Urgent Action Alert: Support Organic in the Farm Bill!

Urgent Action Alert: Support Organic in the Farm Bill!

The House Farm Bill fails to keep pace with the growing organic food and farming sector. Help us make a difference by asking your Representative to give organic its fair share of investment in the Farm Bill!

Please personalize the message below if you can and explain why organic agriculture is important in your state and community.

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Dear [elected official],

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I am deeply concerned that the draft Farm Bill being considered in the House of Representatives provides too little support for organic agriculture. While demand for organic products continues to grow, imports are filling the gap, even where we can be producing for the organic market here at home. This bill misses the opportunity to bolster rural economies and support farmers seeking to participate in this rapidly expanding market.

Please give organic agriculture its fair share of investment. I appreciate that the House Farm Bill provides some funding to continue important organic programs, but it is not enough. I am deeply disappointed that the bill:

1. Fails to adequately fund the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP currently oversees more than 46,000 operations in more than 100 countries around the world and the sector continues to grow. Additional resources are essential to adequately enforce organic regulations and to tackle fraud in organic supply chains. The Farm Bill should provide stepped up funding for the NOP over the life of the Farm Bill.

2. Provides only $8 million annually for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. That funding level is not even enough to fully fund the program in 2024, and the cost of the program is expected to continue to rise over the next five year as more operations participate in organic certification and the cost of organic certification continues to go up. The Farm Bill should provide funds as needed to adequately cover the cost of this critically important program.

3. Fails to invest in the growth of USDA’s organic research ecosystem. Although this bill maintains level funding for USDA's flagship research program, OREI, it does not reflect the growth of the organic market since 2018 and the challenges all farmers face. Organic research benefits all farmers, conventional research does not benefit organic producers. Level funding fails to provide farmers with the tools to create thriving businesses in the face of changing weather patterns and shifting markets. The Farm Bill should ensure that organic research keeps pace with the growing organic sector.

Organic farms protect soil health, water quality, and other natural resources. And organic operations help produce food for the growing organic marketplace. 4 out of 5 households across the country regularly purchase organic products.

Please provide adequate funding for organic agriculture in the Farm Bill.

Sincerely, [Your information here]