7/27/2023 0 Comments State farm bill pay![]() ![]() ![]() Farmers need financial and technical assistance tailored for organic production to help them ride out these bumps, and the Opportunities in Organic Act will make these flexible resources available.Īccess to organic processing and distribution infrastructure also remains a barrier for many producers, particularly in areas of the country that don’t yet have a critical mass of organic production. While organic farms are ultimately more resilient and profitable in the long-run, they may see changes in pest and disease pressure as they adopt a new approach to building healthy soil and yields may fluctuate for several years until they reach a new equilibrium. Farmers face a wide range of farming and business risks during that period, before they receive market benefits of their effort. It takes three years for a farm to transition to organic, from when the last synthetic pesticide or fertilizer is applied to the land to when the farm can use the “organic” label. remains a net importer of organic products.įood and farming businesses need a meaningful support system to make the jump to organic and meet this strong demand. But only 1% of our agricultural land is certified organic, and the U.S. households regularly purchase organic food, and consumer demand for organic surpassed $67 billion in 2022. Organic offers broad economic and health benefits, safeguards our natural resources, and positions farms and ranches to thrive, even in droughts and other extreme weather.Įven so, organic hasn’t received the same levels of public investments that other parts of our agricultural system receive from the Farm Bill – and it shows. The federal law that strictly defines organic agriculture was adopted in the 1990 Farm Bill, setting in motion decades of growth in a food sector that protects public health and the environment. The Farm Bill shapes our food and farming system, by directing hundreds of billions of public dollars, as well as setting farm policies. ![]() ![]() The bill would invest in comprehensive and easily accessible tools that remove barriers for organic and transitioning farmers – and entice more to join them. 1582), introduced today by Senator Peter Welch and twelve other Senators (with a House companion led by Congressman Jimmy Panetta expected soon). It’s Farm Bill season, and this year, we need to seed more organic agriculture – starting with the Opportunities in Organic Act ( S. The bill is supported by a wide range of farming, environmental, and health organizations across the country, including: Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Environmental Working Group, Farm Action Fund, Friends of the Earth, Georgia Organics, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Midwest Organic Services Association, National Organic Coalition, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Young Farmers Coalition, Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ, Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY, Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT, Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association, Oregon Tilth, Organic Farmers Association, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Organic Seed Alliance, Pennsylvania Certified Organic, Rural Coalition, Union of Concerned Scientists, Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, and Wild Farm Alliance. This important legislation would revamp the existing Organic Certification Cost-Share Program into a comprehensive Opportunities in Organic Program that puts organic in reach for more farmers, ranchers, and families. Suzanne Bonamici, Zoe Lofgren, Jim McGovern, Donald Payne Jr., Chellie Pingree, and Andrea Salinas. Update (May 24, 2023): Representatives Jimmy Panetta and Alma Adams introduced the Opportunities in Organic Act today, cosponsored by Reps. ![]()
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