Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Comment: NSAC Condemns USDA’s Withdrawal of Support For Next Generation Farmers

Washington, DC, April 1, 2026 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) issued the following comment, attributable to Nick Rossi, NSAC Policy Specialist, in response to the termination of the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (ILCMA) Program.

“Reliable access to land, capital, and markets is among the biggest challenges facing beginning and other underserved farmers. USDA’s summary termination of investments to expand access to these crucial resources not only undercuts years of locally-led work to support the next generation of farmers, but entirely contradicts the administration’s stated goal of supporting American family farms and rural communities. Farmer-serving organizations have spent years hiring staff, building partnerships, and recruiting farmers, only to have their funding cut just as projects were preparing to launch. At such a pivotal moment for American agriculture, the decision to terminate these projects is reckless and puts the future of farming and farm  communities at further risk.”

Over the last decade, farmland prices have significantly increased, nearly doubling in some parts of the Midwest, and risen far higher in areas with pressure due to real estate development or commodity prices. The ability to access land is a crucial component of ensuring land remains in agriculture and that new farmers can build economically viable businesses. ILCMA was intended to help address this problem by increasing access to farm ownership opportunities, increasing access to markets and capital that affect the ability to access land, and increasing land ownership, land succession, and agricultural business planning. 

USDA terminated 49 of the 50 ILCMA projects; projects ranging from the creation of a Land Access and Farm Academy Program in the Southeast to projects improving access to affordable, geographically appropriate farmland and assistance with the removal of barriers to urban farmers participating in agricultural grant and loan programs in the Midwest. NSAC condemns this decision, which undermines creative solutions to some of our farmers’ most pressing challenges, setting back American farmers and the very future of our food system. Read more about the projects that USDA terminated here.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net

The post Comment: NSAC Condemns USDA’s Withdrawal of Support For Next Generation Farmers appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) traces its earliest roots to the farm crisis of the 1980s, when cycles in the global economy and federal agricultural policy combined to push farmers losing their farms into the national spotlight. The 330,000 farm families who lost their farms between 1978 and 1992 were, unfortunately, not the last. The total number of farms has continued to steadily decrease since then, with the loss of mid-sized farms at a particularly concerning rate.

Within the past couple of years, there has been mounting evidence suggesting a tipping point for farmers and ranchers not unlike that of the 1980s. Today, high production costs, unstable markets, and low crop prices driven by uncertain export markets and overproduction have converged to create an economic climate in which farmers’ livelihoods are threatened. Earlier this year, hundreds of farmers – reportedly more than 500 – attended a single meeting to ask for help. Moments of farm crisis – like the one we are in now – stand out from the decades-long drumbeat of farm losses across agriculture.

While the current threat of farm loss is driven by global economies and issues far outside of farmers’ control, the fate of farm families is and will continue to be determined by the structure of US federal farm programs. Agriculture will always have disruptive events, from market disruptions and natural disasters to pandemics and pests. Yet the structure of federal policy determines the impact of those disruptions on farm families, their communities, the land, and the country. Too often federal programs have been structured to amplify the benefits of scale, while further eroding the strength of our communities.

Keeping farmers on the land is in NSAC’s DNA. For decades, NSAC has championed policies that promote markets and production systems that build farmers’ autonomy and self-determination and lessen their vulnerability to disasters. Today, federal policy can still be a vehicle to build a truly sustainable, just agricultural economy – one that sustains farm families and livelihoods, protects natural resources, and supports communities nationwide. 

This blog post offers an in-depth examination of the current state of the US farm economy, the impacts of a down farm economy, and the federal policy solutions necessary to put the US agricultural economy – and the farmers, ranchers, and communities who depend on it – on firm footing for the future.

• The Current Farm Economy
• Impacts to Individuals, Families, and Communities
• Comprehensive and Proactive Solutions
• What Comes Next

The Current Farm Economy

The US farm economy can be exceedingly complex to navigate. Nationwide, there are more than 1.9 million farms. These farms – from rural communities to urban centers and everywhere in between – are incredibly diverse in almost every way imaginable. 

The overwhelming majority of US crop production is represented by just two commodities – corn and soybeans – which were planted on roughly 175 million total acres in 2023. Broadening the scope slightly, wheat (50 million acres) and cotton (10 million acres) enter the picture. Beyond row crops, there are hundreds of thousands of specialty crop farmers in the US, growing almost every imaginable variety of fruit, nut, and vegetable. In 2023, 4.3 million acres were devoted to vegetables and just over 6 million acres in orchard production. Meanwhile, 568,972 farms – roughly 30% of all US farms – specialized in cattle or dairy production in 2022. Another 19% of US farms specialize in other livestock: hogs and pigs, poultry and eggs, sheep and goats, and beyond.

Each farmer must build their own business model – factoring in their unique scale, type of production, and market – to achieve success and longevity. Each of these factors carries with it its own risks and opportunities for growth and stability. Consequently, it’s important to note that farmers can have significantly divergent experiences within the same farm economy. Some may be particularly well positioned to navigate a challenging economy thanks to their strategy or even where they farm, while others may have an entirely different experience.

Yet all farmers – whether they are raising livestock or growing row crops, specialty crops, or even both – face similar hurdles: namely, production costs, crop prices, and market access. 

Production costs

One of the most significant costs nearly all farmers face is for inputs – items produced off farm – that they deem necessary to their farm’s success. Some of the most common production costs include fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds. Determined in large part by global market conditions, fertilizer and pesticide prices are difficult, if not impossible to control with domestic policy, and recent turbulence in most global markets has only exacerbated the problem. In 2024, the cost to farmers of these combined crop inputs (chemicals, fertilizers, and seeds) rose by nearly $20 billion dollars (comparing 2024 to 2016). During that time period, pesticide production expenses jumped 42%, seed expenses jumped 26%, and fertilizer, lime, and soil conditioner expenses rose 44%. During that same time window, the amount of US acres in farms declined significantly, signalling that dramatic increases in production expenses are not being driven by expanded acreage. 

Crop prices

While production costs have risen significantly in recent years, nationwide, farmers are also facing low crop prices. Since the peak highs in 2021 and 2022, crop prices for corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton have all fallen significantly – corn, soybeans, and wheat are all down more than 50% per bushel, while cotton is down more than 40%. On the back of these low prices, total crop cash receipts – including receipts from farm products like fruits and nuts – are forecast to decrease $6.1 billion (2.5 percent) in 2025. When focusing on some of the most prevalent row crops, we see that the combined cash receipts are even lower – corn, soybeans and wheat are forecast to fall by $6.8 billion in 2025.

Similarly, many specialty crop prices have either dropped or failed to keep pace with the rising production costs highlighted above. Cash receipts for vegetables and melons are forecast to be $520 million lower in 2025 than in 2024 and nearly $1B lower than 2023. At the same time, specialty crop producers have faced increasing production and labor costs. Specialty crop farms also have the highest labor costs as a portion of total cash expenses and are particularly affected by rising labor costs and labor shortages. 

The factors driving low prices are, of course, multifaceted. Farm policies and economic structures incentivize maximizing yield, which often result in overproduction of major US crops – corn, soybeans, wheat – creating a price glut that quickly and severely depresses prices for producers. Similarly, unstable domestic and international market access also impacts the price that farmers receive.

Market access

The US agricultural economy is heavily reliant on international markets. From livestock to grains, commodity production in the US has long exceeded domestic demand for the majority of major commodities. Because domestic demand is exceeded, the US agricultural economy relies on – and is exposed to – often volatile international markets. Sudden changes to trade rules and tariffs have made our usual buyers – like China and Argentina – nervous. Because they cannot reliably count on us, they are now buying from other countries instead. This has introduced significant uncertainty for farmers about markets and dropped crop prices – soybean sales are down 23% from the same time last year because of lower prices. While recently announced trade deals could shift this trend, legitimate uncertainties remain.

Instability of Federal Partnership

Finally, it is worth stating that 2025 has brought unprecedented instability in federal partnership. Although stability is essential for farm planning, farmers have experienced unexpected contract cuts and unpredictable, abrupt trade policy shifts. In January 2025, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) began freezing and even terminating the lawfully held contracts of farmers and farmer-serving organizations, disrupting planning for the 2025 planting season.

From commodity farmers selling into international markets to specialty growers selling at a market down the street, collectively, these freezes and terminations have been felt across all scales and types of American agriculture. Each farmer develops their own unique financing strategy, and federal programs can be an essential piece in the puzzle to demonstrate stable income for the year. But when federal contracts are frozen or terminated with little warning, it not only casts doubt on government dependability, it ultimately undercuts the ability of federal programs to serve as a stable support for farmers of all scales. The damage is much more extensive than just the loss of that specific income. Sudden loss of any source of federal support can impact a producer’s ability to work with their lenders to secure or maintain necessary lines of operating credit for the growing season.

This uncertainty has permeated federal programs throughout 2025, impacting programs that help farmers enter new domestic markets, adapt to natural disasters and add-value to their crop, and expand access to USDA programs and services. It has even jeopardized popular farmer-led programs as recently as September 2025.  Over the summer, Congress passed and the President signed a budget reconciliation bill. This bill cut billions in food assistance and funneled that savings toward commodity payments, all while programs that support the vast majority of farmers and rural communities are excluded from the bill entirely. On top of all of this, USDA has lost nearly 20,000 employees since January while simultaneously proposing a massive department-wide reorganization without any input from farmers – both of which serve to undermine USDA’s support for farmers.

Sum of the Parts

When the tide of these baseline factors turns bad, keeping farmers in business – and on the land – requires a federal response that is finely tuned to the full range of farm and farmer needs.

By nearly any measure 2025 has presented American farmers with an array of serious challenges that, collectively, threaten farm viability nationwide. In fact, a recent survey of agricultural lenders indicates that less than half of US farmers are likely to be profitable in 2026. Yet, this moment of farm financial crisis is not particularly unique, and is just one in a long line of past and future disruptions. The ongoing loss of farms and the difficulty for new farmers to enter farming demonstrate where farm safety net programs have gaps, and how these programs are built to pick winners and losers. Farms going out of business is not a necessity of these disruptions, or even a function of disruptions, but a demonstration that federal safety net programs are not universal.

Over time, intentional decisions made by policy leaders have pushed many farmers toward narrow production choices that often make it difficult to diversify or explore new markets without sacrificing stability. Simultaneously, suffocating consolidation – among but not limited to input producers and livestock processors – leaves farmers squeezed on both ends. Taken together, these dynamics prevent many farmers – whether they grow crops, livestock, or both – from creating a business that can better buffer against shocks, and leaves them highly exposed to risk. 

Ultimately, in this model of agriculture, some years can be good, yet many years are not, even with government support: between 2017 and 2022, more than 140,000 farms were shuttered. Of those, 128,000 (91%) were smaller than 1,000 acres and 82% were smaller than 500 acres. Farms over 5,000 acres were the only category that increased – by over 5% – during this period. And no matter their size, farmers themselves faced “incredible financial, legal, and emotional stress.” Unfortunately, the impacts don’t end there.

Impacts

When the agricultural economy suffers, farmers suffer – ultimately, leading farmers and ranchers out of business. When a farm goes out of business, individuals, families, and communities are impacted, first and foremost as people. Rural communities have alarming rates of mental illness, depression, and suicide. Furthermore, farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, and the suicide rate has increased by 46% in rural America in the last 20 years.

The loss of farms also exacerbates land consolidation. While farm sector consolidation may carry some efficiencies in the aggregate, unchecked consolidation creates a fragile farm economy that is exceedingly expensive for taxpayers and siphons vitality from farming communities.  Data from USDA’s most recent Census of Agriculture continues to show a long-term, concerning trend of more land held by ever fewer farms. As farms go out of business, that land is often subject to development pressure, threatening to permanently remove it from agricultural production. If the land stays in production, it is often bought by a neighbor or corporate investor. Over time, this simple process leaves more and more land in the hands of fewer and fewer farmers. With fewer farms – oftentimes not owned by the farmer themself – the economic diversity and resilience of American agriculture is diminished, leaving it more vulnerable to shocks and dependent on federal payments.

Last but not least, during challenging economic times, not all farmers are impacted equally. Compared to established farmers, new and beginning farmers tend to have less capital on hand, making it more difficult to absorb and survive economic shocks like those presented in 2025. This fact threatens an entire generation of new farmers unless we act swiftly.

Comprehensive and Proactive Solutions

Clearly, farming is a challenging enterprise. Consequently, much of federal food and agriculture policy is rightly structured around supporting farmers when times are tough. The farm safety net – including federal crop insurance, commodity support programs, and disaster assistance programs – is an essential pathway for farmers to manage risk.

While the increased farm subsidies included in the 2025 budget reconciliation bill may offer some farmers short-term relief, relying solely on commodity support programs is not a durable solution to farmers’ financial challenges, in part because the current farm safety net has significant gaps in coverage and efficiency. Moreover, previous farm bill efforts, including the 2018 Farm Bill, proved that simply increasing subsidies has failed to stabilize the farm economy over the long term, leaving producers vulnerable once again. 

Yet even if ideally constructed, the farm safety net is just one aspect of building a thriving agricultural economy. Federal policy must holistically promote markets and invest in production systems that build all farmers’ autonomy and self-determination and lessen their vulnerability to disasters. Ultimately, we cannot afford to continue looking only at short-term solutions while ignoring the warning signs of longer term structural issues.

Rather, our immediate goal must be to keep farms in business now, coupled with a commitment to overhauling the safety net and building out financial resilience. While we face economic signals of farm distress similar to the 1980s, it is time for a fundamental change in how the US responds to those signals. To keep farmers on the land, it’s imperative.

Below, NSAC offers a non-exhaustive set of policy solutions as a starting point for what is needed in both the immediate and near term. Given the diversity of American agriculture, policy solutions may not apply to every farmer and rancher. For example, some may be tailored to commodity crop producers or livestock producers, whereas others are tailored toward specialty crop growers.

Collectively, these solutions prioritize keeping farms in business in the short term and building farm financial independence, self determination, and the ability to weather all nature of disruptions in the long term. These solutions – which reflect the importance of farms at all scales and of all products – prioritize farmers’ entrepreneurship, stewardship, and connection to their community while reducing dependence on taxpayer funds. We encourage Congress and USDA to utilize the full range of tools at their disposal, including government procurement, marketing, regulatory and granting programs, to increase farm viability in both the short and long terms.

The solutions are structured as follows:

• Immediate Needs
  • Farm Loans, Cash Flow Assistance, and Revenue-Based Relief
  • Rental Payments for Marginal Land
  • Enhanced Support for Input-Reducing Conservation Practices
  • Stronger, Reliable Markets for American Farmers 

• Near-Term Needs
  • Prioritize the Next Generation of Farmers
  • Comprehensive Federal Food Procurement Reform
  • Strengthen Regional Food Supply Chains
  • Build a Stronger Farm Safety Net for All

The solutions offered in this section are arranged as indicated above based on the immediacy necessary to keep farmers on the land. Immediate solutions include cash-flow and farm loan assistance, short-term contracts to retire marginal land, and stronger, more reliable markets. Near-term solutions include land access for beginning farmers, increasing market access for meat and poultry producers, comprehensive federal food procurement reform, and more.

Immediate Needs

Farm Loans, Cash Flow Assistance, and Revenue-Based Relief

USDA must provide immediate and near-term relief for all producers to ensure no farms or farmland are lost due to acute financial hardship. The structure of how this support is delivered is vital to ensure that no farms are lost, and farmland is not consolidated further into a diminishing number of larger operations. To ensure that all farms facing financial stress receive the support they need, USDA should:

• Provide loan support to any producer struggling to meet their next payment installment in order to prevent farm loan defaults. 
• Offer cash-flow assistance programs for producers specifically unable to meet payments due to interruptions or challenges in their cash-flow.
• Implement additional assistance payments with broad eligibility and payments administered directly to farmers calculated based on a farm’s revenue, rather than by crop and acreage, to ensure all farms can fairly participate in such a program.

• Ensure all funding goes to active farmers running the operation, not investors or non-operating landowners.
• Allow the use of Farm Service Agency (FSA) Direct Farm Ownership loans for refinancing other debt. 
• Require preferred guaranteed lenders to obtain FSA concurrence before initiating any foreclosure or asset liquidation activities for distressed borrowers.
• Authorize future loan assistance to borrowers who previously received debt forgiveness.
• Make USDA’s Distressed Borrower Set-Aside Program permanent.
• Increase the lifetime debt forgiveness threshold from $300,000 to $600,000 to align with the Direct Farm Ownership loan limit.
• Increase the microloan limit from $50,000 to $100,000 to make this key, streamlined financial tool more useful for a greater number of farms in filling financial gaps.

Rental Payments for Marginal Land

During extended periods of crop prices below cost of production, or exceptional market turbulence, USDA should provide producers with a stable source of income in exchange for conservation value. In this challenging farm economy, this short term source of guaranteed income will afford producers the chance to explore opportunities for new markets, diversified cash crop rotations, or a strategic sale of land. USDA should: 

• Provide short term contracts offering annual rental payments to producers who place marginal land in their operation into perennial cover. 
• Offer a maximum contract length of 3-years.
• Authorize USDA to enroll up to 30 million acres nationwide.
• Offer producers optional support for making profitable changes to their farm business on expiring contracted acres:
  • Offer financial support for business planning services to aid producers in building a value-added component to their farm business.
  • Provide organic technical assistance (TA) for those seeking to transition contracted land into organic production and obtain certification.
  • Allow for construction of infrastructure to support management-intensive rotational grazing on enrolled acres when they are returned to production.
  • Include a 1-year extension of rental payments to the contract holder should they sell contracted acres to a beginning farmer or rancher at the end of the contract.

Dedicated Support for Input-Reducing Conservation Practices

Commitment to soil health-building conservation practices offers a clear pathway to reduced production costs – namely by reducing fertilizer applications – and increased profits per acre over time. USDA should target support to producers eager to adopt conservation practices that significantly reduce the total amount of fertilizer they require, leaving farm businesses far more resilient to spikes in fertilizer prices. Congress should:

• Provide a large, one-time, targeted infusion of funding to working lands conservation programs, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), requiring that:
  • The majority of funds must be used for Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning (CNMP) on a wide variety of farms and all facilitating practices necessary to implement such plans.
  • CNMPs should be designed to achieve a reduction to <60% of current rates or <60% of LGU recommended rates for total fertilizer applied across the farm within the life of the plan.
  • A portion of the funding is used to hire NRCS staff capable of writing CNMPs and designing facilitating practices.

Similarly structured investments could also be provided, aiding producers in reducing their reliance on additional inputs like herbicides and pesticides.

Stronger, Reliable Markets for American Farmers 

Reliable markets, whether down the road or across an ocean, are foundational to farmers’ success. This is particularly true during a period of high production and labor costs and relatively lower prices. On the heels of the abrupt cancellation of domestic market initiatives earlier this year, federal policy must play an essential role in fostering the development of new, more robust markets. USDA should:

• Enter into cooperative agreements with states to promote state purchasing and management of contracts with local supply chains to fulfill the annual needs of local, federally funded nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program, that are typically managed by USDA commodity procurement. 
• Invest additional funds in new market opportunities for small and mid-size farming operations by awarding states multi-year funding to partner with local businesses and networks to purchase locally produced specialty crops, dairy, and protein to distribute to food insecure communities.     
• Promote increased connectivity between schools and local farmers by authorizing a voluntary pathway that would allow schools the flexibility to use a portion of their school meal entitlement funding to purchase foods directly from farmers in their regions.
• Expand outreach for the Cooperative Interstate Shipment programs footprint to new states in order to expand markets for producers and processors. 

Near-Term Needs

Prioritize the Next Generation of Farmers

During a farm crisis, beginning farmers are often the most at risk. In these moments, the transition of the farm to the next generation can be an important tool to keep the farm in the family’s hands, and both are critical to keeping the land in agriculture. Facilitating a farm transition to a beginning farmer protects the land from development, and maintains the farm as an opportunity for a new generation of farmers to build a future and raise their children on the land. To keep existing early-career farmers on the land and to facilitate farm transitions to the next generation of farmers, USDA should:

• Provide funding for direct assistance and services at FSA to help the next generation of farmers and ranchers afford and acquire land by covering closing costs and down payments; capitalize infrastructure and site improvements; and acquire business technical assistance and farm viability training.
• Prioritize FSA projects that provide direct financial assistance to producers, involve collaborative networks or partnerships, and facilitate transition of farmland from existing to new producers.
• Waive farm management experience eligibility requirements for loan applications where the farm is being transitioned either within the extended family or to a current farm employee.
• Expand access to the Down Payment Loan Program (DPLP), especially for borrowers for whom the program will increase loan feasibility and loan approval, provide a 2-year delay in the start of DPLP repayment or repayment alignment with the new enterprise’s anticipated cash flow, and make down payment loans forgivable after 5 years for borrowers who stay in farming.
• Improve the ability of USDA to identify and address the barriers to intergenerational land transition and new farmer entry by reauthorizing the USDA Commission on Farm Transitions.
• Authorize FSA to make grants or enter into cooperative agreements to assist with heirs property issues, including the creation of Heirs Property and Fractionated Land Legal Clinics.
• Strengthen the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program.

Comprehensive Federal Food Procurement Reform

USDA’s annual food expenditures represent an opportunity to address underlying causes of the farm crisis by creating markets that reduce production costs and support business growth and viability among groups underrepresented in the agricultural sector. Specifically, it means creating fair market opportunity for all producers, including beginning, young, veteran, and other historically underserved farmers and ranchers. USDA should:

• Open market access for more farmers and businesses to secure federal food contracts by developing criteria, and dedicating 20% of annual food spending, that consider metrics beyond least cost to reward producers who are using organic production methods and protecting our environment and businesses that purchase from underserved and socially disadvantaged producers.  
• Create a set aside within USDA food purchases to increase meat and poultry purchasing from small processors and small producers that increases over time to provide a stable market while providing recipients with healthy, nutritious protein products.

Strengthen Regional Food Supply Chains

A key element to promoting the integrity of local and regional supply chains – and thereby market opportunities for farmers – includes investing in the middle of the food supply chain, including critically underfunded infrastructure. Congress and USDA should:

• Establish state block grants to build states’ capacity to manage grant and loan programs for food supply chain infrastructure, including for aggregation and distribution, processing, and storage for specialty crops, meat and poultry, and dairy. 
• Continue investment in processing capacity. Together with changes to meat procurement policy at the federal level, this could provide stability to the domestic livestock and poultry sectors, especially independent producers who feel squeezed by a lack of competition in purchasers and processors. Providing a series of small grants, up to $500,000 per grant, to continue to fill gaps in processing capacity across the country would  support the expansion of domestic markets. 
• Promote a variety of technical assistance opportunities for producers that addresses barriers to farmers’ market access.  This includes technical assistance targeted toward food safety planning and certification, business development, and supply chain coordination.
• Build upon the success of the Dairy Business Innovation Centers by establishing regional technical assistance centers that provide business development and other forms of training and resources that fill existing regional gaps and promote growth in emerging sectors, with at least one center specifically around meat and poultry issues

Build a Stronger Farm Safety Net for All

All farmers and ranchers deserve a strong safety net that protects them in times of crisis. The design of farm safety net programs, including crop insurance and commodity support programs, promote a focus on yields and efficiency rather than resiliency. This system currently leaves out many producers altogether, particularly smaller, beginning, and diversified farmers. USDA should: 

• Improve risk management tools including Whole Farm Revenue Protection and the Non-Insured Disaster Assistance Program by streamlining applications, expanding coverage limits and options, and increasing access for small and beginning producers.
• Reform disincentives against the adoption of conservation practices that are perpetuated by federal crop insurance rules, and restructure safety net programs to support on-farm resiliency and reduce the need for ad-hoc disaster relief.
• Structure any supplemental disaster relief programs to maximize eligibility for all impacted producers, and ensure that payments reflect the true value of their losses through revenue-based assistance programs.

The post Keeping Farmers on the Land appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

The Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act directs the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to develop a multi-year operating loan pilot for beginning farmers to finance initial assets and the development of production and management systems. These expenditures can include intangible business infrastructure for crop records, payroll, and regulatory compliance, investments to increase soil fertility, and more. 

“The Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act provides necessary support for the next generation of farmers and ranchers, who face high-start up costs and too often struggle to repay loans within their first year of operation. This practical and balanced pilot program would alleviate challenges with limited access to more flexible capital, and open opportunities to invest in key start-up capacities that will benefit their farm for years to come,” said Duncan Orlander, Policy Specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. ”

Specifically, the terms of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Loan Pilot Program authorized in the Act would include:

• Direct and guaranteed FSA loans with a repayment term between 3 and 10 years;
• A loan limit of $100,000 for both direct and guaranteed development loans;
• Reduced collateral requirements of not greater than 100% loan-to-value;
• Reduced interest rate between zero and 3%, as determined by the Secretary; 
• Flexible principal repayment as determined by FSA, but not less than 1% of the remaining balance annually;
• Robust technical assistance for development loan borrowers; and
• Evaluation and reporting that measure pilot program success.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

The post Release: NSAC Welcomes the Reintroduction of the Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Tel: 347.563.6408

Email: press@sustainableagriculture.net

Release: New bill introduced in the US House and Senate proposes bipartisan solution to the farmland access crisis

Washington, DC, April 1, 2025 – Today, the bipartisan New Producer Economic Security Act was introduced in the U.S. House and Senate by Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), Joe Courtney (D-CT-02), Don Davis (D-NC-01), Eric Sorenson (D-IL-17), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), as well as Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), to support young farmers and ranchers in accessing farmland. The legislation would authorize a new pilot program to address the interrelated challenges of land, capital, and market access for new producers through innovative, locally-led solutions. The bill helps secure our domestic food system by establishing a pilot program within the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). 

“Land access is at the root of, and deeply tied to, many of the barriers farmers and ranchers face, including market access, access to operating capital, and day-to-day challenges such as changing weather patterns, mental health, and housing,” said Michelle Hughes, Co-Executive Director of the National Young Farmers Coalition. “The New Producer Economic Security Act comes at a time when farmers need us the most. The bill comprehensively addresses the greatest barriers young and beginning farmers face while elevating local leadership, securing our domestic food system, and delivering material benefits for new producers.”

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds the introduction of the ‘New Producer Economic Security Act.’ Land access is one of the biggest challenges for young and beginning farmers all across the country – from small-scale dairy farmers in New England, to livestock and grain producers in the Midwest, to specialty crop producers across the South. This bill will allow investment directly in an array of efforts aimed at improving access to land, capital, and markets for young and beginning farmers and ranchers across the country,” said Nick Rossi, Policy Specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

For a deeper look at the bill, see this release from the National Young Farmers Coalition, an NSAC member.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

The post Release: New bill introduced in the US House and Senate proposes bipartisan solution to the farmland access crisis appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Release: Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Now Accepting Applications

The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship honors the co-founder of the first network for African American organic farmers in the United States.

Washington, DC, March 28, 2025 —Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and the Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network (SAAFON) opened applications for their annual scholarship in honor and memory of the late Cynthia Hayes, co-founder and former director of SAAFON. 

The scholarship welcomes applications from Black and Indigenous undergraduate and Masters students from all Tribal Nations, US states, and territories. Applicants should be prepared to discuss their interest in food justice, sustainable agriculture, and how these issues impact Black and Indigenous farmer communities in the United States.

“SAAFON is proud to announce the 2025 Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship, in honor of our visionary founder and her immeasurable impact on the sustainable agriculture and Black food justice movements. We look forward to continuing our investment in the next generation of leaders in partnership with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, for this year and well into the future,” said Whitney Jaye, Co-Executive Director at SAAFON. 

The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship will offer one graduate and two undergraduate students a $5,000 award. Scholarship recipients will also have the opportunity to connect with sustainable food and farm advocates and become more involved with the partnering organizations and their networks.

“The Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship is a powerful way for NSAC and SAAFON to honor Cynthia’s legacy, especially when programs that uplift Black and Indigenous students are under threat,” says Tyler Edwards, Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator at NSAC. “With this scholarship, we are investing in the education of Black and Indigenous advocates who will go on to support diverse and resilient food systems around the country.” 

To be considered, undergraduate students must have completed half of their respective programs by the end of December 2024, and graduate students must have completed at least 4 courses by December 2024. Applicants will be evaluated on their interest in sustainable agriculture, policy, and grassroots organizing, and must have demonstrated knowledge or experience in racial equity and an interest in pursuing leadership or a career in the sustainable food and farm movement.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2025. To apply, visit our job website. 

Questions related to the Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship should be directed to scholarship@sustainableagriculture.net.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

The post Release: Cynthia Hayes Memorial Scholarship Now Accepting Applications appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 9, 2024, NSAC released “Stewarding Success: CSP Under the 2018 Farm Bill”, a comprehensive analysis of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) over the course of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The report offers an in-depth analysis of CSP’s enrollment trends, conservation practices supported, and funding impacts, including the effects of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. This post is the third in a series of five blog posts highlighting the key findings of the report and offers a detailed look at the engagement of historically disadvantaged populations with CSP during the 2018 Farm Bill cycle.

The Conservation Stewardship Program

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary program run by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CSP aims to enhance natural resources while maintaining profitable agricultural production. It does this by providing financial and technical assistance to farmers actively managing and expanding conservation activities even while they work their lands for production. The 2018 Farm Bill mandated that 5% of annual CSP funding be set aside for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFR) and an additional 5% for Socially Disadvantaged (SDA) Producers. NSAC’s analysis shows that these set asides are largely successful in improving access to CSP; however, there is room for improvement in many states.

CSP Supports Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged, and Limited Resource Producers

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) plays an important role in supporting beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource producers. These groups often face systemic barriers such as difficulty accessing capital in the form of land and loans and, in some cases, have experienced historical discrimination from the USDA, lenders, and others. Enrolling in CSP offers access to technical and financial resources that promote sustainable farming practices, contributing to the long-term viability of their operations. The 2018 Farm Bill maintained the mandate that NRCS allocate 5% of CSP funding to beginning farmers and ranchers and another 5% to socially disadvantaged producers, to address challenges that these groups face accessing USDA programs.

CSP set asides Are Being Met  

From fiscal year (FY) 2019 to FY2023, the percentage of CSP funds allocated to beginning farmers and ranchers remained between 14% and 18% (see Figure 1), consistently exceeding the mandated 5%. Similarly, socially disadvantaged producers have seen allocations ranging from 5% to 7%, showing steady progress to meet or exceed the mandated set aside. Limited resource producers are the only group that does not have a mandated set aside and have consistently received only 1% of CSP funding.

Figure 1: CSP Meets or Exceeds Mandated Funding to Underserved Groups

While the program is meeting the minimum statutory funding requirements for beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged producers, the data suggests that these set asides could be increased. For example, the percentage of CSP funding going to beginning farmers and ranchers falls significantly below the 33% of US farms that had a beginning producer in the 2022 Agricultural Census. Enrollment trends and the growing demand for sustainable farming practices indicate that NRCS should consider expanding these targets in future farm bills to enhance the program’s reach, especially in underserved communities. Recent analysis from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found that even with a funding boost from the IRA, only 31% of farms that applied to CSP in 2023 received contracts. Farmer demand for CSP far exceeds the funding available, reinforcing the need to ensure historically underserved producers can equitably access this valuable resource. 

Below, enrollment gaps across states are discussed, highlighting how many states have significant room for improving enrollment for beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as socially disadvantaged producers.  A targeted outreach effort at the state level could ensure more equitable resource distribution.

The IRA Increased Equitable Access to CSP

CSP acreage data presents a more nuanced picture of the program’s reach than expenditures alone (see Figure 2). For beginning farmers and ranchers, the enrolled acreage ranged from a high of 10% in FY2019 and FY2020 to a low of 7% in FY2022. These figures suggest that while funding for beginning farmers and ranchers has remained relatively steady, the acreage enrolled by beginning farmers and ranchers has fluctuated. 

However, comparing the CSP enrollment of beginning farmers and ranchers to information from the Agricultural Census reveals there is much room for improvement in enrolling beginning farmers and ranchers in CSP. In the 2022 Agricultural Census, new and beginning farmers managed 22% of US farmland. This means that, even during the peak years where beginning farmers accounted for 10% of CSP acreage, beginning farmers’ representation in CSP is half of what it could be considering how much farmland is managed by beginning farmers and ranchers nationally. This reveals a significant enrollment gap for beginning farmers and ranchers. 

Socially disadvantaged producers’ enrollment by acreage also fluctuated, accounting for a high of 12% of total CSP-funded acres in FY2019 and FY2022 to a low of 8% in FY2020. In the 2022 Agricultural Census, socially disadvantaged producers managed 11% of US farmland. This means that in most years socially disadvantaged producers’ representation in CSP is lower than what it could be considering how much farmland is managed by socially disadvantaged producers nationally.  Strikingly, socially disadvantaged producers enrolled 23% of total IRA-funded acres in FY2023, reflecting an encouraging trend of increased participation driven by climate-focused funding from the IRA. 

Figure 2: CSP Acreage for Historically Underserved Groups Grows with IRA Funding

The sharp rise in socially disadvantaged producer acreage in IRA-funded contracts is particularly noteworthy and signals a shift toward greater inclusion of historically underserved groups in conservation and climate resilience efforts. This trend may result from several years of targeted outreach through NRCS’s Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements. These efforts have empowered trusted third-party organizations to connect socially disadvantaged producers with conservation programs like CSP, ensuring more equitable access to resources. Further investigation is needed to understand what might drive this trend and how it can be sustained.

Limited resource producers, however, continue to experience low enrollment, which fell to less than 1% in FY2023. This highlights the need for stronger support mechanisms and outreach efforts to ensure that limited resource producers can benefit from CSP. The comparatively higher enrollment of socially disadvantaged producers and beginning farmers and ranchers also shows the effectiveness of mandated set asides for those groups in comparison to limited resource producers.

Uneven Progress Across States

Enrollment rates across states reveal significant disparities, particularly for beginning farmers and ranchers (see Figure 3). States like Arkansas, Mississippi, and Hawaii have made substantial progress, with more than 5% of their state’s CSP acres enrolled by beginning farmers and ranchers between FY2019 and FY2023. On the other hand, states such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, Wyoming, and Delaware enrolled fewer than 1% of CSP acres by beginning farmers and ranchers, signaling an urgent need for increased outreach and support in these regions. 

Figure 3: Some States Lag in Enrollment for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

When we compare the CSP acreage enrolled by beginning farmers and ranchers to the percentage of farms managed by beginning farmers and ranchers in the 2022 Agricultural Census (see Figure 4), it is clear many states have large enrollment gaps. In many states, like Texas, beginning farmers and ranchers manage more than 30% of farms, but account for only 10% of CSP contracts. These state enrollment gaps are substantial and reveal the potential for significant growth through outreach in the immediate term and also by increasing set asides in future farm bills.

Figure 4: The Agricultural Census Reveals Room for Growth in Beginning Farmer Enrollment

Unfortunately, due to a new NRCS data suppression policy, it is difficult to analyze socially disadvantaged producer enrollment across states as data for the majority of states and years is suppressed. While we understand the importance of protecting producer privacy, NSAC is concerned that this new data policy makes it very difficult to examine enrollment trends across important subpopulations such as socially disadvantaged producer farmers and ranchers. NSAC hopes to find a way to ensure transparency and data access while still safeguarding individual privacy. 

Of the states with enough socially disadvantaged producer contracts to avoid data suppression issues, New Mexico led the way by enrolling 22% of its total CSP acres in contracts with socially disadvantaged producers (see Figure 5). Other high-performing states included Oregon, Hawaii, and South Dakota, each exceeding 5% enrollment. However, several states, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast, enrolled less than 2% of their CSP acreage through socially disadvantaged producer contracts, indicating missed opportunities to engage and support underserved farmers. 

Figure 5: Many States Lag in Enrollment of Socially Disadvantaged Producers

Again, the 2022 Agricultural Census reveals that many states have large enrollment gaps for SDA producers (see Figure 6). Several states in the West such as California, New Mexico, and Arizona have very high percentages of farmland managed by socially disadvantaged producers, but CSP acreage for socially disadvantaged producers is substantially lower in comparison. The same is true for some Southeastern states such as Mississippi and Florida. 

The inconsistent ability of individual states to enroll socially disadvantaged producers suggests an improved set aside is needed in the next farm bill to ensure farmers in every state have a fair opportunity to enroll in CSP. As with beginning farmers, NRCS should consider establishing target enrollment percentages based on the estimated population of socially disadvantaged producer producers in each state. 

Figure 6: The Agricultural Census Reveals Room for Growth in Socially Disadvantaged Producer Enrollment

The Next Farm Bill Must Address Enrollment Gaps

Many states have significant enrollment gaps for both beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. Those states have much larger populations of beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged producers than are enrolled in CSP contracts. These enrollment gaps underscore the need for a more robust set aside in future farm bills and targeted outreach and promotion efforts at the state level. 

Establishing state-specific target enrollment percentages based on population estimates could ensure that all states are engaging these underserved groups. This approach would encourage greater participation in CSP and foster more equitable outcomes across regions.

Moreover, the recent NRCS data suppression policy, which limits the availability of data related to socially disadvantaged producer contracts, presents significant challenges to understanding and improving CSP. Transparency is crucial for tracking progress, evaluating CSP enrollment goals, and assessing state-by-state gaps. A balance must be struck between protecting producer privacy and ensuring that enough data is available to analyze whether CSP is truly reaching the farmers and ranchers it aims to serve.

Conclusion

CSP has made significant strides in supporting beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource farmers, but more can be done. The national set asides mandated by the 2018 Farm Bill are generally being met or exceeded, highlighting the success of NRCS and partners in bringing underserved producers into CSP. Indeed, trends suggest that these targets could be increased in future legislation. 

Moreover, targeted outreach at the state level, coupled with more transparent data policies and state-specific enrollment goals, would help ensure that all farmers and ranchers have equitable access to the resources and benefits CSP offers. By addressing these challenges, the next farm bill can help build a more inclusive federal program.

This is the third in a series of five blog posts that analyze the findings of the report in greater detail. Forthcoming posts in the series examine:

• a national overview of CSP
• a detailed examination of the impact of the IRA on CSP,
• the engagement of historically underserved farmers,
• the impact of changing CSP contract renewal policies, and 
• a detailed state-by-state deep dive

The full report can be found here.

The post Stewarding Success: Enhancing Access for Underserved Farmers in CSP appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: Senate Hearing Highlights Need for Broader View of Beginning Farmer Challenges

Washington, DC, June 5, 2024 – Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade held a hearing entitled, “Pathways to Farming: Helping the Next Generation of Farmers.” The almost two-hour hearing featured four witnesses who spoke to their experiences as beginning farmers and ranchers. In response to the hearing, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers) issued the following statements.

“We need federal farm policy that centers equity, addresses the land access crisis, and tackles the challenges of farm viability and climate change that young farmers and ranchers struggle with daily. This Farm Bill is our best opportunity to prioritize the needs of a new generation and to build safe and thriving food and farm systems. Unfortunately, while some of our recommendations were voiced in the Pathways to Farming Senate Subcommittee hearing, the focus on base acres and reference prices as the best solution to support the next generation of farmers missed the mark,” said Michelle Hughes, Co-Executive Director of Young Farmers.

“The next farm bill should serve all farmers,” said Billy Hackett, Policy Specialist at NSAC. “Yesterday’s hearing showcased perspectives indicating that generational beginning farmers face different needs compared to new farmers, who need support to enter this industry without existing relationships, institutional knowledge, or assets.”

Tessa Parks, a member of Young Farmers and the Land Stewardship Project, both NSAC members, was the only witness able to speak to the unique, heightened challenges that first-generation farmers experience. She said:

“Beginning farmers like me face significant barriers to entry into agriculture, including a farm safety net that favors larger and more established farms, barriers to accessing land and capital, climate change, and ongoing corporate consolidation in agriculture that limits our opportunities and diminishes competition in the marketplace.”

In opening remarks, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Chair of the subcommittee, and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the full committee, mentioned the rising consolidation and price of farmland, asserting that careless increases to commodity programs would exacerbate these issues.

“A study… found a 10 percent increase to the Price Loss Coverage Program… would result in hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars going into the pockets of landlords and investors, not [active] farmers,” said Sen. Smith. “Land that is counted as base acres by the commodity program is more expensive to purchase and more costly to rent.”

Sen. Stabenow added that “the House proposal to increase these programs by 70 percent… and relax and remove payment eligibility limits for the biggest farms, will make land rents even more unaffordable for beginning farmers… Making crop insurance more affordable and accessible is a much more effective way to help farmers and it does not depend on what you planted back in the ‘80s to be able to get support. And it covers what producers are actually growing.”

“Base acre expansion is not a silver bullet or even a priority for new and beginning farmers represented by NSAC and our member organizations, who tend to be small to mid-sized and diversified, and who consistently express the need for support to facilitate access to land, capital, markets, conservation programs, and protection against worsening disasters through expanded crop insurance access,” continued Hackett. 

Notably, Sen. Smith mentioned her partnership with Young Farmers, saying “I have worked closely with [Young Farmers] on crafting the Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act, known as LASO. This bill would directly help beginning farmers and historically underserved farmers acquire affordable land, develop markets, and get access to capital.”

The subcommittee chair also entered NSAC’s latest report, Unsustainable: State of the Farm Safety Net, into the congressional record as a resource detailing the many challenges that young, beginning, and small producers face to access these pivotal USDA programs, as well as the inequitable distribution of resources through farm programs.

In a similar vein, noting that “10 percent of farm operations receive 70 percent of all yearly farm payment subsidies,” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked if “closing loopholes so [that] only actively engaged farmers… receive Title I payments [could] help beginning farmers compete with larger operations.” This line of questioning was a reference to the bipartisan Farm Program Integrity Act. 

In advance of the hearing, NSAC circulated a brief comparing many provisions across the Senate and House farm bill proposals intended to support beginning farmers. The brief concludes that the farm bill proposal from Chairwoman Stabenow, which included almost all priorities uplifted by the farmers in yesterday’s hearing, does more to meet the needs of new and beginning producers than the House mark.

“With nearly a third of the country’s total agricultural land expected to change hands over the next twenty years, this farm bill comes at a time when the future of American agriculture is at a crossroads,” said Nick Rossi, Policy Specialist at NSAC. “Do we continue down the path of ‘get big or get out’, or do we pass a farm bill that addresses equitable land access, retention, and transition?” 

Parks suggested that Congress “create and improve programs to help with land and capital access for beginning farmers, invest in programs that tackle climate change and improve the resilience of our farm operations, and address the urgent need for better access to affordable health care and child care in rural areas.”

“We urge Members of Congress to really listen to the needs of the new generation of farmers  and not to be afraid of challenging the status quo. This is our opportunity to deliver the kind of changes to policies and programs that will allow beginning farmers and ranchers to build successful careers and provide for their communities,” said Vanessa Garcia Polanco, Director of Government Relations at Young Farmers.

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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net

The post Release: Senate Hearing Highlights Need for Broader View of Beginning Farmer Challenges appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

press@sustainableagriculture.net

Tel. 347.563.6408

Release: NSAC Welcomes Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act 

Washington, DC, June 3, 2024 – Today, Representatives Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), alongside Senator Peter Welch (D-VT), introduced the Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act in the House and the Senate.  

The Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act directs the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to develop a multi-year operating loan pilot for beginning farmers to finance initial assets and the development of production and management systems. These expenditures can include intangible business infrastructure for crop records, payroll, and regulatory compliance, investments to increase soil fertility, and more. 

“The Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act proposes an innovative, balanced, pilot loan program that will serve a real need to uplift the next generation of farmers, who often struggle to finance start-up costs and repay loans within the first year of operation,” said Billy Hackett, Policy Specialist, adding that: “The development loans feature flexible, multi-year repayment terms as well as reduced collateral and interest rates with the intent to overcome barriers for new farmers posed by traditional annual operating loans.”

Specifically, the terms of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Loan Pilot Program authorized in the Act would include:

• Direct and guaranteed FSA loans with a repayment term between 3 and 10 years;
• A loan limit of $100,000 for both direct and guaranteed development loans;
• Reduced collateral requirements of not greater than 100% loan-to-value;
• Reduced interest rate between zero and 3%, as determined by the Secretary; 
• Flexible principal repayment as determined by FSA, but not less than 1% of the remaining balance annually;
• Robust technical assistance for development loan borrowers; and
• Evaluation and reporting that measure pilot program success.

“If successful, the pilot might even pave the way for lenders, including USDA, to enter into more reciprocal lending arrangements with borrowers, investing in the long-term health of their farm businesses,” continued Hackett. 

For more information, see the bill one-pager and bill text. 

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The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net

The post Release: NSAC Welcomes Bicameral Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $22.3 million in funding for 2501 grants to help organizations conduct targeted outreach and provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers. 

The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, more commonly known as the “2501 Program” and administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), helps to ensure that historically underserved producers have equitable access to the information, programs, and opportunities that will help them find success in agriculture. While 2501 typically has a 90-day application period, this year’s window is only 60 days.

All applications must be submitted via grants.gov by 11:59 pm EDT on July 5, 2024.

USDA will host two upcoming webinars to answer questions from potential grantees. 

Session 1: May 22, 2024, at 2:00 pm EDT

Web conference link – https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1616233057?pwd=MFRTRklXYnFQaThxeDZ3MmwwOWlPUT09

Session 2: June 26, 2024 at 2:00 pm EDT

Web conference link – https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615399036?pwd=NkdUN2VIdUNwenFGZENrc1laTVo2UT09

Program Background

Farmers of color have not historically benefitted from vital USDA safety net programs to the same extent as their white counterparts, often due to overt discrimination, limited resources, and USDA’s inadequate outreach to these communities. Farmers of color more commonly face unique and difficult challenges to starting and managing a successful farming operation, limiting the opportunity to have viable and resilient careers in farming.  This disparity disadvantages farmers of color in both the national and global economy and stifles the growth and prosperity of rural communities. Rising costs and limited availability of farmland, access to markets and infrastructure, discrimination, and the worsening impacts of the climate crisis and natural disasters are just some of the challenges these farmers face. In an effort to support the operations of historically underserved farmers (known collectively as “socially disadvantaged farmers” in statute), the 1990 Farm Bill authorized the 2501 Program, which the 2014 Farm Bill expanded to include veterans in what is now the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program.  

The 2018 Farm Bill combined the 2501 program with the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) into a new umbrella program: the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach (FOTO) program. Congress mandates that FOTO funds be divided equally between Section 2501 and BFRDP, with each program to receive $25 million in mandatory funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. FOTO received an additional $75 million from the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 in December 2020, and these additional funds were meant to be dispersed over the next few years. In FY22, 52 organizations were awarded 2501 grants, almost double the amount of awards granted in FY21 as a result of the additional investment from COVID relief funds. However, President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA-20) deal intended to avoid a default on the United States’ debt, now known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, H.R. 3746, rescinded all unobligated funds from the $75 million appropriated to FOTO, resulting in less funding and fewer grantees for FY23 than originally expected.

Program Eligibility

Organizations can apply for a maximum amount of $250,000 for a single year, with a grant maximum of $750,000 over a 3-year period. There is no match required for applications and only one project proposal may be submitted per eligible entity. Grant funding will be awarded to three categories of applicants:

• Category 1 – Minority serving academic institutions (e.g., 1890 and 1994 Land Grant Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions)
• Category 2 – Non-profit, community-based organizations, and Eligible Tribal Entities or National Tribal organizations
• Category 3 – Academic institutions and organizations (e.g., 1862 Land Grant Universities, including those that received funding under this program before January 1, 1996)

Importantly, organizations must have demonstrated expertise working with underserved, socially disadvantaged, and/or veteran farmer communities during the 3-year period preceding the submission of the application.

USDA is soliciting project proposals that address the following program mission areas, which are slightly different from last year. Proposals from eligible entities must address at least two of the five following programmatic mission areas as they develop their goals:

• Assist underserved, military veteran farmers and ranchers, including beginning farmers and ranchers in owning and operating successful farms and ranches; 
• Improve participation among underserved or military veteran farmers and ranchers in USDA programs; 
• Build relationships between current and prospective farmers and ranchers who are underserved or military veterans and USDA’s local, state, regional, and National offices; 
• Assist in reaching current and prospective underserved farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners in a linguistically appropriate manner; and 
• Assist with identifying the problems and barriers that underserved farmers experience and working towards minimizing or alleviating those issues to enable their equitable participation in USDA programs. 

Recent 2501 Project Awards

41 organizations were awarded 2501 grants in 2023. A mix of university institutions, including many 1890 land-grant universities, and several community-based organizations, received awards to educate, train, and mentor farmers.

A full list and descriptions of the 2023 Section 2501 projects are here, the following are descriptions of 2501 funded projects NSAC members carry out:

California Farmlink is using its grant to primarily serve Latino farmers and other socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in California with training and technical assistance needed to protect farm income and prepare farm and ranch businesses. This technical assistance supports farmers in accessing land, capital, and USDA programs. 

Michigan Integrated Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) is using its grant to assist socially disadvantaged farmers and farmer veterans in owning and successfully operating viable farms and ranches in Michigan. MIFFS supports peer-to-peer networks in Michigan for beginning and historically underserved farmers and utilizes their USDA technical assistance specialists to work one-on-one with socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and veterans. MIFFS also facilitates an annual statewide conference with more than 25 workshops and hosts at least 2 annual USDA technical assistance clinics onsite in underserved communities to build relationships with local USDA staff and identify challenges and opportunities in order to respond to the needs of SDF/R and farmers and veterans in real time.

Cultivate Kansas City is using its grant to expand and refine its New Roots Farm Training and Business Incubation program by increasing the viability and sustainability of current program participants and providing greater support to program graduates. These refinement strategies include expanding outreach to other non-English speaking populations, securing land for program graduates, and providing education and demonstrations of effective product diversification.

Challenges and Opportunities for the 2501 Program

The administration of the 2501 program has not been without challenges, including funding cuts and delays in publishing funding announcements. Such delays, like the one in 2021, gave applicants only 30 days to prepare and submit complex and time-consuming grant applications. Not surprisingly, stakeholders have been frustrated by these problems, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has recommended the agency improve its oversight and accessibility of the program. While the 2501 program has improved oversight and in the past two years maintained a 90-day window for applications, NSAC is disappointed to see only a 60-day window for FY24 applications. We will continue advocacy efforts to increase funding for the program, to make sure that nonprofits and community-based organizations working directly with underserved farmers are eligible and are receiving awards, and to ensure this program is serving the farming community it is meant to serve.

2501 in the Senate and House Farm Bill Proposals 

The upcoming Farm Bill will provide the opportunity to improve 2501 program administration, enhance accountability and transparency, and increase outreach and targeted support for underserved producers. In the past month, both the House and Senate have released their most detailed farm bill proposals to date. There are several recommendations about the program in each proposal. Both the House and Senate side-by-side maintain mandatory funding for FOTO at $50 million per year. However, the Senate version goes further:

• Adds interpretation and translation services to the program and clarifies that the program may provide outreach on programs that resolve ownership and succession on farmland with multiple owners.
• Moves administration of the program to the National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
• Extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 2029.
• Continues the current mandatory funding level at $50 million for each fiscal year.

For more information on the 2501 program, visit NSAC’s Grassroots Guide.

The post Funding Available to Support Underserved Farmers: A Look at USDA’s 2501 Grants appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Editor’s Note: This blog post is the first in a two-part series through which NSAC examines the latest Census of Agriculture in more detail. This post explores some of the high-level themes from across the Census, while the subsequent post will take deeper dives into conservation and local foods.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture, which has been conducted since 1840 and currently is updated once every five years, serves as perhaps the primary data source for understanding the state of U.S. food and agriculture and is a critical tool for farmers, researchers, and stakeholders because of the wealth of data it contains about everything from farmer demographics to cover crop acreage.

In remarks made on February 13 while releasing the new Census data, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack directed attention to the loss of farmland and farms since the 2017 Census saying:

“What you find is in 2017 there were 2 million farmers, today the survey report shows we have 1.9 million, 142,000 fewer farms in 5 years.” Vilsack continued by asking the gathered audience, “as a country are we ok with losing that many farms, are we okay with losing that much farmland, or is there a better way?”

The disappearance of farms has been a decades-long trend and is commonly traced back to Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz’s 1973 encouragement of farmers to “get big or get out.”  While perhaps unsurprising, this continued trend remains troubling, and is one that NSAC is actively working to address through our federal policy advocacy, asking Congress to prioritize the passage of a strong farm bill to ensure that federal programs – from the farm safety net and conservation programs to programs that invest in local and regional food systems – are consistently accessible for all.

Separately, the Secretary highlighted the increasing average age of farmers in the United States. In 2022, the average age of all U.S. farm producers was 58.1 years, up 0.6 years from 2017, continuing a long-term trend of aging in the U.S. producer population. Additionally, the number of producers between the ages of 35-64 declined by 9%, and the number of producers 65 and over increased by 12%.

One bright spot is the significant increase in young producers since the 2017 Census. The data show a 7% increase in farmers under 44 with the largest jump among the youngest producers, those under 25 years of age. Furthermore, new and beginning producers, defined as farmers and ranchers who have operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years, increased in both the number of producers and the share of all producers. Slightly over 1 million of the 3.4 million producers in 2022 have farmed for less than 10 years. 

Larger and Fewer

Overall, as noted above, the 2022 Census of Agriculture reports that the total number of farms is down nationwide, while the average size of farms continues to increase. As of 2022, there were 1.9 million farms and ranches across the U.S. – a decrease of 6.1 percent over the past 5 years and almost double the rate of decline seen between the 2017 and 2012 census. At the same time, the average size of farms increased slightly to 463 acres, a trend that has continued since the 2012 Census.

While the total number of farm operations shrank markedly, the overall value of all agricultural production decreased only slightly – meaning that as 100,000+ small and medium-sized farms transitioned out of farming over the past five years, their land and production were folded into larger and larger operations. This trend towards increased consolidation is also evident from looking at trends across farm sizes. Over the last five years, all categories of farms declined, except the two largest categories: farms with farms with sales between $1-4.9m and farms with sales over. See the chart below.

Increase in Farm Sales, Income, and Farm Expenses

Overall, both net farm cash income and expenses per farm have increased significantly since 2017. Average net farm cash income was $80 million, up 46% since the last census. Farm expenses averaged $2.2 million, up 28% from $1.6 million in 2017. It is important to note that the 2017 Ag Census came at a time where the data clearly reflected the realities of a sluggish farm economy. In the past several years, farm income and expenses have reached record highs and are projected to level out over the next 2-3 years. 

• In 2022, U.S. farms and ranches produced $543.1 billion in agricultural products, up from $388.5 billion in 2017. 
• The total value of crop commodities in 2022 was $281 billion, up 45% from 2017. For livestock, the value was $262 billion, up 35%.
• Large farms ($5 million or more in sales) accounted for 42% of all sales, up significantly from only 35% in 2017, despite being just one percent of all farms. Small farms ($50,000 or less in sales) made up 74% of all farms and yet only contributed to 2% of all sales in 2022.
• Over half of all sales, 55%, came from just 10 states, with California remaining on top as the largest producer at $59 billion. Iowa ranks second at $44 billion, with Texas, Nebraska, and Minnesota rounding out the top five.

Beginning Farmers

The 2022 Ag Census saw an increase in the total number of New and Beginning Producers. Slightly over 1 million of the 3.4 million producers in 2022 were beginning farmers. Their average age was 47.1, and their farms were smaller than average in both acres and sales. In addition, there was an over 10% increase in beginning farmers since 2017. 

• The average age of a beginning farmer was 47.1, 11 years younger than the average farmer.
• Farms with young producers manage 105 million acres or roughly 12% of all land in farms. Similar to the overall data, the farm size category that included the most farms with young producers was 10-49 acres.
• The amount of land and farms where at least one of the producers is a beginning farmer or rancher went up slightly – from 193.4 million acres to 196.5 million. There was an increase of nearly 33,000 farms owned or leased by beginning farmers. 
• The top three states for beginning farmers were Rhode Island, Alaska, and Maine with 41% of all farmers in Rhode Island having farmed for less than 10 years.

Producers and Farms by Ethnicity and Race

One of the most alarming statistics to come out of the 2022 Census was the loss of Black farms. Farms with at least one producer reporting as Black decreased by 13% between 2017 and 2022, from 32,910 farms in 2017 to 28,723 in 2022. This is nearly double the percentage of overall farm loss in the US. The statistics in this next section pertain to farms with at least one producer reporting their race as follows:

• 96% of farms in the US report at least 1 producer as white.
• The number of farms across demographics showed a decrease since 2017 with the exception of Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander farms:
  • 7% loss of farms in the US 
  • 7% loss of White farms
  • 13% loss of Black farms
  • 5% loss of Native American farms
  • 3% loss in Hispanic, Latino, Spanish farms
  • 2% increase Asian farms
  • 8.7% increase in Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Organic Production 

While the 2017 Census found robust growth in organic production in terms of sales, number of certified farms, and acres transitioning to organic, the 2022 Census saw a decline in the number of National Organic Program (NOP) Certified Organic Farmers (4% decrease) and an even steeper decline in the number of farms with acres transitioning to organic (43% decrease). This decrease comes in despite the significant increase in the sale of organic commodities since the 2017 census (24% increase).

• There are 17,048 certified organic farm operations in the U.S., a decrease of 4% since 2017. However, when including organic operations exempt from NOP certification, the decrease was 7%.
• Sales of organic commodities were valued at $9.6 billion.
• 2,125 farms were transitioning acreage into certified organic production in 2022, a 43% decrease since the last Census.

For more on the 2022 Census of Agriculture stay tuned to the NSAC blog, and check out the following resources:

• NASS Press Release
• 2022 Census of Agriculture Report
• Ag Census Highlights 

The post Examining the Latest Agricultural Census Data appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.