SANTA CRUZ, Calif. ( March 8, 2002) - Bob Scowcroft, the Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, speaking on the behalf of the nation's 8,000 certified organic farmers, today urged the House/Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee to support the appropriation of $45 million in support of organic farming research. "Organic farmers deserve their fair share of America's research dollar," he stated. 

Included in the Senate version of the 2002 farm bill was language creating a $45,000,000 organic trust fund dedicated to organic farming research. The language, sponsored by Senator Leahy (D-VT), was included in the Daschle substitute amendment. As written a National Organic Research Endowment Institute would administer the funds.  The institute would "aid the organically grown and processed agricultural commodities industry through the development and implementation of a plan for organic products research" and establish a permanent system for organic research.

Currently the House of Representatives and the Senate are negotiating the final version of the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill Conference Committee is composed of the following conferees: (from the Senate) Harkin (D-IA), Leahy (D-VT), Daschle (D-SD), Conrad (D-ND), Lugar (R-IN), Helms (R-NC) and Cochran (R-MS); and (from the House): Combest (R-TX), Boehner (R-OH), Goodlatte (R-VA), Pombo (R-CA), Lucas (R-OK), Moran (R-KS), Chambliss (R-GA), Everett (R-AL), Stenholm (D-TX), Holden (D-PA), Condit (D-CA), Peterson (D-MN), Dooley (D-CA), and Clayton (D-NC).

If approved, the $45 million for organic agricultural research would be a good first step in the right direction. The Organic Farming Research Foundation documented the appalling lack of USDA supported organic research in its landmark 1997 Searching for the O-Word report. This report noted that out of 30,000 USDA funded research projects (1991-95) only 34 were strongly focused on the information needs of organic farmers. In a later report, State of the States: Organic Farming Systems Research at Land Grant Institutions 2000-2001, OFRF noted that out of the 885,863 available research acres in the land grant system, only 151 acres are being used for certified organic research.

"Organic farming has bi-partisan support on Capital Hill," Bob stated. "Investing in on-farm organic research has a number of benefits: it's good for the environment; good for business; and good for the family farmer. The time to act is now."

 For more information on organic issues related to the 2002 Farm Bill contact Bob Scowcroft (831) 426-6606.

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