The 2007 Farm Bill

Video and Transcript of House Testimony presented by Mark Lipson, OFRF Policy Program Director

On April 18, 2007, Mark Lipson presented testimony to the newly formed House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture. The Subcommitee was created by incoming Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and is chaired by Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA). The Subcommittee’s historic April 18th hearing was the first-ever hearing in the House of Representatives devoted exclusively to organic food and farming. With 12 witnesses speaking over a period of almost three hours, it was a dramatic “coming-of-age” for the organic community and an important educational moment for Members of Congress.

Hearing witnesses were asked to speak on the economic development impacts of organic production and processing, and the implications for federal policy. Although the hearing was not specifically about construction of the 2007 Farm Bill, the record built by the hearing was clearly aimed at this legislation. From his long experience as an organic policy advocate, Mark framed his testimony in terms of overall federal policy development for organic agriculture. We offer this excerpt so that organic farmers can see how their issues are being presented in the halls of Congress.

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