Farmer Fair Practices Rules and Other News

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Taylor in Farming Resources, News, Policy, Politics, Sustainable Agriculture // 0 Comments

The latest news from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) including Farmer Fair Practices Rules, Food Safety, Organic Research, and more…

Comment: NSAC Applauds USDA for Moving Forward with Farmer Fair Practices Rules

We thank Secretary Vilsack for moving forward on the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) “Farmer Fair Practices Rules”, which were sent today by USDA to the Office of Management and Budget for final sign-off. These rules will help level the playing field for farmers in an industry that has historically been anything but fair and transparent. When these rules go into effect, livestock and poultry farmers will finally have some of the basic protections in the workplace that most of us take for granted.

Livestock and Poultry Industry Groups Continue Efforts to Stall USDA Protections for Farms

On September 19, powerful corporate livestock and poultry industry groups released a report (“Proposed GIPSA Rules Relation to the Chicken Industry: Economic Impact”) on USDA’s 2010 Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule in an attempt to continue stalling USDA’s efforts to protect the rights of livestock and poultry farmers. This report mirrors claims made by these same groups in 2010, which stated the rule would harm family poultry and livestock producers.

FDA NEWS

When it Comes to Food Safety, Farmers Need the Right On-Ramp

Following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) finalization of its “Produce Rule” last year, part of FDA’s new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, farmers have found themselves with more questions than answers concerning the new regulations and requirements. The most frequently asked question we receive here at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has been whether or not farmers need to sign up for an upcoming Produce Safety Alliance FSMA training for produce growers – the short answer is: probably not.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGS

Organic Farming Reserach Foundation Report Identifies Top Challenges Facing Farmers

This article is a guest blog by Brise Tencer, Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). OFRF is a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) member organization based in Santa Cruz and a lead partner on our organic research policy work. OFRF has just released their 2016 National Organic Research Agenda and identifies priorities and recommendations for research in organics in this post.

Plant Breeding Priorities for Organic Farmers

This article is a guest blog by Kristina Hubbard, Director of Advocacy and Communications with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). OSA is a non-profit organization based in Port Townsend, WA, and a close partner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (NSAC) “Seeds and Breeds” campaign work. This post details the regional priorities laid out by the Pacific Northwest and Northeast regions for organic seed breeding.