Agriculture and the President’s Budget and More

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Taylor in Farming Resources, Food Safety, News, Policy, Politics, Sustainable Agriculture // 0 Comments

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) News for this week including Agriculture and the President’s Budget, Food Safety News, and More…

BUDGET NEWS

Agriculture and The President’s Budget: President’s Budget Puts Agriculture Back on the Chopping Block – Seemingly unphased by Congress’ resounding rejection of his previously proposed budget cuts to agriculture spending, the President has recommended $2.2 billion (a roughly ten percent cut compared to FY 2019 enacted levels) in cuts to federal food and farm programs as part of his FY 2020 budget proposal. Check out the latest blog post about Agriculture and the President’s Budget.

Stay tuned for our full analysis of the full FY 2020 proposed budget in next week’s weekly roundup.

FOOD SAFETY NEWS

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule: An Inspection Preview

Food safety inspections on produce farms are beginning this month, but there are still questions as to what the first round of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule inspections will look like. The fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be regulating farms for the first time is concerning for many produce farmers who have never interacted with FDA before on a regular basis. Adding to the anxiety for some producers, is the fact that this will be the first time in history that they will have to deal with regular inspections on their farm.

In order to help producers prepare, FDA has provided a preview of what a produce farm inspection might look like. Using the information provided by FDA and our own additional resources, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) details in this post what produce farmers might expect from the upcoming inspections, and provides some best practice tips for getting through the process as painlessly as possible.

This post is not legal advice. For specific information on how a Produce Safety Rule Inspection might impact your operation, please contact an attorney.

NSAC JOBS

NSAC is seeking a Coalition Director! – Are you deeply committed to public service and are experienced in administration in the field of sustainable agriculture? Would you enjoy leading a passionate, high-performing, member-engaged, and collaborative organization that is dedicated to working for racial equity? NSAC is looking for a new Coalition Director. NSAC offers competitive non-profit salary and benefits and is an equal opportunity employer.