information, see the story we ran in the September 1 issue of the Weekly Update.

Conservation Stewardship Program Update:  As of Friday, September 25, with just five days left for farmers and ranchers to submit applications to participate in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for 2009, nearly 9,000 producers had submitted applications totaling 8.2 million acres plus an unknown additional number of acres, estimated in the 4 million acre range, for applications that do not yet have acreage totals counted.  In other words, the total so far likely exceeds 12 million acres.  For 2009 and each year thereafter, the CSP will enroll 12.8 million acres of farm, ranch, and private forestry land for farmers practicing high level stewardship.

Based on these very preliminary sign-up numbers, it appears that roughly half of total acreage enrolled will be rangeland, with 40 percent or the total representing cropland, and 5 or 6 percent each for pasture and non-industrial private forestland.  To date, the top five states, in order for various categories are as follows:

• Applications:  Nebraska, Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa – (combined 46 percent of total applications)
• Rangeland: New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Montana, Arizona – (combined 76 percent of total rangeland acres)
  
• Cropland: Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, North Dakota, Iowa – (combined 40 percent of total cropland acres)
  
• Pasture: Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Montana – (combined 58 percent of total pasture acres)
  
• Forestland:  South Carolina, California, Oregon, Maine, Missouri – (combined 45 percent of total forest acres)
  

To repeat, these numbers are preliminary and will obviously increase further before the September 30 deadline.  Even after the 30th the acreage numbers will still just be estimates until applicants have returned to their NRCS offices and completed the Conservation Measurement Tool that will be the more detailed application and proposal to participate.  The CMT will be used for ranking and payment calculation purposes.

More interesting that rank totals will be learning what percentage of total agricultural land in each state has applied and been enrolled.  We will do those calculations once the sign-up and enrollment are over.  For now, though, we can say that overall there appears to be widespread and even distribution regionally and by state, but can also flag the few states that appear to have unusually low numbers of applications relative to the size of their agriculture.  Those would include California (other than range and forest land), Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

NRCS Rolls Out a Mississippi River Basin Initiative: On Thursday, September 24, at the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force Meeting in Des Moines IA, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) which will provide about $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in 12 key states.  The states included are those bordering the Mississippi River, as well as Indiana and Ohio which have been identified by the U.S. Geological Survey as major contributors of nutrients to the Mississippi River.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will administer the MRBI primarily through its Cooperation Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI).  The MRBI will fund projects in which federal, state, and local partners, including non-government organizations, assist farmers to control nutrient pollution in Mississippi River Basin watersheds.  The CCPI was a priority initiative of NSAC in the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills.  The MRBI funding is in addition to the regular annual CCPI funding allocated to all 50 states.  NRCS has established a website

with detailed information on the MRBI.

New Members Announced to Organic Board:  On Wednesday, September 24, Secretary Vilsack announced five new members to the National Organic Standards Board: Joe Dickson, Certification Director of Whole Foods; Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides; John Foster of Earthbound Farms; Wendy Fulwider, organic farmer from Wisconsin who has worked on organic animal standards; and Annette Riherd, organic farmer from Oklahoma and advocate for buy fresh/buy local.  Each of the new members will begin their five-year terms on the Board on January 24, 2010.

Funds Available for Community Food Projects:  USDA issued the Request for Applications for the Community Food Project Grants (CFP) on Wednesday, September 23.  The RFP is not listed in the Federal Register and there was no USDA press release but full information can be found here.

This year CFP will be awarding approximately $5 million in grants for projects that offer long term solutions by increasing community food security while supporting economically, socially and environmentally sustainable local and regional food systems.  Applications are due on November 19, 2009.

FMPP Call for Reviewers:  Just last week USDA announced the recipients of this year’s round of Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grants, but already program staff are looking for reviewers for the 2010 applications.  This year there were 498 applications of which 86 were funded for a total of $4.7 million.  USDA is expecting that applications will continue to be high so are anticipating needing at least 63 reviewers.  If you are interested please contact FMPP Program Leader Carmen Humphrey at Carmen.Humphrey@usda.gov.

EPA NEWS

Groups File Petition with EPA to Increase Regulation of CAFO Air Pollution: The Humane Society of the United States took the lead in filing a legal petition on behalf of numerous environmental and animal welfare groups that would put concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on the same footing as other industries subject to the Clean Air Act.  The petitioners estimate that about 100-200 CAFOs release enough pollutants to require Clean Air Act regulation.  The petition provides scientific and legal information about the emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia and possible negative effects on human health and the climate.

EPA Issuing Rules for GHG Reporting in Face of Attempts in Senate to Exempt Livestock:  On Tuesday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed off on regulations that will require large emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to collect and report data on their GHG emissions.  The reporting period starts in 2010 with the first reports due 2011.

EPA has estimated that for the agricultural sector only the very largest confined animal feeding operations, about 100 operations, will be required to report emissions under the regulations.  Information on the new reporting system and requirements is posted here.

The regulations as applied to livestock emissions are under challenge in Congress.  On Thursday, by a vote of 77-21, the Senate passed an FY2010 Interior-EPA Appropriations Bill which includes an amendment that would prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gasses generated by livestock production in FY2010.  In addition, Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are co-sponsoring S. 527, permanent legislation that would prohibit Clean Air Act permits for any carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production. The bill currently has 13 co-sponsors.

Jackson’s Letter to Senator Harkin on Indirect Land Use Changes and GHGs:  Another EPA greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation arose in the FY2010 Interior-EPA appropriations debates – the method for evaluating greenhouse gas emissions of renewable fuels which is included in a proposed EPA regulation for the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2) in 2010.  EPA’s proposed rule includes calculating indirect land use changes arising from biofuel production when land for food production is used for fuel production.  The comment period on this proposed RFS2 regulation closed on Friday.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and six other Senators had proposed an amendment to the Senate’s FY2010 Interior-EPA Appropriations bill that would have blocked EPA from spending funds in FY2010 on any RFS2 greenhouse gas formula that included emissions from international indirect land use changes.  Senator Harkin withdrew the amendment after receiving a letter from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson with assurances that the final regulations for RFS2 would reflect scientific uncertainties in measuring indirect land use changes from renewable fuel production.

EPA Launches TMDL Program Results Analysis Website:  EPA has developed a new website to communicate information about the Clean Water Act’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program results to technically specialized audiences, including conservation districts, TMDL developers, state water programs, academia and other state and federal agency programs.  The TMDL Program Results Analysis Project is a multi-year effort directed at measuring and analyzing programmatic and environmental results of the program.  Under the TMDL process, an accounting is made of pollutants from both point source and nonpoint sources, including agricultural runoff.  The ultimate goal is to engage point source and non-point source polluters together in efforts to control pollution.

Over 37,000 TMDLs have been developed, and this project seeks to improve understanding of TMDL-specific program results patterns and explain these patterns.  The website provides a Clean Water Act Impaired Waters Program Pipeline navigation feature; fact sheets; EPA reports and websites; EPA grantee reports and websites; publications; and datasets related to this effort.

WTO NEWS

Isi Siddiqui Named Chief Ag Trade Negotiator:  Last week President Obama named Islam (Isi) Siddiqui the agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.  Siddiqui is currently vice president for science and regulatory affairs for CropLife America, the major agrichemical and biotechnology trade association and lobbying firm.  Previously CropLife’s vice president for ag biotechnology and trade, the Indian-born Siddiqui served as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and as senior trade advisor to the Secretary in the Clinton Administration’s USDA.

DULY NOTED

Climate Offsets on Smaller and High-Tenure Farms:  USDA’s Economic Research published a short economic policy brief on carbon offsets and land tenure on Wednesday, September 23.  The researchers conclude that high tenure farms (those with a high proportion of land owned by the operator) are more likely to benefit from the carbon offset market than low tenure farms, given the long term nature of carbon offset contracts and the short term nature of farmland leases.  High tenure farms tend to be smaller farms and tend to be more engaged in livestock production and also more likely to be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program than low tenure, larger farms.  The authors speculate that high tenure farms may be more likely to agree to convert cropland to grass-based agriculture, an activity with much greater carbon benefits than alterations in cropping practices.

Food Safety Research Brief on California LGMA: A new program brief by researchers at the University of California – Davis finds that the cost of complying with the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement is much higher for small and large farms relative to mega farms. “Growers’ Compliance Costs for the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement and Other Food Safety Programs” written by Shermain Hardesty and Yoko Kusunose concludes that very large farms with revenues over $10 million were more able to absorbe the costs of complying with the California LGMA and other food safety provisions — $8.29 per acre — versus large farmers with revenues between $1 and $10 million who face a cost of $18.05 per acre and small farms with revenue under $1 million whose costs average $14.82 per acre.

NSAC’s new Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program is here! The farmer-friendly guide to the new Conservation Stewardship Program is now available!  Download a copy and share widely.  The guide is also available on the homepage of the NSAC website.

First Conservation Stewardship Program Sign up Ends September 30th: Time is running out to be a part of the first sign up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  Farmers must take the first step in the application process by submitting a basic application with their local Natural Resources Conservation District by September 30th.   The CSP will make payments to farmers for maintaining existing conservation practices and for adopting additional practices on cropland, grassland, improved pasture, rangeland and non-industrial private forestland.  Payment will also be made for adopting resource conserving crop rotations.  A NSAC alert  is posted here.

NSAC members, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation have posted a wealth of information for producers on their Websites.

NCAT and the Center for Rural Affairs are also providing phone-based sign up assistance to farmers.  Call the Farm Bill Helpline at the Center for Rural Affairs at (402) 687-2100.  The NCAT number is 1-800 346-9140 (English) or 1-800-411-3222 (Spanish).

LAST WEEK

“Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Campaign Launched! Last week, the much anticipated USDA campaign to ‘begin a national conversation’ about local and regional food systems’ contribution to health and economic development began with a series of funding announcements and special presentations by Secretary Tom Vilsack, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, and other USDA subcabinet officials.  ”Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food,” as the campaign is called, is chaired by Deputy Secretary Merrigan and is also the focus of a task force of representatives across USDA who are responsible for raising the profile of, and creating synergies between, existing USDA programs that support the development of local and regional food systems.  Over time, the task force’s analysis of gaps in federal program support will help inform the creation of future programs to aid the rebuilding of infrastructure necessary to ensure that people have access to healthy food grown by producers in their region.

Last week’s launch was punctuated by a series of funding announcements that total $65 million for several programs that can provide support for regional food systems as well as announcement of $50 million a year from the DOD Fresh program to support local and regional food purchases for school cafeterias.  See the first set of stories below under ‘USDA NEWS’ for more information on the specific funding announcements that span rural development, risk management, marketing, and research.

NSAC issued two press releases during the Know Your Farmer roll-out, one on meat labeling and marketing and one on school food purchases from local and regional farmers.

News from New Senate Ag Chair’s First Week:  Last week, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) became the new chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Among other news this past week:

* Lincoln announced on Friday, September 11 that Robert Holifield will serve as Staff Director to the Committee.  Holifield served as the agriculture staff person in her office from 2000-2007 and then moved on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

* Lincoln addressed the annual legislative conference of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association on Tuesday, September 15, reiterating her opposition to the House-passed cap and trade climate legislation and suggesting she would not support cap and trade in the Senate.  She also spoke in support of reducing federal estate taxes, suggested she would not support Clean Water Restoration Act (a bill reported out of the Environment and Public Works Committee which seeks to reverse the narrowing of the Act by a narrowly divided Supreme Court), reiterated her opposition to Bush Administration proposals to scale back US commodity subsidies in global trade talks, and advocated for ending the Cuba trade embargo.

* Lincoln announced the formation of an Arkansas Nutrition Advisory Committee during a conference call on Wednesday, September 16 with nutrition and hunger advocates in her home state.  On the call she indicated her intent to pass a temporary extension of the Child Nutrition Act, which expires at the end of September, in the near future.  Earlier in the week, Lincoln and Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) joined Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT) in receiving the National Restaurant Association’s Congressional Leadership Award for efforts to fight hunger.

THIS WEEK

Agriculture Appropriations Bill Likely to Pass on Schedule:  As one of only five of the twelve appropriations bills to have passed both the House and the Senate, the final 2010 agriculture appropriations bill seems likely to pass before the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1.  Senate and House staff have been working to reconcile their differences and preparing for Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Members to meet for conference.  If they are to meet the October 1 deadline, the agriculture conferees will need to meet either late this week or likely at the beginning of next.  All the spending bills that are not going to be passed by October 1 will become part of a continuing resolution that Congress will also need to pass before October, extending spending at current levels for an additional month or so to give themselves more time to finish the process.

USDA NEWS

Conservation Stewardship Program Update:  As of last week, the 2009 sign-up for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has exceeded the 4 million acre level.  The truncated sign-up, which started August 10 and ends September 30, has the potential to enroll 12.8 million acres.  Farmers who still want to enroll need to get the initial, short application form into their local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office by September 30 and then return in October to fill out the CSP Conservation Measurement Tool.

NRCS announced last week that farmers who do not currently have USDA Farm Service Agency farm record numbers and who must obtain them to enroll in CSP will now have until the end of October, instead of the end of September, to obtain them from their local FSA office.

After this first, short sign-up for the 2009 version of CSP, all future sign-ups will be year long rather than just weeks long.  The 2010 sign-up officially starts October 1, though with much to do to bring the 2009 enrollment to fruition, it is likely better for farmers to wait a few months into the new fiscal year to give NRCS staff a chance to catch up.

The public comment period on the CSP Interim Final Rule, originally scheduled to end on September 28 will now be extended for one month, until October 28.  Readers will see more attention to the comment period once October arrives.

We are very pleased to announce that following a re-examination of environmental benefit scoring, two CSP ehancement practices eligible for payment have moved up from the bottom half of the list of enhancements by environmental benefit ranking to the very top of the list.  Those two enhancements are the planting of mixed species perennials for biomass and wildlife habitat and the conversion of cropped land to grass-based agriculture.  Other top ranking practices include continous cover cropping, resource-conserving crop rotation, continuous no-till with residue management, and transition to organic cropping or livestock systems.  NSAC has requested several additional changes to the list and is awaiting word from NRCS.

Program Awards and Other Initiatives Announced in Conjunction with “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food”:  Last week, the Department of Agriculture announced the following program awards and rulemaking during their rollout of “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” campaign.       

New USDA Initiative to Help Schools Purchase Local Food:  On Tuesday, September 15, Deputy Secretary Merrigan and Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Julie Paradis, announced a new set of steps to link local farmers with school meal programs.  In their announcement, Paradis said the USDA would provide an additional $50 million a year through the Department of Defense (DOD) “Fresh” program that is administered by USDA to help schools purchase local food.  USDA will clarify food procurement rules so that a wider range of locally, minimally processed foods can be purchased by schools.  Finally, the Food and Nutrition Service and Agricultural Marketing Service of USDA will work together to form “tactical teams” to help school administrators design programs to facilitate local purchasing.    

Rural Cooperative Development Grants Awarded:  On Tuesday, September 15, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan announced the award of $4.8 million in rural development grants.  Twenty-eight organizations in 21 states will receive funding from USDA Rural Development’s Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG) program that can be used by regional cooperative development centers to provide technical assistance in developing new business cooperatives or strengthening existing ones.  In an example of how the RCDG program can help local and regional food development, the Ohio State University Research Foundation received a $200,000 grant to help manage a statewide farmer’s market cooperative.  In Pierre, South Dakota, the Value-Added Agriculture Development Center will be using their $200,000 award to educate farmers, consumers and lenders on how to take advantage of the numerous benefits of value-added agriculture.
Proposed Rule for Interstate Shipment of Meat and Poultry Products: Also on Tuesday, September 15, the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a proposed rule to implement the 2008 Farm Bill’s Section 11015 provision for the interstate shipment of state inspected meat.  The provision, supported by NSAC, establishes a new voluntary cooperative program under which State-inspected establishments with 25 or fewer employees will be eligible to ship meat and poultry products in interstate commerce.  The state-inspected establishments must comply with all federal standards and state standards.  State inspectors will be trained and supervised by federal personnel to enforce the federal standards.  The products from the establishments will be eligible to receive the federal mark of inspection.  Comments on the proposed rule are due November 16, 2009; we will be sharing some thoughts on the proposed rule with readers later this fall.

Community Food Project (CFP) Grants Awarded: On Wednesday, September 16, USDA announced the award of $4.8 million in FY 2008 Community Food Project grants to twenty-one projects in 14 states.  The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service administers the program which is intended to fund projects in low-income communities to increase access to healthy food.  Many of the projects provide a direct link between local farmers and low-income communities.

Congratulations to NSAC member Florida Organic Growers for being among the grantees!A complete list of funded projects is posted here.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) Grants Awarded:  At the opening of the Fresh Farm Market on Vermont Avenue near the White House on Thursday, September 17, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, announced the recipients of the FY 2009 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grants.  Eighty-six grants totaling $4.5 million were awarded to support and enhance farmers markets, CSAs, and other direct producer-to-consumer marketing opportunities across the country.  The FMPP was an NSAC-initiated idea that was incorporated into the 2002 Farm Bill and received mandatory funding in the 2008 Farm Bill.

One highlight of the FMPP is increasing the availability of fresh, local fruits and vegetables to low income consumers.  Over one-third of the 86 new grants will promote the use of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) technology so farmers can sell directly to people receiving federal food assistance.  By bringing farmers markets to low income neighborhoods, USDA hopes to improve health and nutrition and fight childhood hunger in economically distressed communities. Congratulations to NSAC members Delta Land and Community, Center for Rural Affairs, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) on their awards!  Other grantees include Minnesota Food Association, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, NOFA-VT, National Bison Association, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, and Appalachian Sustainable Development.  The full list of FY 2009 FMPP recipients is here.

USDA, in conjunction with the General Services Administration, also issued a new guide book on how to open farmers markets on government property.  The book includes information on insurance, parking, utilities, and security and includes successful case studies.  To download a copy, go to www.ams.usda.gov/MarketingServicesPublications.

Risk Management Agency Partnership Agreements Announced:  On Thursday, September 17, Deputy Secretary Merrigan announced $8.6 million in Risk Management Agency (RMA) Partnership Agreements to provide training to underserved, small, beginning, and limited-resource producers, including but not limited to training to diversify their production and marketing practices and be better able to take advantage of the growing demand for locally and regionally-produced agricultural products.

Awards were made under three programs:  Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States ($4.5 million), Community Outreach and Assistance ($3.4 million), and Risk Management Educational Sessions ($0.7 million).  NSAC played a major role in securing the funding for these programs in 2000 and in fighting off major cuts to the programs in 2008.

Congratulations to the following NSAC members on their new grants:  California Farmlink, Ecological Farming Association, Georgia Organics, Henry A. Wallace Center, Land Stewardship Association, Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), Michigan Land Use Institute, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), and National Center for Appropriate Technology.  Congratulations also to the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Federation for Southern Coops, Rural Coalition, Community Food Security Coalition, Southwest Marketing Network, NY SAWG, Hispanic Farmers & Ranchers Association, Growing Power, and many others!  A complete listing of Partnerships is here.

Research Funds to Study Northeast Local Food Systems:  Also, on Thursday, September 17, Secretary Vilsack announced $200,000 in funding to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and $30,000 to Tufts University for an ongoing study exploring the capacity of the Northeast to produce enough regionally-grown food to meet market demands.  Vilsack tied the need for research on local foods to the need to decrease the distance food travels from farm to table, and said that these studies would give “important insights into how we build and sustain local production systems elsewhere in the United States and abroad.”  ARS is currently collecting data to create a model to use in the calculation of crop potentials in the Northeast.  The project is the focus of an article in the current September issue of ARS’ Agricultural Research magazine.
Brief in Support of Farmers Filed in Wheeler Case:  The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition joined with 53 other organizations on a friend-of-the-court amicus brief filed in the appeal of the case Wheeler v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation to the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit.  The trial court in the case decided Pilgrim’s Pride had violated the Packers & Stockyards Act by using a formula to pay Mr. Pilgrim for his chickens that provided higher pay than the formula used to pay the plaintiff chicken growers.  The trial court refused to dismiss the lawsuit based on the claim of Pilgrim’s Pride that the farmers must show that the action hurt competition throughout the poultry sector even though the farmers had shown individual harm.  A 3-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit upheld the trial court’s refusal to dismiss the lawsuit.  Pilgrim’s Pride then requested a rehearing en banc, with all the judges of the Fifth Circuit.  The amicus brief supports the position of the plaintiff farmers that under the Packers & Stockyards Act they do not need to show that violation of the Act, which harms them, also harms competition throughout the poultry industry.  David Balto and Professor Peter C. Carstensen prepared the brief.

National Organic Program Gets New Director, Elevated Status:  On Thursday, September 17, Secretary Vilsack announced that Miles McEvoy will serve as the new Deputy Administrator of USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).  McEvoy hails from Washington, where for 20 years he has led the Washtingon State Department of Agriculture’s Organic Food Program, one of the country’s first state organic certification programs.  Highlights from his career include helping to establish and currently serving as President of the National Association of State Organic Programs, helping state Departments of Agriculture develop state certification programs, and being the founding Director of The Food Alliance.

In his announcement, Vilsack also announced that NOP will become an independent program area within AMS with increased funding and staffing, and stated that “organically grown and marketed agricultural products are of key interest to the Obama Administration.”

EPA NEWS

Obama Administration Draft Reports Gives EPA the Lead in Stemming Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Pollution: On Thursday, September 17, federal agencies released seven draft reports on key challenges to Chesapeake Bay Restoration and Protection that focus heavily on reducing nutrient pollution to the bay from all sources, including agriculture.  In May, President Obama issued an Executive Order to the agencies to develop a strategy for protecting and restoring the Bay.  The draft reports are the first step, with preliminary recommendations.  The Federal Leadership Committee will use the reports to prepare a draft coordinated strategy which will be released, with final versions of the reports, for public comment in November.  The Administration intends to finalize the strategy in May 2010 but has indicated that some agencies can go forward with actions before the strategy is final.

The EPA is given the lead role in the strategy and has announced, without details, that it will be expanding its regulation of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).  In addition to agricultural sources of pollution, the report emphasizes the contribution of stormwater runoff from cities and suburbs to nutrient loading in the Bay.

The draft reports and additional information are available on the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order homepage.

Also on Thursday, EPA also issued notice and a request for comments on the development of a new Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process for addressing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.  This regulatory tool requires an assessment of both point and non-point sources of the pollutants and the adoption of measures to control levels of these pollutants that impair water quality in the Bay.  The EPA is under court orders to complete the TMDL by May 1, 2011.  Comments on the notice to prepare the TMDL must be submitted by December 18, 2009.

EPA and Department of Transportation Propose New Standards for Cars and Trucks Based on Greenhouse Gas Emission Limitations: On Tuesday, September 15, the EPA and Department of Transportation announced a proposal for new regulations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve mileage of cars and other light duty vehicles.   The proposal will be open for public comment after it is published in the Federal Register.  The proposal is the first set of restrictions on GHG emissions based on authority in the Clean Air Act, authority which could be voided by pending climate change legislation.  But reports in the past few weeks indicate that congressional action on climate change could well be delayed until next year.

DULY NOTED

Who’s That in the Hairnet? In one of the many public events during last week’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” debut, Deputy Secretary Merrigan assisted White House chef, Sam Kass with serving a specially-prepared healthy lunch at the USDA cafeteria.  Sam Fromartz, author of Organic, Inc., caught the moment on film and writes about it on his blog Chews Wise.  

First Conservation Stewardship Program Sign up Ends September 30th: Time is running out to be a part of the first sign up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  Farmers must take the first step in the application process by submitting a basic application with their local Natural Resources Conservation District by September 30th.   The CSP will make payments to farmers for maintaining existing conservation practices and for adopting additional practices on cropland, grassland, improved pasture, rangeland and non-industrial private forestland.  Payment will also be made for adopting resource conserving crop rotations.
An NSAC alert  is posted here.

NSAC is producing a guide book on the CSP that will be available soon.  NSAC members, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation have posted a wealth of information for producers on their Websites.

NCAT and the Center for Rural Affairs are also providing phone-based sign up assistance to farmers.  Call the Farm Bill Helpline at the Center for Rural Affairs at (402) 687-2100.  The NCAT number is 1-800 346-9140 (English) or 1-800-411-3222 (Spanish).

CSP Comment Period Extended:  USDA’s Natural Resoruces Conservation Service is about to announce that the original September 28 deadline for public comment on the Conservation Stewardship Program interim final rule is being extended to October 28.  NSAC had requested the month extension so that the 2009 sign-up for CSP, which ends September 30, could be finished before comments are due.  NSAC has action materials, including talking points, for the comment period on our website for those who want to respond now, and then we will be back with updated materials at the beginning of October.

SARE Letter Delivered:  On Monday, September 14, NSAC will be delivering a letter to the offices of Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) urging them to maintain the increase in funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) that was in the Senate-passed Appropriations bill and to adopt a conference position of raising competitive grants programs equitably, including $25 million for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension (SARE) program and $5 million for Organic Transitions program.

LAST WEEK

Harkin Takes HELP, Lincoln In as Ag Committee Chair:  In a rapid-fire series of events last week, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), next in line to take over the chairmanship of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee from the late Senator Ted Kennedy, decided on Monday night to stay with the Banking Committee he currently chairs instead of making the widely-anticipate shift.  That opened the door to Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), next in line on HELP, to seize the coveted position, and by Tuesday afternoon, Harkin became the new HELP chairman, throwing the Agriculture Committee to Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).  While not next in seniority, all of the Senators ahead of her would have had to give up other chairs to take Agriculture and, as expected, none of them made that trade.

Lincoln becomes the first female chair of the Committee.  Harkin remains as a member of the Committee and his Committee staff is expected to stay through at least a brief transition period while Lincoln hires her new committee staff.

PAMTA Letter Delivered to the White House and Senate:  On Wednesday, September 9, a group of family farm and sustainable agriculture advocates, including NSAC, delivered a letter to the White House and to the Senate calling for restrictions on the unnecessary use of antibiotics in raising food animals.  The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 (”PAMTA”) (HR 1549 and S 619) would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to withdraw the approval of seven specific classes of medically important antibiotics.

THIS WEEK

Clarity for Meat Labels on the Horizon? On Monday, September 14, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to seek input on what conditions should be met for use of the “natural” meat label claim for livestock and poultry products.  A previous 2006 ANPR led to a good deal of public comment but no consensus.

Comments may address how best USDA can coordinate between the FSIS “natural” label and the Agriculture Marketing Service’s (AMS) voluntary “naturally raised” marketing claim standard (see story below).  The FSIS natural label concerns meat processing, whereas the AMS naturally raised claim concerns animal raising considerations.  Both labels have problems in their own right, and the combination of the two leads to major consumer confusion.

FSIS will continue to apply its current “natural” label — which essentially means no artificial ingredients are added and the product is only minimally processed — during the comment period.

Comments are due by November 13, 2009.  More information is at the FSIS site.

Reprieve on Naturally-Raised Meat Label:  On the last day of the Bush Administration, the Agricultural Marketing Service promulgated a final version of a naturally-raised livestock label that was strongly opposed by sustainable agriculture and consumer organizations.  While final, the new label did not become effective due to a missing step in the rulemaking process in the rush to get it out before the previous Administration ended.

Since then, NSAC and other groups have been calling on the Obama Administration to take steps to revoke the proposal, noting that the label claim standard was confusing to consumers and potentially damaging to sustainable livestock farmers and ranchers.

With the announcement of a new advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for the Food Safety Inspection Service’s natural label (see story above), USDA is holding the naturally-raised label claim in abeyance at least until the public has a chance to comment on possible changes to the natural label.  During the comment period on the natural label, the public is also invited to comment on whether or not to have a naturally-raised label.

Look for public comment materials from NSAC in the coming weeks on this important turning point in the battle over meat labeling and its impact on sustainable livestock production.

Interstate Shipment of State-Inspected Meat:  In another breaking meat story, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is expected to announce on Monday, September 14, that new proposed rules for the interstate shipment of state-inspected meat will be published later in the week.  If this 2008 Farm Bill provision is effectively implemented, it could be an important improvement for small and mid-sized ranchers who will be able to expand their markets beyond state borders.  NSAC will publish more information about the proposed rule as it becomes available.

“Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Unveiled: As mentioned in last week’s Update, USDA will be unveiling the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Initiative this week-a new campaign that emphasizes vibrant local and regional food systems.  Starting on Monday, September 14, each day will have a different theme underscoring the importance of regional food system development: Monday will focus on “Rural Revitalization” and economic development, Tuesday will focus on “Farm to Institution” (including Farm to School programs), on Wednesday the focus is “Healthy Eating” and will include a celebrity chef cooking at USDA, Thursday will focus on “Direct Marketing” and will be the day the White House launches its own farmers market in downtown D.C., and Friday the theme is “Ag is Back!” and will be the launch for the new USDA website and a live facebook chat with Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan.

USDA NEWS

Obama Nominates New Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment:  On Thursday, September 10, President Obama nominated Harris Sherman as USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (NRE).  The NRE mission area includes the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.  An earlier nomination for the top slot resigned before taking office, leaving the position open until now.

Sherman is the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.  Previously he has served on the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board, and Denver Regional Air Quality Council and was also Commissioner of Mines.  His nomination has been long rumored, but of several persons rumored to be in the running for the position, he was the least favored candidate of several national conservation and environmental organizations.

November NOSB Meeting Announced:  The next meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will occur in Washington, DC, on November 3-5.  Requests from individuals and organizations wanting to make oral presentations, as well as comments on proposed NOSB recommendations, are due by the close of business on October 19.  At the November meeting, the NOSB will begin and conclude a series of substance reviews, will present its recommendation for rule change on various definitions and the use of nanotechnology in organic standards, and will present recommendations on the development of more specific standards for the improvement of animal welfare, among other agenda items.  The meeting is open to the public and includes time for public presentations.  For meeting and agenda information, and for instructions on submitting comments and request for presentation time, click here.

ERS Updates Organic and Climate Change Briefing Rooms:  USDA’s Economic Research Service has updated two of its briefing rooms – the organic briefing room and the global climate change briefing room.  Check them out for updated material!

DULY NOTED

New Food Safety Report:  On Thursday, September 10, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and Food and Water Watch released an excellent new food safety report, “Bridging the GAPS: Strategies to Improve Produce Safety, Preserve Farm Diversity and Strengthen Local Food Systems.”  Written by Elanor Starmer and Marie Kulick, the report is a welcomed addition to the public discourse as Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), incoming Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and other committee members consider food safety legislation (S. 510), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of USDA holds hearings on a proposed national Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.

PFI Featured in Documentary for CNN:  This fall, citizen journalist, Neil Moore, is paddling a canoe down the Mississippi River and documenting his visits with everyday Americans along the way.  Videos and blog posts capturing Moore’s journey will be shown on CNN.  On September 2, Moore visited a Practical Farmers of Iowa field day at Greg Koether’s farm in McGregor, Iowa.  Moore also sat down to interview Ryan and Kristine Jepsen as well as Greg Koether and his daughter Kayla, on September 3, to discuss the economics of sustainable agriculture, and visited with Kathleen Hein and other sustainable agriculture advocates in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin on August 31.  To see both the video and blog posts on all three interviews, visit Moore’s website and scroll down for the entry on August 31, September 2, and 3.

IATP Report and Video on Antibiotic Use in Ethanol Production:  A new report and You Tube video “Fueling Resistance? Antibiotics in Ethanol Production,” written by Julia Olmstead of the NSAC member group, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, documents the use of antibiotics in the ethanol fermentation process to control bacteria outbreaks.  The report discusses documentation of antibiotic residues found in dried distillers grains (by-product of ethanol production) that is fed to livestock.  The report and video also suggest alternatives to antibiotics, including hops.

Act Now to Promote a Strong Conservation Stewardship Program! Sustainable and organic farming advocates have an important – but short – opportunity to help shape the implementation of the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), a working lands conservation program that provides payments to farmers for maintaining existing conservation practices and for adopting new ones.   USDA has requested comments on the administrative rules that will govern implementation of the new CSP.   The deadline for submitting comments is September 28th.

USDA needs to hear our views.  An abundance of comments from sustainable agriculture advocates will ensure that the new CSP recognizes and rewards the multiple environmental benefits of sustainable and organic agriculture.   An action alert with talking points and instructions for submitting comments is posted here.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CSP CMT Net Demonstration:  The Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT) that will be filled out by all farmers signing up for the 2009 version of Conservation Stewardship Program during the month of October will be used to determine eligibility, ranking, and payments, and is thus the central enrollment feature of the new stewardship program.

A net conference to help organizations and service providers learn more about the CMT is being held on Thursday, September 10, starting at 1:30 p.m. and ending at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.

To call in, use this toll free number:  888-946-6309.  To join the demonstration online go here.  The conference number is PW8927472 and the audience passcode is “CSP”.

Participants can join the event directly at: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW8927472&p=CSP&t=c

Replays will be available for 30 days.  To access the Net replays of this call after September 10 visit this site.

THIS WEEK

Congress Returns to a Full Plate:  Congress returns today from its annual August recess with a crowded agenda, starting with President Obama’s Wednesday night address to a joint session of the House and Senate on health care legislation.  In addition to health care, the crowded docket of potential legislative items for the fall includes appropriations, climate change, food safety, child nutrition act reauthorization, financial regulatory reform, student loan reform, estate tax revisions, unemployment benefits extension, and more.

Congressional Ratings — While Congress was gone, the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life conducted a national survey that concluded Congress’ approval rating has fallen to its lowest level in the 24 years the survey has been taken.  Fifty-two percent of those surveyed rated Congress unfavorably.  In general, Democrats fared better in the poll than did Republicans on a wide range of key issues, though they were in a near dead heat in terms of which party to support in the mid-term elections.

Appropriations — During recess, the staffs of the House and Senate agriculture appropriations subcommittees have started the work of reconciling the House and Senate agriculture spending bills for 2010.  That effort will continue this week and perhaps next.  Expectations are still running fairly high that the Members will approve a conference report and both houses will pass a final agricultural spending bill prior to the start of the new fiscal year on October 1.

The agriculture bill is one of twelve annual spending measures.  While the House has passed all of its bill, the Senate, which always acts second on appropriations, still has eight bills to go.  It is very unlikely it will get to all eight, though Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has commented he hopes to finish at least four more.  All bills not finished and sent to the President by October 1 will need to be part of a continuing resolution that will keep the government operating until final bills can be approved.

Hanging in the balance on the agriculture bill is increased spending for rural economic development programs, including Rural Micro-enterprise Assistance, Value-Added Producer Grants, and Rural Coop Development Grants, in the Senate version, increased competitive grant research funding (Organic Transitions in the House, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative in the Senate), and, in both bills, funding to increase the value of fruit and vegetable vouchers in the WIC program.

Climate Change — The timing for initial Senate consideration of climate change legislation has changed.  When Congress left for recess the plan was for Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to introduce draft legislation upon return and proceed to committee markup.  Under a timetable set by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), all other committees, including Agriculture, with jurisdiction over parts of the bill were to report out their legislation by September 28.

Last week, however, Boxer and her co-sponsor, John Kerry (D-MA), announced that the draft bill will not be ready until later in the month.  Reid has not yet announced a new deadline for the other committees to complete action.

The House passed its version of the climate bill in June.  NSAC is finalizing proposed revisions to the agricultural sections of the House bill to share with the EPW and Agriculture Committees.

The White House and congressional Democratic leadership had intended for Congress to approve of a climate bill prior to the start of global climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December.  That target now seems unlikely to be met.

Meanwhile, keeping pressure on Congress to act, the EPA last week sent draft rules to impose caps on greenhouse gas emissions via the Clean Air Act to the White House to review.  While regulating large industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions is possible under the Clean Air law, if the Administration were to propose them Congress could act to block or weaken the rules.

While Congress was out of town, a poll was taken for the Center for American Progress of likely 2010 voters in 16 states that are home to key swing Senate votes on the climate bill.  In response to questions about the House passed bill, 63 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly supported the measure versus 30 percent who opposed it.  Some 60 percent of those polled said they would be more inclined to vote for a candidate who supported climate legislation versus 26 percent who said they would be less inclined.

The poll was conducted in Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Food Safety — As with climate change, the House has passed its version of a food safety bill with the Senate due to act this fall.  The main vehicle in the Senate will likely be S. 510 introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Judd Gregg (R-NH).  The bill is referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which also has its hands full with health care.  Though HELP passed its version of a health care bill, the members and staff will nonetheless be very involved with working on a final overall Senate bill.  Food safety is likely to be taken up around the edges of the health care debate, whenever time allows.

NSAC is in the process of finalizing recommendations for amending S. 510 to take into account the interests of family farms, sustainable and organic farming systems, local and regional food systems, and conservation and the environment.  Those recommendations will be shared with the HELP and Agriculture Committees.

Child Nutrition — As regular readers will recall, this is the year for Congress to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, setting policy and funding for the school feeding programs and setting policy for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) feeding program.  It now appears unlikely the bill will be taken up this fall, primarily due to lack of agreement on where the funding would come from to improve the nutritional quality of school feeding programs.  As part of the reauthorization effort, NSAC and allied groups are trying to obtain a commitment from Congress and the Administration to fund Farm to School programs across the country.

Staff for the House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, the two committees with jurisdiction over the bill, now predict Congress will pass a short term extension of existing law so that the committees can take up the bills next spring.  Whether funding offsets will be clearer next year remains to be seen, though the hope would be that next year’s congressional budget resolution will help clarify the situation.  In the meantime, it is still possible that the committees would begin preliminary work on the bills yet this year.

NEXT WEEK

Know Your Farmer Week is Coming! Last week’s Update reported on USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan’s memo promoting three USDA Rural Development programs and explaining how they can be used to build sustainable local and regional food systems.  The momentum continues next week when she is expected to begin USDA’s new Department-wide initiative to explain its role to consumers and increase their understanding and connection with the farmers and ranchers that provide our food.

Beginning on Monday, September 14 there will be events each day that concentrate successively on rural revitalization, farm to institution programs, healthy eating and farmers markets.  A new USDA website to accompany the national dialogue will go online by the end of the week.

Staff in all USDA mission areas have been meeting for several months to find ways to better integrate their efforts and increase emphasis on supporting sustainable regional food systems.

NIFA News? As stipulated by the 2008 Farm Bill, on October 1 USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) becomes the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  We expect news about the appointment of a NIFA Director as well as the proposed organization of the new agency, including the possibility of sub-institutes, this week or next.  Stay tuned!

USDA NEWS

Beginning Farmer and Organic Production CRP Transition Option in Jeopardy:  Last week we reported that USDA’s Farm Service Agency is holding nine public listening sessions to solicit comments on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) it will prepare for the program.  The EIS must be completed before the agency issues a rule to enact the changes to the CRP Congress made in the 2008 Farm Bill.  At the current pace, the farm bill changes will not be made until 2011, the year before the current farm bill expires.

Unfortunately, upon further review, we have now discovered the EIS may now include a review of the CRP transition option, a congressional initiative to try to put land that is leaving the CRP upon contract expiration into the hands of beginning farmers and minority farmers, including those who want to transition to organic production systems.  Placing land that has leaving the program into an environmental review of land in the program seems contradictory.  With up to 7 million acres of CRP land possibly leaving the program in 2009 and 2010, the lack of a rule to implement the transition option would be an enormous lost opportunity.  Hopefully the Obama Administration will respond quickly and get the transition option moving in time for this year’s contract expirations.

The nine public CRP meetings being held this fall are in Spokane, WA (9/15), Great Falls, MT (9/21), Moorhead, MN (9/21), Manhattan, KS (9/23), Springfield, IL (9/25), Oklahoma City, OK (9/29), Clovis, NM (10/1), Albany, GA (10/6), and Harrisburg, PA (10/8).  Times, locations and contact information for each of these sessions are available here.

Reminder – Conservation Practice Standard Comment Period Extended:  USDA has extended the comment deadline on Conservation Practice Standards to September 14.  Comments can be submitted online at http://www.regulations.gov or emailed to: nrcscpta2008@wdc.usda.gov.  Comments were previously submitted by NSAC.

Leafy Green Marketing Agreement Hearing Dates Set:  USDA announced on Thursday, September 3 that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will hold seven public hearings in September and October to hear public comments on a proposed national leafy green marketing agreement.  View the full Federal Register announcement here.

The hearings are being held in response to a June request to consider a national marketing agreement submitted by produce industry representatives.  The request stems from the 2006 E. coli outbreak linked to bagged spinach and the subsequent adoption of a California marketing agreement for handlers of leafy greens.  Though voluntary, handlers representing 99 percent of leafy green marketing volume signed on to the California agreement  The agreement is widely seen as problematic for small and mid-sized farms, for diversified and organic producers, and for wildlife and biodiversity.

USDA added hearing sites in response to an NSAC and National Organic Coalition request to ensure that they hear from a more diverse cross section of vegetable producers.  The hearing schedule is:

• September 22 – 24 — Monterey, CA
• September 30 – October 1 — Jacksonville, FL
• October 6 — Columbus, OH
• October 8 — Denver, CO
• October 14 – 15 — Yuma, AZ
• October 20 — Syracuse, NY
• October 22 — Charlotte, NC

Rules Finalized for Research and Extension Programs:  On Friday, September 4, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service issued final rules in the Federal Register on general administrative procedures for all of its competitive grants programs and also non-competitive programs other than formula funds.  Until now, many research and extension programs have not had formal rules, while those that did varied program to program.  The new effort creates a core of basic rules for all the programs, which in turn will be supplemented with program-specific rules.

The new general rules will apply to most of CSREES’ programs, including the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Community Food Grants, and many others.

In producing the final rule, CSREES did not accept any of the recommendations made on the interim final rule by NSAC.  Though our recommendations were of a relatively minor nature, it was nonetheless disconcerting to find that none of them were adopted and no explanation was provided.

Beginning Farmer Program Rule and Request for Comments:  Also on Friday, September 4, CSREES issued an interim final rule pertaining to the administration of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP).  The rules are in addition to the general administrative rules for competitive and non-competitive grants (see story above).

Public comments are being accepted through November 3.  NSAC will post a review of the rule and suggested comments in a future edition of the Weekly Update.  In particular, we will focus on elaborating and expanding on the project review criteria listed in statute and repeated in the interim rule.

Beginning Farmer Advisory Committee Nominations Open:  On Thursday, September 3, USDA’s Farm Service Agency issued a Federal Register notice inviting public nominations for the USDA Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.  The Committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on policy to create new farming and ranching opportunities.  The statutory creation of the committee was the result of Sustainable Agriculture Coalition advocacy in the early 1990s.  NSAC and NSAC member organization staff has served on the committee at various times during its existence.

Nominations for new 2-year terms must be received by FSA by October 5.  Openings are expected for slots reserved for farmers and ranchers, State beginning farmer program staff, commercial lenders, and extension.  It is possible that a slot may also open for a non-governmental organization, depending on how many existing committee members who have not reached the maximum of three terms decide to reapply.

Rural Energy for America Program Grants:  On Wednesday, September 2, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced another $13 million in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) loan and grant awards.  REAP funds, which went to 233 projects in 38 states, may be used for renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, feasibility studies and energy audits.  The complete list of awards can be found here.

More Rural Development State Directors Named:  On Friday, September 4, the Administration announced three more state rural development director appointments, this time for California, Louisiana, and Delware/Maryalnd.  Of note, the new California director is Glenda Humiston who served as USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment during the latter part of the Clinton Administration, recently finished her doctorate and a dissertation on “Sustainable Agriculture as U.S. Farm Policy: Opportunities and Threats to Reform.”

WTO NEWS

Restarting Doha Talks:  On Friday, September 4, 30 trade ministers meeting in New Delhi, India agreed to resume world trade treaty talks.  Preliminary discussions are to start in Geneva next week.  The Doha Round of trade talks are now in their eighth year.  The revived talks will start from the draft negotiating texts from December 2008, issued just before talks collapsed.  There is little indication as yet that anything significant has changed since the collapse, though the restart will test the Obama Administration’s approach to trade deals.

DULY NOTED

Old McDonald is Online: A new study by Nicholson Kovac, Inc., Agriculture New Media Usage Study provides insight into new media usage among corn and soybean growers.  According to Chris Clayton, who writes and blogs for the agriculture journal DTN, the study finds that 47 percent of farmers [the 230 corn and soybean farmers interviewed] spend five hours or more online each week and 23 percent spend 10 hours or more.  The study also showed that farmers are texting and sharing photos online than ever before.