Farmer Fly-Ins, Conservation Stewardship Program,
Food Safety, Climate Change and More
IN THIS ISSUE:
Features
USDA Updates
Capitol Hill Updates
Duly Noted
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FEATURES
Conservation Stewardship Program Sign Up Begins August 10
The long-awaited Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will begin continuous sign-up starting Monday, August 10 and ending Wednesday, September 30. CSP is a comprehensive working lands program that rewards growers for practices that enhance conservation benefits. Scroll Down to learn more about this program and how to sign up below.
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OFRF Sends Farmers to Washington
As part of our efforts to increase funding for organic ag programs in 2010 and affect the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, OFRF sent four organic farmers to Washington DC to lobby their members of Congress and meet with officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Torrey Olson (Gabriel Farm, Sebastapol, California), Alan Haight (Riverhill Farm, Nevada City, California), Sue Baird (Joyful Melodies Farm, Bunceton, Missouri), and Andy Bozzuto (3B Ranch, Northford, Connecticut) each took time away from their farm to fly to Washington in early July. These farmers have either a Representative or Senator on the Agriculture Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. In addition to their elected officials, the farmer advocates met with high level administrators at the USDA, including USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Administrator Colien Heferan, Marketing and Regulatory Programs Deputy Undersecretary John Ferrell, and Rural Development Administrator Dallas Tonsager. Among the issues discussed were increased funding for organic data collection efforts, increased spending on organic and sustainable ag research and improved integration of organic into USDA conservation programs. For a detailed update of our FY 2010 Appropriations campaign and the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, read the stories below.
Read about OFAN farmer advocates and their visits to Washington on the OFRF website. Travel costs for Torrey, Alan, Sue, and Andy were funded through a generous grant from Organic Valley’s Farmers Advocating for Organics Fund (FAFO).
OFRF is always looking for farmers interested in being advocates in their states and in DC. If you are an organic farmer and would like to take a more active role in advocacy work, please send an email to Tracy Lerman, OFRF Policy Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org with your name, address, phone number, email address, a brief description of your farm (what you grow, how many acres) and a paragraph describing your interest in political advocacy.
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OFRF Interviews New NRCS Chief Dave White
OFRF’s Senior Policy Analyst Mark Lipson and Policy Associate Ariane Lotti recently talked with the new head of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Dave White. The three discussed integration of organic into NRCS conservation programs, including the recent Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative and the upcoming Conservation Stewardship Program. Mr. White also shared insight on how he worked to make that happen.
Chief White confirmed his commitment to make NRCS Conservation Programs accessible to organic growers and told OFRF, ”What I care about is that these…conservation programs have something in them that a producer, regardless of what they grow or how they grow it, can point to it and say – you know, I’d like to try that on my place. And when we did not have that for organic farmers, that was wrong. Now, we’re going to have offerings for organic producers and natural producers and conventional producers. Any kind of producers. These…programs have to be open to American producers.”
A transcript and audio recording of the interview will be available soon on the OFRF website, so please check back.
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USDA UPDATE
NRCS Seeking Comments on Conservation Practice Standards
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking comments on their conservation practice standards for NRCS Conservation Programs (such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program) by August 11, 2009. Conservation practice standards are the NRCS technical guidances for conservation activities that NRCS pays farmers to implement. Examples of such activities are contour buffer strips or hedgerow plantings.
OFRF will be submitting comments about the conservation practice standards to the NRCS. Read our July 29 OFAN alert or the Federal Register notice announcing the comment period for more info. Our comments, once submitted, will be posted to the policy pages of our website.
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EQIP Organic Initiative Update
The EQIP Organic Initiative sign up period for 2009 funds is coming to a close in most states. This initiative, which provides funding for conservation practices specifically related to organic farming for organic farmers and those in transition, received more than 3700 applicants to date. OFRF is working with our allies to provide feedback on the implementation of the initiative. NRCS plans to use this feedback as it designs the program rollout for 2010. In the meantime, farmers can still apply for EQIP, but their applications may be considered for the 2010 funding pool.
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USDA Announces Equivalency Agreement on Organics with Canada
(From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Weekly Update) On Wednesday, July 17, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced an agreement with Canada that establishes equivalency between USDA's National Organic Program standards and the Canada Organic Product Regulation standards, which went into effect on June 30. Under this agreement, organic-certified growers and processors in the U.S. do not have to become certified separately under Canadian standards to sell products as organic in Canada, and the same applies to Canadian growers and processors selling in the U.S. Merrigan hailed the agreement as an "important first step towards global harmonization of organic standards," as well as an important step in expanding export markets for organic farmers and processors.
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New USDA Funding Opportunities for Farmers
Conservation Stewardship Program
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will begin continuous sign-up starting Monday, August 10 and ending September 30. CSP is a comprehensive working lands program designed to protect and improve natural resources and the environment. CSP provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to actively manage and maintain existing conservation systems and to implement additional activities on land in agricultural production. The new Farm Bill contains provisions that make CSP more accessible for organic growers. Read the USDA press release for more info.
To sign up for CSP, visit your local NRCS Service Center. You can learn more about the program on the CSP page on the NRCS website. OFRF will also provide comprehensive information about this program on our website – please check back in the coming weeks.
In addition, USDA published the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for CSP on July 29. The rule will be open for comments until September 28, 2009. Directions on how to submit comments are included in the Federal Register Notice announcing the IFR.
Small Business Innovation Research Grants
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a competitive grants program for qualified small businesses to support research that will lead to a new product (including organic), technology or service (including educational programs for beginning farmers and ranchers). The deadline for submitting applications to this program is September 3, 2009. All proposals must be submitted electronically via www.grants.gov. For more information go to the SBIR information page or download the request for applications.
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OFRF Signs onto Comments Urging USDA to Stave Off Genetic Contamination of Organic Seeds and Food Supply
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requested comments on the "Importation, Interstate Movement, and Release Into the Environment of Certain Genetically Engineered Organisms" [Docket No APHIS-2008-0023]. OFRF signed onto comments submitted by the National Organic Coalition, which urged the USDA to design and implement an effective strategy to safeguard the organic seed and food supply from further genetic contamination. The comments warn that if USDA does not implement such a strategy, American organic farmers will not be able to provide supplies of food free from genetic contamination and the organic market for American farmers both domestic and abroad will erode. Read the full comments on the National Organic Coalition website.
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New USDA Economic Research Service Resources of Interest
The USDA Economic Research Service has released several new resources relevant to the organic industry:
Emerging Issues in the U.S. Organic Industry – This report examines recent economic research on the adoption of organic farming systems, production costs and returns and market conditions in order to gain a better understanding of emerging issues in the organic industry.
Organic Prices – ERS released new data sets of price information for organic poultry, eggs, grain, broccoli, carrots, mesclun mix, milk, spinach, strawberries and other fruits and vegetables.
Procurement and Contracting by Organic Handlers – ERS released new data sets containing select results from the 2004 and 2007 Nationwide Surveys of Organic Manufacturers, Processors, and Distributors. Data are available on 9 commodity groups, such as fruit and nuts, and 45 commodities, such as berries and citrus.
Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. – ERS released new data sets on the extent of usage of biotech seeds.
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CAPITOL HILL UPDATE
Appropriations Campaign - Funding Organic Programs in 2010
The 2010 Appropriations process, which determines funding for many federal agriculture programs for fiscal year 2010, is more than halfway complete and will likely be completed in September when Congress returns from its August recess. The House and the Senate have passed their Appropriations Bills, and the two bills will be reconciled in a joint House-Senate Conference Committee. OFRF appropriations priorities had varied success. Below is a more detailed breakdown.
OFRF’s top priority for the 2010 Appropriations process had been increasing funding for the Organic Production and Marketing Data Collection Initiative, USDA’s data collection efforts for the organic industry. However, we learned that the USDA agencies tasked with collecting this data had not fully expended the funding they received in the new Farm Bill, so we have been working with those agencies to determine how they are spending this money. We will continue to work with USDA and Congress to help ensure that organic data collection efforts are funded and carried out in a way that best serves organic growers. To learn more about the importance of increasing organic industry data collection capacity at the USDA, read stories from farmers highlighting the need for increased organic industry data.
Research funding in the Senate and House bills is a mixed bag. The Organic Transitions Program, a competitive grants program, received an increase of $3.2 million in the House bill, making FY10 funding for the program in this bill $5 million. The Senate bill provides no increases in funding for this program, nor does the Obama Administration budget request, leaving the program funded at $1.8 million. OFRF sought $5 million for this program, and we will be advocating for the higher amount when the bill goes to the Conference Committee. OFRF asked for $33 million for direct organic projects at Agriculture Research Service, but no increases from the FY09 funding level of $16.9 million were provided. We also recommended an increase in funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative of $5 million, but FY10 funding for that program will not increase above the $20 million mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill.
Finally, OFRF asked for an increase of $2.9 million for the National Organic Program, bringing its funding level to $6.7 million in FY10. Both the House and Senate versions of the Appropriations Bill as well as the Obama budget request match this amount, so we expect that this program will be funded at that level in the final bill.
We will continue to update you how organic research priorities are faring in the Appropriations process. For more information, read the comprehensive chart of funding levels for many other sustainable agriculture programs compiled by our friends at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
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Food Safety Legislation
On July 30, after months of negotiations and several versions of food safety bills offered by various members of Congress, the House passed HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act. This bill, sponsored by Rep John Dingell (D-MI), expands the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection and recall authority over contaminated food, requires increased inspection of food processing facilities, and requires the establishment of a food tracing system. OFRF and several of our allies are concerned that this bill contains provisions that will be overly burdensome on small to midsized farmers who do on-farm processing, including regulations that may conflict with organic standards. (See our July 27 action alert for more info.) The Senate is just beginning to work on its food safety bill, but it will not likely come before the full Senate before September.
The same week that HR 2749 came to a vote, the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee (part of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform) held a hearing entitled “Ready to Eat or Not?: Examining the Impact of Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements.” Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements (LGMAs) are an attempt by leafy greens handlers to address food-borne illness outbreaks in leafy greens. Handlers who join LGMAs agree to purchase greens only from growers that adhere to a set of so-called Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), ostensibly meant to improve food safety. In reality, however, the GAPs have had a devastating impact on wildlife habitat and delicate ecosystems with no proven improvement on food safety. To outline the specific impacts that the California LGMA has had on growers, OFRF sent organic farmer and policy advocate Dale Coke to Washington to testify at the hearing. You can read a transcript of his testimony and watch the hearing on our website.
We will continue to update you on the various aspects of the food safety issue through OFAN.
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Climate Change
Climate Change Legislation Passes House
In June, the House of Representatives passed HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This 1500 page bill seeks to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by developing provisions that require major industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions to enter into a cap-and-trade program to cut their domestic emissions by 17 percent by 2020.
The bill that passed the full House included several amendments negotiated by House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson that benefit agriculture, including the creation of an allowance for agriculture, assurance that one billion gallons of soy biodiesel will not be subject to greenhouse gas emission standards and primary authority over the development of a carbon credit offset program for agriculture given to USDA. However, there is almost no language in the House bill explicitly recognizing the numerous ways organic agriculture can mitigate the effects of global climate change. The bill will likely be taken up by the Senate in early September, with a goal of completing the bill before international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in early December.
OFRF signed onto a letter submitted by the National Organic Coalition to leaders in Congress that details the beneficial role organic agriculture can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating global climate change. Read the letter on the National Organic Coalition's website.
New Climate Change Resources
Several reports on climate change and agriculture have recently been released.
Agriculture and Climate Change: Impacts and Opportunities at the Farm Level – a policy position paper from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Low Greenhouse Gas Agriculture: Mitigation and Adaptation Potential of Sustainable Farming Systems – a report put out by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on climate change and sustainable agriculture.
Trade and Climate Change – a report put out by the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Environmental Programme.
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Senate Agriculture Committee Announces Subcommittees and Members
(From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Weekly Update) Senate Agriculture Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) announced new Agriculture Subcommittee Chairs and membership last week. What was formerly known as the Nutrition and Food Assistance, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and General Legislation Subcommittee has been reborn as the Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms, chaired by Sherrod Brown (D-OH). For a complete list of subcommittee membership please go to the Senate Agriculture Committee website.
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DULY NOTED
Organic Processing Magazine Seeks Intern
Organic Processing Magazine, an international business-to-business magazine focused on organic food, personal care and textiles, is currently looking for interns. As an intern with the magazine, you can learn how a magazine operates and gain the opportunity to become internationally published. The magazine is looking more for advanced students who are experienced in Associated Press style, feature writing, interviewing and research. Juniors and seniors only. Applicants must also have strong technical writing skills and a basic understanding about organic and a passion for the environment. For more information, please contact Kat Schuett at kat@organicprocessing.com.
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Chart Showing Consolidation of the Seed Industry
Consolidation of the seed industry has increased rapidly in the past few decades. To see a visual representation, check out this chart compiled by Professor Philip Howard at Michigan State University.
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Once again, we could not advocate effectively for organic agriculture if we did not have the support of organic farmer advocates such as you. Please send any questions, comments, clarifications, corrections, advice and well-wishes to Tracy Lerman, OFRF Policy Organizer, at tracy@ofrf.org.
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