NSAC Responds to Government Funding Deal: Congressional Agreement Omits Key Conservation Funding for Farmers

Washington, DC, December 17, 2024 – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released the following comment in response to a deal reached by Congressional leaders to fund the government, extend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), and provide disaster relief funding for areas hit by natural disasters. The deal does not incorporate Inflation Reduction Act conservation investments into the farm bill extension. The comment is attributable to Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director.

“For the hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers whose livelihood depends on building the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of their operation through conservation, today’s deal is a colossal setback. Faced with a generational opportunity to improve the futures of farm families nationwide, this deal instead prioritizes politics. NSAC thanks the many Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who have fought tirelessly on behalf of farmers to defend these investments. From here, the 2025 farm bill reauthorization becomes an even more important moment to recoup a small fraction of the conservation investment left on the table today. Congress cannot continue prioritizing short-term aid while shortchanging farmers’ long term needs. It is well past time for Congress to get serious about a farm bill rooted in sound policies that meet the needs of all farmers.”

Stay tuned for NSAC’s detailed analysis of the full funding deal.

-National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition