Organic Policy Opportunities Blossom
April 1, 2009
Spring is finally here, and with it comes a bumper crop of new developments in the organic agriculture policy world. Farm Bill implementation is in full swing, and we want you to know about different opportunities for the grassroots to weigh in.
*****
More Time to Comment on EQIP
In our last OFAN alert, we told you that the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was open for comments until March 16, 2009. Many of you wrote back and told us that you submitted comments! That comment deadline has now been extended until April 17, 2009. Because the rule fell far short of making EQIP inclusive for organic growers, we encourage you, if you have not already done so, to submit your comments to USDA. Talking points and instructions on how to submit comments can be found in our last OFAN alert.
We want to underscore the importance of citizen advocacy. Every voice counts, especially when it comes from people directly impacted from a proposed policy. Organic farmers will be affected by the EQIP rule, so please take a few moments to submit your comments on this important issue. And don’t forget to let us know if you’ve communicated with Congress or USDA. If you submit a letter or comments, or make a phone call in response to an OFAN alert, please let us know. Contact Tracy Lerman, Policy Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org.
*****
Farmer Involvement in New Sustainable and
Organic Ag Programs Essential!
Hard-won sustainable and organic ag programs must be used if they are to continue receiving funding from Congress. If Congress sees no demand, it may choose to discontinue support. Many of these programs will only accept electronic applications, and applicants must be registered on the federal government’s online grants portal, www.grants.gov.
Below are funding announcements for a few sustainable agriculture Farm Bill programs. OFRF, through OFAN, will let you know of other USDA funding opportunities as they come across our desks. You can also check the 3/20/09 entry for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s Something to Crow About Blog or the federal government’s online grants portal www.grants.gov.
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
The Request for Applications (RFA) for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) was released on Friday, March 13, 2009. Potential applicants have until May 13, 2009 to submit applications. According to the RFA, this program will fund “the development of education, outreach, curricula, workshops, educational teams, training, and technical assistance programs to assist beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and its territories in entering, establishing, building and managing successful farm and ranch enterprises.” Applications may be submitted by a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally-based network or partnership of public or private entities.
For more information, visit the following links:
Grants.gov Synopsis of BFRDP
Grants.gov Application Package for BFRDP
USDA Summary Page for BFRDP
Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative
On Tuesday, March 10, the USDA issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI). The initiative provides farmers and ranchers with project-based conservation program funding to participate in projects that enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural and non-forest industrial land. CCPI project applications must be submitted by April 23, 2009.
Eligible applicants include federally recognized Indian tribes, state and local units of government, producer associations, farmer cooperatives, institutions of higher education, and nongovernmental organizations with a history of working cooperatively with producers to effectively address conservation priorities related to agricultural production and non-industrial private forest land.
For more information, read the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s blog.
*****
Food Safety Hysteria Obscures Genuine Concerns
About Draft Legislation
Action alerts and blogs about several new food safety bills are circulating on the internet with concerns that the proposed legislation will harm small-scale, organic farmers. These bills include HR 875, introduced by Rep. Rosa Delauro (D-CT); HR 759, introduced by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI); and S 425, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
OFRF has yet to conduct a comprehensive analysis or take an official position on these bills. However, we wanted to quell some fears and point OFAN members to other sources of information on this critical and timely topic. While the language in these bills likely needs to be modified to make sure that no onerous and unreasonable requirements are made on family farmers, these bills DO NOT outlaw organic farming and backyard gardening in any way. Nor are these bills being fast-tracked through Congress. In fact, they have yet to be heard by any Congressional committee.
OFRF is working to ensure that OFAN members are educated about this issue, and will send out more information through this listserv. In the meantime, we refer you to the following links and resources for reliable information.
Views from OFRF Executive Director Bob Scowcroft aired on radio show Prime Time America
A Backgrounder on HR 875 from Food and Water Watch
Farmers Market Coalition statement on HR 875
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's food safety update
The Northeast Organic Farming Association's recent article on food safety issues
*****
Agriculture Appropriations Update
2009 – Organic Agriculture Research Funding Protected
After many months of delay, the FY09 Appropriations Omnibus Package finally became law in early March. The final package was good news for organic agriculture programs. (See our downloadable fact sheet for more info.) The biggest concern had been possible cuts to the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI). This competitive research grants program got a big increase in the 2008 Farm Bill but Congress was considering cuts to this new funding level in the FY09 budget. Fortunately, thanks to advocacy efforts from OFRF and other groups, OREI was not cut and will have its full $18 million allocation for the current grant cycle.
2010 – Increase Funding for Organic Data Collection
Due to the Obama Administration transition, this year’s appropriations process is being handled a bit differently than in past years. Normally, the President releases a budget proposal in February, which marks the beginning of the appropriations process. This year, President Obama will not be releasing his budget details until May. He did provide a glimpse of what his budget proposal may include, by releasing a “budget framework,” which includes specific references to organic, on February 26, 2009. Despite not having the proposed budget details to work from, the OFRF policy team has been working with other advocates to make our FY10 appropriations requests to Congress. Our most urgent ask for the FY10 appropriations cycle is $5 million for the Organic Data Collection Initiative. To read the summary of all our FY10 appropriations requests, read our downloadable fact sheet.
Is Data Important on Your Farm?
Tell Us Your Story!
To illustrate the need for increasing funding levels for the Organic Data Collection Initiative, we need stories from farmers about whether or not the presence or absence of data on the organic industry has helped or hindered you in managing your farm business. For example: Have you been denied credit or crop insurance because of a dearth of information about organic? Have you had trouble finding reliable organic pricing information? Has the existence of organic data been helpful to you in your operation?
Please send stories and examples to Tracy Lerman, Policy Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org. Include your name, city, state and the name of your farm in your story.
*****
USDA Conducts Organic Production Survey
Thanks to first time mandatory funding of the Organic Production and Marketing Data Collection Initiative in the 2008 Farm Bill, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting its first comprehensive survey of all known producers of organic crops and livestock. According to NASS, participating in this survey will help shape decisions about community development, funding availability, farm policy and other issues that are key to the continued growth and sustainability of organic farming. Production expenditures and production practices associated with growth of these commodities will help document to policymakers and the industry the relative viability and risk associated with organic production. Marketing strategies and practices utilized by organic producers will be studied and results used to potentially provide additional marketing opportunities. USDA-NASS will be asking producers in all states to look for the Organic Production Survey in their mail boxes in May 2009. Information will be requested about 2008 acreage, production, and value of sales of all types of organic production.
For more information, read this press release issued by the NASS field office in Maryland.
*****
Data Needed from Organic Growers for Study on Crop Insurance Inequities for Organic Operations
The 2008 Farm Bill directs USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) to contract for studies that address the current inequities in premiums and payouts for organic producers, and provide options for creating a fairer structure. The research firm Watts and Associates, Inc. was recently awarded this contract. This project is crucial in changing USDA’s biases about the risks of insuring organic crops. The project requires considerable amounts of data. Watts and Associates is asking for your help to complete this project. They need individual farm-level yield data for growers who produce crops by both conventional and organic practices, especially if the data cover a number of years. Note that any individual farm-level data collected will be kept strictly confidential. The report to RMA does not need to contain any identifying producer information. If you might be willing to share production data to assist in this project, please email rlandgren@wattsandassociates.com or call (406) 252-7776 x 3003.
*****
USDA Seeks Nominations for
National Organic Standards Board
The USDA is seeking nominations to fill five upcoming vacancies on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB is a 15-member board that develops and recommends a proposed National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances to the Secretary of Agriculture and advises the Secretary on other aspects of the National Organic Program.
The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint five people to serve a five-year term on the NOSB. Two of these vacancies must be filled by organic producers. Written nominations with cover letters and resumes, must be postmarked on or before July 17, 2009. For more information, including where to send nominations, read the press release on the USDA website.
Let us know if you are planning to nominate yourself or someone else to the NOSB. Email Tracy Lerman, Policy Program Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org.
*****
USDA Ag Biotech Committee Seeks Nominations
The USDA’s Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology (ACAB) is putting together new membership on its current committee, the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). The AC21 has been in operation for six years, and with current term limits, more than half of the seats on the committee are currently open. USDA is interested in putting together a broad-based committee that is both expert and representative of relevant interests around emerging biotechnology issues and is seeking names of individuals who would be useful, knowledgeable, and informed participants on this renewed effort. For more information, read the Federal Register notice.
*****
OFRF Goings On
OFRF Welcomes New Policy Associate, Ariane Lotti
OFRF is excited to bring aboard new Policy Associate Ariane Lotti. Ariane Lotti, brings a wealth of academic and hands-on experience to OFRF. Ariane has an M.E.M. from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and was previously an intern at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. She has farmed in Maine, Iowa, Connecticut, and Italy and has conducted research on the sustainability of organic and conventional farming systems in Italy and Spain.
We are extremely grateful for the amazing work of outgoing Policy Associate Zach Baker. Zach has been with OFRF for 2 years, and has been a cornerstone of our policy work in DC, bringing us up-to-the-minute details about goings on inside the Beltway and skillfully bringing OFRF’s vision to the halls of Congress and USDA. We’ll miss Zach and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
OFRF Farmers Go To Washington
Nobody can carry the message to Congress to support organic farmers better than the farmers themselves. So when we can, OFRF brings farmers from across the country to tell their stories to their elected members of Congress. Recently OFRF brought three farmers - Terri Wright, from Delano, CA; Andy Andrews, from Horsham, PA; and Peter Rothenberg, from Northford, CT - to participate in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition meeting and to meet with key members of Congress to advocate for FY10 organic agriculture appropriations priorities.
OFRF gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Organic Valley Farmers Advocating for Organics Fund and the Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation for providing funding for farmers to travel for advocacy purposes.
We are always looking for organic farmers to meet with their Representatives or Senators, especially when members of Congress are home in their districts. If you are a farmer and interested in participating in meetings with your elected officials, please contact Tracy Lerman, Policy Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org.
*****
Again, many thanks to all of you for your advocacy on behalf of organic agriculture. If you have any questions, thoughts, comments, concerns, or ideas, please contact Tracy Lerman, Policy Organizer at tracy@ofrf.org.
Join the Organic Farmers Action Network today!
|
