Other Ag News:
(Washington, D.C., August 1, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) intent to purchase up to $230 million in fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need.
(Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins congratulates Tyler Clarkson on his confirmation to serve as General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
(Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Forest Service is investing $106 million to support state and landowner efforts to conserve private working forestlands across the country. Funded through the Forest Legacy Program, these projects will protect forests vital to the economic and social fabric of local communities – ensuring they remain productive, working forests for Americans and tourists to use and enjoy.
(Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins invites families, food lovers, and patriots alike to the Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., August 3 – 8, 2025. This weeklong celebration will be a vibrant showcase of American agriculture, with over 50 daily booths from farmers, ranchers, producers, and vendors across the country, offering a diverse array of goods and experiences that embody the heart of rural prosperity and innovation as a celebration of American agriculture and entrepreneurial spirit.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Release: Bipartisan House Bill Connects Local Farmers to Food Insecure Communities
Washington, DC, July 30, 2025 – On Tuesday, July 29, Representatives Robert Bresnahan (R-PA-8), David Valadao (R-CA-22), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Tony Wied (R-WI-8), Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4), Zachary Nunn (R-IA-3), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-7), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), and Alma Adams (D-NC-12) introduced the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act (LFFC) of 2025 (H.R. 4782). The LFFC Act would establish and expand relationships between local producers and food distribution networks that create new market opportunities for farmers and improve community food security. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds House champions for their practical approach to addressing local food insecurity. This bill would provide critical access to fresh, local foods while supporting a wide range of family farmers.
“The introduction of the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act demonstrates clear bipartisan, bicameral support for investing in local and regional supply chains nationwide. Allowing states and Tribes to make food purchases at the local level simply makes sense – it is efficient, keeps food dollars local, and families get fresh food they actually want,” commented Hannah Quigley, Policy Specialist with NSAC.
The LFFC Act creates a pathway for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into cooperative agreements with states and tribal governments to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed local food from small, mid-sized, beginning, or veteran fishers, farmers, and ranchers to distribute to organizations. These agreements will offer consistent purchasing opportunities for evolving local food distribution networks. It offers additional support for producers that may require technical assistance in food safety planning, training, and upgrades required to scale to new commercial wholesale markets.
“Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) applauds the introduction of the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act and much-needed investments in California’s family-scale farmers. Access to wholesale and institutional markets is key to strong regional supply chains, and the local food purchasing model has proven successful in California since 2023. We’ve supported over 700 farms and delivered over 25 million pounds of local, nutritious food back to hungry families through our partnership with food banks and hunger-relief organizations. This new legislation would allow even more farmers to serve their communities,” said Paul Towers, Executive Director of CAFF, an NSAC member.
“Permanently funding a local food purchasing program through the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act helps build a more resilient food system. This program strengthens local economies by creating stable markets for regional producers, while ensuring that nutritious food reaches families in need. It’s a commonsense investment, and one that will bring critical revenue to Pennsylvania’s vital farm businesses,” said Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director at Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, an NSAC member.
Find more details about the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act in the House bill text and the Strengthening Local Food Security Act in NSAC’s press release.
###
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: Bipartisan House Bill Connects Local Farmers to Food Insecure Communities appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
(Washington, D.C., July 28, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers in the Commonwealth of Virginia recover from Hurricane Helene. Secretary Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) that provides recovery assistance for Virginian farmers. Virginia is the second state to receive this disaster aid.
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Comment: Without Input from Farmers and Experts, USDA Reorganization Would Close Offices and Lead to Staff Reductions
Washington, DC, July 24, 2025 – On Thursday, July 24, the US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, announced a reorganization of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The reorganization, announced through a 5-page memorandum, is short on details of how its proposals would improve the circumstances of farmers. The memorandum offers no timeline for the reorganization. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition issued the following comment attributable to Mike Lavender, Policy Director:
“Without input from farmers, the proposed USDA reorganization would close offices and lead to further staff reductions – and ultimately farmers would pay the price. Improving USDA to better serve farmers and ranchers is a noble undertaking – but today’s announcement fails to connect the dots between a mass staff relocation and the resultant staff loss, and expanded economic opportunity for all farmers and ranchers. USDA should immediately pause the reorganization to gather public comment about what farmers and ranchers really need – and Congress should halt the reorganization until USDA can clearly demonstrate the benefit to farmer livelihoods from coast to coast.”
Since January 2025, nearly 2,000 employees have left USDA and an additional 15% have opted into the Deferred Resignation Program. This means a total of nearly 18,000 fewer USDA employees are now serving America’s farmers compared to earlier this year. Previous relocations of USDA offices, most notably the 2019 relocation of the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, led to years-long reduced output and lower staffing levels.
###
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 Comment: Without Input from Farmers and Experts, USDA Reorganization Would Close Offices and Lead to Staff Reductions appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
(Washington, D.C., July 24, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), refocusing its core operations to better align with its founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry.
(Washington, D.C., July 23, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins issued a statement congratulating President Donald J. Trump on the major trade breakthrough that gives greater access to U.S. beef producers selling to Australia:
Under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture are accelerating federal efforts to address the growing concerns around ultra-processed foods and the current epidemic of diet-related chronic disease that is plaguing America.
Pages
Signup for the Ag Newsletter
Get the freshest farm news, events and updates from in and around Cattaraugus County, NY at least once a month! Go signup!
Other ways to stay connected:
Get Involved in Farming
Resources for Starting a Farm in Cattaraugus County
Profile of Cattaraugus County soils
Agriculture Career Exploration
Questions about farming? Find out Who to Call
