Learn how you can advocate for a more fiscally and environmentally responsible farm safety net.

The Farm Bill expired over six months ago, and we’re still many hard conversations away from a new bill. One of the principal fault lines facing members of Congress is the tension between increased spending on the farm safety net (crop insurance and commodity supports) and preserving the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic investment in conservation. Congress has not identified enough funding to do both, so elected officials are aligning with one camp or the other.

The groups advocating for higher subsidies are large, well-funded, and well-connected. While the farm safety net is critical to our agricultural system, it is far from perfect. The crop insurance and commodity programs pick winners and losers, disincentivize conservation practices, and demand a price tag that cannot be sustained.

Convincing Congress to upend the safety net status quo is an uphill battle, and they won’t address this problem without farmer input. Do you want to advocate for a more fiscally and environmentally responsible farm safety net? Watch our evening webinar to learn more about this issue and identify opportunities to make your voice heard.

Recorded April 23, 2024

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The post Farm Bill Fault Lines: Climate and the Farm Safety Net appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn more about Pennsylvania’s Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program with hear others share about what elements of the program may or may not be working for them.

In 2019, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program to provide tax credits to owners of agricultural assets who sell or rent to beginning farmers. The program was designed to improve land access for beginning farmers by incentivizing landowners to prioritize beginning farmers over other buyers or tenants. In this webinar, we provided an overview of how the program works and discussed whether or not it may be working.

Recorded April 9, 2024

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Learn about the growing impact of severe floods and droughts on farms and other lands and the role farmers can play in directly mitigating flood and drought damage.

Two livestock farmers highlight their different approaches to 2023’s record-breaking flooding and drought conditions. Resources farmers can access to reduce exposure, take preventive measures, and help downstream neighbors are discussed.

Recorded: March 29, 2024

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The post Flood Mitigation: A Roadmap for Pennsylvania appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

How can farms help mitigate floods and protect communities downstream? (Hint: it starts in our soil!)

The post Flood Impacts & Solutions appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

In large omnibus legislation like the Farm Bill, it’s easy for good ideas to get lost. Grouping proposed legislation into small packages focused around key issues can help get the attention of lawmakers—that’s where marker bills come in! 

Join us to learn how advocates use marker bills to build support among legislators and to raise public awareness and grow grassroots support for policy change. 

Policy experts from National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will provide an overview of the legislative landscape and offer some real-world policy solutions to your on-farm challenges. 

We’ll dig into several marker bills that have already been drafted or introduced with the hope of inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill.

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The post Farm Bill 101: What Is a Marker Bill? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

When it comes to stormwater management, do these temporary structures need to be regulated the same as permanent buildings? High tunnels are popping up across the landscape to help farms extend growing seasons, protect produce from an increasingly harsh climate, and provide a relatively inexpensive means of rotating crop locations.

In 2018, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a new law to clarify that these temporary structures should be regulated differently than permanent-based structures like greenhouses and barns. However, confusion still remains around the issue of stormwater management, and farmers in some Pennsylvania townships are being asked to meet costly, time-consuming requirements.

Recorded April 21, 2023

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In February 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a first-ever Commission on Equity to analyze how USDA programs, practices, and policies can be improved to lower barriers to inclusion and access. The commission will also work to address discrimination and perpetuation of disparities among farmers who might benefit from USDA assistance. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Redding is one of 15 members of the subcommittee on agriculture and rural economic development appointed to this prestigious group, and has had a front-row seat in the discussions to make changes and improvements. The diversity and quality of committee members is also remarkable, and looks nothing like any other previous USDA committees.

While the committee has only been operating for six months, recommendations are already forming, and USDA administrators are already taking actions to encourage access, equity, and a fairer playing field through executive action and through the courts.

Secretary Redding provides insight on the inner-workings of the committee. He also shares his personal philosophy on the importance of diversity and inclusion and discusses his approach to growing equity here in Pennsylvania.

Recorded October 26, 2022

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The post Building Equity for U.S. Farmers: A Talk with PA’s Agriculture Secretary appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Learn how a circular economy advocacy group, a zero-waste design firm, and a local restaurant teamed up to convince the City of Philadelphia that takeout customers deserve an alternative to single-use to-go containers. At the height of the pandemic, many people were ordering takeout to support their favorite local restaurants, but to-go containers were stacking up.

Find out how these groups worked together to change minds—and policy—in just a few short months!

Recorded October 14, 2022

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One out of every six children in Pennsylvania faces hunger. USDA child nutrition waivers are expiring. How can we protect and support vital school and community meal programs today?

Tune in for this important conversation with a panel of representatives from Feeding PA, School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Farm to School Network, and the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education. We discuss how we might improve and expand on existing programs, as well as what potential new solutions could help address food insecurity through the school system.

We also discuss the crucial role that farms play in supporting school nutrition programs, and what can be done to reduce the obstacles to getting fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to kids in our communities.

Recorded June 10, 2022

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The post Listening Session: How Can We Help Schools Address Food Insecurity? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Our policy staff, joined by Adrienne Nelson of National Young Farmers, gives a brief overview of what’s included in the current bill, set to expire in October 2023, with an emphasis on provisions related to conservation, forestry, and energy. Then hear what our audience had to share about their experiences working with existing Farm Bill programs and ideas for changes and improvements.

Didn’t get to join us live? It’s not too late to tell us what you want in the 2023 Farm Bill. Email our Policy Strategist Sara Nicholas to let her know what’s working and what could be improved. 

This listening session was supported by a grant from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Recorded April 8, 2022

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The post Listening Session: What Do You Want in the Next Farm Bill? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

A recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists indicates that outdoor workers, particularly farmworkers, are 20 times more likely to die of heat-related illnesses than other workers. With increasingly extreme weather, the number of unsafe outdoor workdays is likely to climb. The Biden administration recently announced an effort to protect workers from heat stress, including plans to develop a federal heat standard. How is this issue being addressed at the state level? What steps can farmers take to lessen or mitigate the impacts on workers?

Hear from a group of panelists who address this issue from the farmer, farmworker, and policy perspectives.

Speakers

Elena Velez, LLC Certified Healthcare Interpreter
Jennifer Glenister, Operator at New Morning Farm
Nina Berryman, Farm Manager at Weavers Way Farm
Sara Nicholas, Policy Strategist at Pasa

Recorded November 19, 2021

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The post Listening Session: Climate Impacts on Farmworkers appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a bill that eliminates landowner liability for most agritainment operations, excluding restaurants and overnight stay establishments. What does this mean for farms that have agritainment operations now? What does it mean for the future of the industry? And what obstacles may still be preventing new agritainment businesses from getting started?

Our panelists discuss this issue from the farm, legal, and tourism perspectives, then take questions and address concerns from the audience.

Speakers

Art King, Harvest Valley Farms
Brook Duer, Penn State Law’s Center for Agricultural and Shale Law (CASL)
Laura England, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Sara Nicholas, Pasa’s Policy Strategist

Recorded October 15, 2021

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Many groups are making recommendations for where utility-scale solar arrays should (or shouldn’t) be placed. But what would farmers like to see? And what are the considerations for siting solar on farms in a way that doesn’t disrupt agricultural production? In this webinar you’ll hear from a panel including a farmer who has successfully integrated solar on his operation and representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Recorded August 20, 2021

Find more information on this topic this topic:

Federal Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant
agrivoltaic research at Oregon State University and at Rutgers
American Solar Grazing Association
American Land Trust: Farms Under Threat
Farmland Trust: Dual Use Solar Arrays
Nature Conservancy, North Carolina: Principles of Low Impact Solar
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program

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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local agencies receive thousands of complaints about drifting pesticides each year. We at Pasa also have received several reports from farmers in our community who experienced instances of pesticide drift and even accidental spraying directly on their fields. In addition to health concerns, the consequences for the contaminated farms often involve loss of the crops, loss of certification, and the need for remediation — all of which cost money and time. What can you do if this happens to your farm?

During this listening session, we hear from farmers who have dealt with this issue and we review the current best practices for reporting and seeking compensation for pesticide drift. We also hear from legal and policy advisors and organic certifiers and discuss potential changes for how to address and prevent this issue going forward.

Recorded July 23, 2021.

Additional resources:

Pesticide Action Network • North America
Drift Watch
“Liability coverage for chemical drift,” The Grapevine Magazine
“What to do when pesticide drift happens,” Ohio Farmer

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The post Listening Session: What Can We Do About Pesticide Drift? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Congress has tried for years to improve the small meat processing industry. A newly introduced bill, The Strengthening Local Processing Act, addresses some of the issues facing Pennsylvania’s small meat processors, but what else is needed?

This conversation is a continuation of our earlier Listening Session for Small Meat Processors, which you can find here.

Speakers

Michael Kovach, Owner of Walnut Hill Farm and Vice President of the PA Farmers Union

Kelly Nuckolls, Senior Policy Specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

The post Listening Session: What’s Next for Small Meat Processors? appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

How will the federal hemp rule impact local growers? What about recent grant programs designed to encourage hemp production and sales in Pennsylvania? What other policies, investments, and efforts are needed to support and grow this industry?

In addition to these questions, panelists also addressed questions and comments from attendees.

Speakers:

Josh Leidhecker, Owner, Susquehanna Hemp Company

Andrea Ferich, Owner, Ironwood Forestry

Sarah Mitchell, Industrial Hemp Specialist, King’s Agriseeds

Phillip J. Stober, Division Chief for Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Sara Nicholas, Policy Strategist, Pasa

The post Listening Session: What’s Next for Industrial Hemp appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Our region continued to address other pressing issues, too: advancing the fight against climate change, promoting new business models to find their economic footing as refugees, and honing systems to make local foods accessible for all.

We offer the following report to demonstrate the value that farmers and local food organizations provide to the Northeast, and, in turn, the value that state and federal policies provide to them in helping them do their work. We also share some ideas from practitioners about how some of these policies can be
improved to support a Northeast food system that is fair, resilient, and sustainable.

This document is a collaborative effort of the following organizations: American Farmland Trust, Community Food Funders, Hartford Food System/CT Food System Alliance, The John Merck Fund, Land For Good, Maine Farmland Trust, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, and Public Health Solutions.

The post How State & Federal Programs Supported Farmers in the Northeast Through the Pandemic appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

We invited meat processors, farmers, and agency and non-profit staff to share their experiences and suggested solutions for alleviating problems in the current supply chain.

Facilitators:

Sara Nicholas, Pasa Policy Strategist

Jay Young, meat processor at Rising Spring Meats

Michael Kovach, meat producer Walnut Hill Farm

Josh Scheinberg, Eastern Regional Director, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

The post Listening Session: Meat Processing appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Solar companies are actively looking to place industrial arrays on farmland, while many small farmers are interested in installing solar panels for home and community use. We invite farmers, solar industry professionals, and solar energy advocates to join us for a listening session facilitated by Pasa’s policy strategist Sara Nicholas, solar developer Doug Neidich (Greenworks), sheep farmer and solar grazier Caroline Owens (Owens Farm), and American Solar Grazing Association director Lexie Hain.

We’ll consider: Where is solar most compatible with commercial farming? What types of financing and technical development are available? And what policy changes need to happen to accelerate solar development, while balancing the interests of farmers, citizens, and energy companies?

Recorded on October 21, 2020.

The post Listening Session: On-Farm Solar Energy appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

During this farmer listening session, Alyssa Charney from Pa. Senator Bob Casey’s office and John Hollay from United Fresh Produce respond to questions and listen to concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on H-2A farm workers.

The post Listening Session: H-2A Farm Workers & COVID-19 appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.