The Farmstand Blog
Pantry Pivots | Technical Assistance Spotlight
August 17, 2026
Centering food pantry clients' ability to choose their own foods is about more than nutrition, it’s about being neighborly. Many pantries pre-select which products are given to its clients. For the food programs themselves, this can be time-consuming and physically demanding on staff and volunteers, and agencies may be investing their money on the wrong products. Neighbors, on the other hand, receive things that they may not use or not know how to prepare.
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Update: Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers, Deadline Extended to Sept 30
August 16, 2026
Farmers who planted specialty crops in 2025 may be eligible for one-time payments through the USDA’s Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. To participate, producers must report their 2025 planted acreage to their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office by 5:00 p.m. EDT on March 13, 2026.
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RAFI Statement on P&S Rules Rescission
July 30, 2026
USDA is proposing to withdraw three finalized Packers and Stockyards rules intended to protect contract growers from unfair treatment. This statement explains what is at stake for growers and why RAFI believes these protections should remain in place.
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2026 FSA County Committee Elections
July 27, 2026
Farm Service Agency County committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of USDA/FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs.
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A Reflection on Food & SNAP
July 22, 2026
In June, Come to the Table partnered with Dr. Sarah Bowen and Dr. Annie Hardison-Moody of N.C. State University to host a workshop on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), its history, and how communities can respond in light of recent cuts of the program.
The RAFI team led participants through a timeline of the last year as it relates to SNAP. Since October 2025, the food assistance space has taken blow after blow from significant changes and cuts to federal policy.
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2026-2027 FSA Deadlines
July 9, 2026
Deadlines for Farm Service Agency programs are fast approaching! Explore available programs and check your eligibility for financial assistance.
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Magnolia Cafe in Dunn, NC | Where Dignity Meets Delicious
July 9, 2026
When you walk into Magnolia Cafe in Dunn, North Carolina, you are greeted by a friendly kitchen and the smell of comfort food. A mural of colorful magnolias covers one wall while another showcases the phrase, “Where Dignity Meets Delicious.” Despite being a new cafe, it feels like a place where the locals are regulars. Behind the locally sourced ingredients and the display case of banana pudding, there’s something that makes this cafe extra special.
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The Senate Should Not Use Farmers as a Deal “Sweetener”
July 1, 2026
Farmers need a real Farm Bill — not short-term relief used as a bargaining chip for unrelated war funding. As farm families face rising input costs, inflation, disrupted programs, and delayed action from Congress, small- and mid-scale independent farmers need policy that addresses the roots of the crisis. A strong Farm Bill should strengthen farm credit, restaff local USDA offices, rebuild regional food infrastructure, protect SNAP, and curb corporate price gouging.
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