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The California Climate and Agriculture Network (<\/span>CalCAN<\/span><\/a>) has long participated in the<\/span> National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition<\/span><\/a> (NSAC), collaborating with other farming organizations nationwide to advocate for policies that support sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture. Our involvement in NSAC allows us to join with like-minded organizations nationwide, amplifying the voices of California farmers and ensuring that their needs are represented in federal policy discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n Last week, I had the opportunity to represent CalCAN at NSAC\u2019s Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. I was joined by fellow Californians Gary Peterson from<\/span> California FarmLink<\/span><\/a> and Gordon Merrick from California-based <\/span>Organic Farming Research Foundation<\/span><\/a> (OFRF), as well as Antonio Garza, a farmer from<\/span> Feeding Crane Farm<\/span><\/a> in Nevada County. Many other NSAC members from other states also brought farmers to the meeting, reflecting our collective commitment to ensuring farmer voices are heard in national policy discussions.<\/span><\/p>\n The meeting brought together over 100 attendees and more than more than half of NSAC\u2019s 150 member organizations from across the country. This annual gathering serves as a platform to set policy priorities, strategize advocacy efforts, and strengthen relationships among members. The conference commenced with the unveiling and discussion of NSAC\u2019s draft Strategic Plan, the culmination of a year-long collaborative effort to outline the coalition\u2019s goals and objectives for 2025-2029.<\/span><\/p>\n Moving into 2025, Congress still needs to reauthorize the farm bill after failing to do so last year. The 2018 farm bill expired in 2023, and Congress temporarily extended it to September 2025, but they have no concrete plan to move a farm bill forward. Last year, the Senate Democrats put forward a <\/span>version of the Farm Bill<\/span><\/a> that included significant progress on several of NSAC\u2019s priority areas, including climate change. With Republicans now controlling both chambers, it remains unclear what shape the farm bill will take in the 119th Congress. To delve deeper into 2025 strategizing, NSAC led the meeting through three plenary sessions, each focusing on critical areas of NSAC\u2019s work:<\/span><\/p>\n During the Climate Change and Agriculture session at the NSAC Winter Conference, I participated in a breakout group focused on actions from the Trump Administration that have led to funding freezes for key USDA programs, including the NRCS programs that fund climate agriculture practices like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). We strategized on advocacy efforts to pressure the administration to lift the freezes and honor existing contracts. (<\/span>Read more in CalCAN\u2019s blog<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n The last day of the conference focused on direct advocacy, as NSAC members met with legislators on Capitol Hill. Our California team met with the DC offices of key Congressional representatives, including the entire California delegation to the House Agriculture Committee\u2014Representatives LaMalfa, Costa, and Gray\u2014as well as Representative Valadao, the only California member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. We also met with Senator Schiff\u2019s office, the first California Senator to serve on the Agriculture Committee in over 30 years, and Representatives Carbajal and Panetta, former House Agriculture Committee members who remain active on agriculture policy.<\/span><\/p>\n During these meetings, we highlighted CalCAN\u2019s two main federal policy priorities for 2025:<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to our efforts, other California NSAC members used their meetings to advocate for investments in local food systems and markets, increased resources for beginning farmers, and funding for organic agriculture research. We also shared <\/span>stories of the impacts of the funding freeze<\/span><\/a> at USDA on farmers in our network and called on our representatives to engage with the USDA to honor their contracts and commitments to farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n If there was just one takeaway from this year\u2019s NSAC Winter Meeting it was confirmation that staying vigilant and mobilized is more crucial than ever. With ongoing attempts to cut or freeze critical funding and programs, farmers, advocates, and supporters must be ready to engage by:<\/span><\/p>\n \u2705 Demanding the executive branch deliver on funding promised by Congress<\/span><\/p>\n \u2705 Fighting for continued investments in climate-smart agriculture<\/span><\/p>\n \u2705 Pushing for a strong and comprehensive farm bill<\/span><\/p>\n We encourage you to stay informed and take action when opportunities arise! Sign up for <\/span>our newsletter<\/span><\/a> to receive updates and calls to action.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Farm Bill: What\u2019s Next?<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Advocacy on Capitol Hill<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Looking Ahead<\/b><\/h3>\n
Related<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n