Sustainable Agriculture News for October 10-14, 2011

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Here is the latest edition of Sustainable Agriculture News from NSAC for October 10-14, 2011:

CONGRESSIONAL NEWS

No Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Letter Yet: The October 14 deadline for the authorizing committees of Congress to send their deficit reduction recommendations to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (often referred to as the Super Committee) has passed without a letter from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.  Read more…

Agriculture Spending Coming Into Focus in Next Few Days: The Senate may begin consideration of the agricultural appropriations bill on the floor today, even while the House and Senate authorizing committee readies their letter, due tomorrow, to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction detailing proposed cuts to farm bill mandatory spending.  Read more…

USDA NEWS

USDA Announces 2011 Farmers Market Promotion Program Awards: On October 13th, USDA announced the recipients of this year’s Farmers Market Promotion Program awards.  The 2011 awards span 149 projects in 42 States and the District of Columbia and total $9.2 million in funding.  Read more…

Four RBOG Grants Promote Local and Regional Food Systems: On October 3, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced recipients of USDA’s 2011 Rural Business Opportunity Grants (RBOG), which support regional planning activities to improve economic conditions in rural areas.  Thirty-seven awards totaling more than $2.5 million were granted to various organizations in 27 states.  Read more…

NRCS Issues Conservation Effects Assessment for the Great Lakes Region: On Thursday, October 13, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) issued the third study in the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) cropland component.  The cropland component is intended to quantify the effects of conservation practices on cultivated cropland in the lower 48 states.  Read more…