OFRF to Testify before
First-ever Hearing on Organic Agriculture in the U.S.
House of Representatives
Economic issues in organic
agriculture to be focus of April 18th hearing
WASHINGTON, DC (April 18, 2007) - In an historic moment
for organic farmers, the House Agriculture Committee
is holding its first-ever hearing on organic agriculture
and business on Wednesday, April 18, at 10:00am EDT.
Mark Lipson, Policy Program Director for the Organic
Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), will testify before
the Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture.
Lipson’s testimony, titled “Overview of
Federal Policy for Organic Agricultural Research and
Development,” will focus on obstacles facing the
growth of domestic organic production and the gaps in
organic production research and education, specifically
touching on the following points:
- The strong demand for increased knowledge about
production and marketing, and the need for increased
information delivery and
education for both transitioning and veteran organic
growers;
- An overview of federal organic research, education,
and development to date and specific areas and targets
for increased funding;
- Obstacles organic farmers face in obtaining credit
and fair crop insurance premiums
A complete copy of Lipson’s testimony is available
here.
Lipson is the author of OFRF’s Searching for the
O-Word and co-author of the soon to be published National
Organic Research Agenda. He also co-founded OFRF’s
Organic Farmers Action Network. In addition to working
for OFRF since 1995, Lipson has been an active partner
in Molino Creek Farm, a certified organic vegetable
operation in Davenport, California, since 1983.
“We want to publicly thank Agriculture Committee
Chair Collin Peterson and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte,
as well as Subcommittee Chair Dennis Cardoza and Ranking
Member Randy Neugebauer, for creating a forum to address
the needs and issues of America’s 10,000 organic
farmers,” said Bob Scowcroft, Executive Director
of OFRF. “These farmers have experienced decades
of challenges in honing their craft, and we humbly look
forward to representing them and assisting them in educating
the members of the Subcommittee and of Congress.
“The creation of this Subcommittee, the first
of its kind, provides organic farmers with an opportunity
to cultivate new ground in Congress. With the reauthorization
of the Farm Bill under way, that opportunity has never
been more important,” said Scowcroft.
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The Organic Farming Research Foundation was founded
in 1990 to foster the improvement and widespread adoption
of organic farming practices. Working organic farmers
from across the United States comprise the majority
of OFRF's Board of Directors.
OFRF established the Organic Farmers Action Network
in 2006. More than 600 organic farmers from all 50 states
voice their opinions on organic policy issues directly
to their Representatives through OFAN. |
