Farm Bill Update – Organic Grassroots Push Working!
Mark-up Scheduled for October 24
Last week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) struck a deal with Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) on their competing priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill. Thanks to your calls and letters, it appears that most of the organic provisions we have been advocating for will be included in the bill. The Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to mark up the Farm Bill on Wednesday, October 24, at 9:30 AM Eastern time.
Full details of the Committee’s draft are not yet published, but below is a quick summary of what we know about Farm Bill organic provisions to date. Our top four priorities are listed first followed by other organic provisions for which we are advocating. You can read a summary of the full Senate Farm Bill draft at the Senate Agriculture Committee website. Updates will also be posted on the Federal Legislation page of our website.
Organic Provisions in Chairman Harkin’s Farm Bill Draft
Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)
OREI, USDA’s flagship organic agriculture research program, is expected to receive $16 million per year in mandatory funding in Harkin’s draft, totaling $80 million over the life of the Farm Bill. This comes a long way towards our goal of $25 million a year, and far exceeds the $5 million a year that the House gave to OREI.
Organic Certification Cost Share Program
This program, which defrays 75% of the cost of organic certification up to $750, is expected to receive $22 million over the next five years in Harkin’s draft, just $3 million short of our ask for $25 million. The House bill also funds this program at $22 million.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
The Conservation Stewardship Program, formerly known as the Conservation Security Program and briefly as the Conservation Stewardship Incentive Program, will likely include language that makes organic practices eligible criteria for the program and makes it easier for organic producers to apply for CSP. CSP also is expected to receive an increase of $2 billion over 5 years in Harkin’s draft. This language matches our asks for this program. The House bill provides no new funding for CSP.
Organic Conversion Program
Sen. Harkin’s draft will include assistance for organic conversion as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), but without separate funding. In the House bill, organic conversion assistance was a stand-alone program with no mandatory funding, and $10 Million/year in discretionary authorization. The technical assistance portion of the Senate organic conversion support program is still being worked out. Our ask is for at least 50% of funding for organic conversion to go towards technical assistance for growers who are converting to organic and we continue to push for that.
Organic Data Collection Initiative
This provision requires USDA to collect and publish data specific to the organic sector, which helps farmers plan their production, access markets, and apply for crop insurance. This initiative is expected to receive $5 million in one-time funding in Harkin’s draft to help USDA catch up on collecting organic data – the last Farm Bill provided no funding for this program. This funding level matches our ask.
Crop Insurance Program
Our ask for this program was to remove the 5% surcharge for organic growers and pay them out at the higher organic price should they face a disaster. The surcharge for organic growers will likely be eliminated from Harkin’s draft. The weaker House language directs USDA to conduct studies on the need for an organic surcharge.
Classical Plant and Animal Breeding Research
While we have not reported on this provision in earlier OFAN alerts, this research is important for organic agriculture, as it focuses on breeding varieties of seeds and animals uniquely suited to different ecosystems and utilizes classical breeding techniques as opposed to genetic engineering. Harkin’s draft is expected to include language that provides greater emphasis on this research, which matches our ask.
Do YOUR Senators Know How Important
Organics are in the Farm Bill?
If you haven’t yet called your Senators, now is the time to do so, especially if they are on the Agriculture Committee. Below are your Senators’ contact info and a few talking points. Note: if your Senator is on the Agriculture Committee (indicated below), please call them before the Committee mark-up on Wednesday, October 24.
Visit congressmerge.com/onlinedb to find out who represents you.
Organic Farm Bill Goals
- $25 million/year in mandatory funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).
- $25 million over 5 years for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
- An Organic Conversion Program to help farmers switch to organic production with at least 50% of funding going to technical assistance.
- $2 billion in new funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which includes support for organic production.
Thanks again for speaking up for organic farmers! We will continue to keep you posted on how our organic provisions fare during Agriculture Committee mark-up. Please contact Tracy Lerman tracy@ofrf.org or (831) 426-6606 if you have any questions.
Join the Organic Farmers Action Network at ofrf.org/subscribe/ofan.html.
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