Greetings! If you are receiving
email from us for the first time, welcome to the Organic
Farmers Action Network (OFAN), a project of the Organic
Farming Research Foundation. Thank you for registering
for OFAN updates and for making your voice heard on
organic policy issues.
As an OFAN member, you will receive
free periodic updates that will keep you informed about
organic agriculture policy developments in Congress
and the USDA. OFRF staff will be happy to provide you
with additional details – feel free to contact
us. Through the OFRF website, ofrf.org, we will also
provide tools to communicate directly with your Congressional
Representatives. We are dedicated to keeping you informed
about relevant federal policy and to providing you with
opportunities to contact decision-makers in a timely
manner.
FARM BILL UPDATE
With
the Farm Bill up for reauthorization this year, OFAN is
providing news, information, and updates about this legislation
as well as letting you know when to take action. Currently,
the Agriculture Subcommittees in Congress are hearing
testimony and draft Farm Bill language is being circulated
by various Congressional offices. Among them are proposals
supporting organic agriculture. However, more comprehensive
language for the Farm Bill won’t be forthcoming
until late spring, after the final Congressional budget
resolution tells lawmakers how much funding is available
for Farm Bill programs. OFRF will
continue to advocate for increased funding for organic
agricultural research and technical assistance (click
here for our 2007 Farm Bill Organic Research Policy
Targets), and we need your help! The voice of organic
farmers will be crucial in delivering the message to
Congress that organic agriculture must be a priority
in the Farm Bill. We will keep you posted about important
opportunities to contact your member of Congress in
the coming months. Our website, ofrf.org, is constantly
being updated so please check back regularly for current
information about the Farm Bill process.
NEW SUBCOMMITTEE ON
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
In an historic moment for the organic agriculture community,
the House Agriculture Committee held its first-ever
hearing on organic agriculture and business today Wednesday,
April 18th. OFRF Policy Program Director Mark
Lipson will be testifying before its Subcommittee
on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture. There has never
been a committee in either the Senate or the House which
included organic agriculture in its title and no hearings
have ever been held in the House Agriculture Committee
– including during the passage of the Organic
Foods Production Act in 1990. That bill was added as
an amendment to the 1990 Farm Bill on the floor of the
House of Representatives!
Mark’s testimony focuses on obstacles
facing the growth of domestic organic production and
the gaps in organic production research and education.
Click here to read Mark’s full testimony. A video
clip of the hearing will soon be available on our website,
ofrf.org.
Now is the time for members of this new
Subcommittee to hear directly from organic farmers about
the issues that matter to you. Testimony collected at
this hearing and written testimony submitted later will
play an important role in the development of Farm Bill
language on organic agriculture.
Please submit written testimony
via email to the staff of the Subcommittee on Horticulture
and Organic Agriculture and be sure to send
a copy your Member of Congress. Contact information
for Subcommittee staff and your Representative as well
as talking points for your testimony are provided below.
You have until April 28th, 2007 to submit written
testimony.
Contact Information
for Staff at the
Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
Jamie Weyer, Hearing Clerk: jamie.weyer@mail.house.gov
Keith Jones, Staff Director: keith.jones@mail.house.gov
Your Congress Member’s
Contact Info:
Please visit congressmerge.com
to find out who represents you.
Pointers for Submitting Testimony
- Make the following your email subject
line: “Written Testimony for April 18 Organic
Hearing.”
- Include the following as the title
of your testimony: “Written Testimony for the
Hearing on Economic Impacts of Production, Processing,
and Marketing Organic Agriculture Products, 4/18/07.”
- Address your testimony to “Honorable
Members of the Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic
Agriculture:”
- Tell them where you live.
- Describe your farm operation, including
products grown, methods of marketing, and innovations
you use.
- Describe some of the contributions
your farm (or organic farms in your community) makes
to the local or regional community and economy.
- Describe some of the challenges, particularly
economic ones, that you face as an organic grower
(or that you see facing organic growers).
- Provide suggestions and ideas you have
that would help organic growers increase their contribution
to their communities, local economy and food system.
- Include your full name and address.
Once you submit your testimony, email
action@ofrf.org to let us know who you contacted and
if you can, please include your testimony.
WELCOME TRACY LERMAN
OFRF is pleased to announce that Tracy Lerman has joined
our staff as our Policy Program Assistant. You’ll
hear more about Tracy soon, but for now suffice it to
say it’s great to have another professional organizer
to assist us (and you) in advocating for organic family
farmers!
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