News

September 19, 2018 – By Tim Schultz, Vice President of Research & Development for Lundberg Family Farms and OFRF Board Member

This year’s Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore began with a flurry of excitement as Hurricane Florence headed for the Southeast Coast of the United States. Early in the week, the Governor of Maryland declared a state of emergency in anticipation of potentially devastating wind, rain, and storm surge. By the time the show opened, it was pretty clear the storm and its horrendous damage, would be focused much further south, and the show continued on, though many registrants decided not to brave the elements.

Wednesday started with a big statement from the Organic Trade Association, which placed a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal, listing all of the prohibited chemicals in the National Organic Program. This was in response to many false and misleading articles and editorials about the state of organic in the US. It was a bold move by OTA, and generated quite the buzz at the show.

Wednesday afternoon, the Harvest Festival, got into full swing on the terrace of the Baltimore Convention Center, with many companies exhibiting their latest and greatest organic products, and a few organizations, like OFRF, sharing its work to advance organic farming. I was joined by Stephanie Henry at the OFRF booth, and shared the work being done by OFRF, as well as the excellent literature we publish. There was a lot of enthusiasm for OFRF’s Soil Health Webinar Series expressed by folks who stopped by the booth, and great appreciation for the Soil Health Guidebooks OFRF has published.

Wednesday night was topped off with the OTA Awards Dinner, recognizing some distinguished organic leaders, including Margaret Scoles, Javier Zamora, and Stephanie and Blake Alexandre. The stories they shared reminded me of why I love this industry, how committed its participants are to making a better world, and the shared passion so many folks have in expanding the reach of organic.

The formal show kicked off Thursday morning, and the halls were buzzing with excitement. Lots of great educational tracks were available to participants. CCOF had a luncheon for its Foundation that supports beginning organic farmers, and we were treated to another heartfelt story from one of its scholarship recipients, Shannon Good, who shared how the grant is helping her dream of having an organic dairy come true. It is really inspirational to see the remarkable young people coming up who will take on the continued expansion of organic in the years ahead. Thursday evening was a fun time to contribute to another good cause, the Organic PAC, with an awesome R&B band, Affirmative Groove, providing an outstanding sound track for the participants to enjoy. Lots of good dancing by all, including Miles McEvoy showing us his best moves! The event set a record for attendance, and had an excellent representation of twenty-somethings!!

Friday morning, I had the privilege of staffing OFRF’s table outside of the morning’s keynote presentations, along with six other not-for-profit organizations. Lots of talented and passionate people are contributing to the organic movement, from research to certification to supporting new farmers, and I was proud to be able to represent OFRF in that line-up.

By Friday, it was clear that the theme of “hot products” at the show was hemp, and all things related to it. Senator McConnell (R-KY) seems to have become quite the advocate for hemp farming, and if the number of products featuring some hemp derivative was any indication, there should be quite a demand for organic hemp in the years to come. Always good to see more crops coming online for American farmers, to help diversify their options and make farming more viable.

The show wrapped-up on Saturday, and while attendance was down, enthusiasm was high, as was optimism for the future of organic. The next Expo East show will be in Baltimore September 12-14, 2019, and then the following year, in Philadelphia, as the Baltimore Convention Center will be closed for a much needed renovation. I’m looking forward to seeing my organic friends and colleagues again in March at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, and joining OFRF with its annual fund raising luncheon to kick off the show.”

Ed. Note: Congratulations to Tim for winning OTA’s 2018 Member of the Year award! All of us at OFRF are honored to have the opportunity to work with such a fantastic champion of organic agriculture.

September 11, 2018 –  OFRF Executive Director, Brise Tencer was interviewed by Food Sleuth Radio for a podcast that aired August 30th. In the episode, host Melinda Hemmelgarn asks Brise to explain the benefits of organic food and farming and how certification helps both farmers and consumers. They also discuss the challenges facing organic farmers—how research can help—and why there needs to be greater investment in organic research.

Give a listen!

September 6, 2018 – By Lauren Snyder, Education and Research Program Associate at OFRF

One of my roles at OFRF is to disseminate information on organic farming practices to diverse audiences. A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to San Luis Obispo to give a presentation on the principles and practices of building soil health at an organic research symposium hosted by Nutrien Ag Solutions, the world’s largest agriculture inputs company. Interestingly, I learned that their crop consultants are increasingly working with organic farmers and Nutrien Ag Solutions has identified a need to expand their knowledge of organic production practices.

For me, this speaking invitation is a clear indication that the organic industry has the ear of large, multi-national organizations that increasingly recognize organic producers as key players in the U.S. food system. Even more heartening is the realization that these companies are listening to the needs of organic farmers, who have identified soil health as a top research priority. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to foster communication between diverse stakeholders in our food system and to broaden my audience beyond researchers and practitioners already established in organic production systems. One of the most exciting aspects of my work at OFRF is the opportunity to interact not only with those who are long-standing players in the field of organics, but also those who are curious to learn more about organic practices and the benefits they can provide to communities and the environment.

September 6, 2019 – The Farm Bill Conference Committee, composed of nine Senators and 47 Representatives, met publicly for the first time on September 6^th. The House and Senate each passed different versions of the Farm Bill this year, tasking the Conference Committee with crafting a final version that will have to go back to both the House and Senate for approval, before being sent to the President for signature before it expires on September 30, 2018. This is no small task.

The hearing was mostly comprised of opening statements, as many members of Congress from both sides of the aisle highlighted the need to get a Farm Bill done. However, there are stark differences between the current House and Senate versions, with the House version passing along party lines, and the Senate version being much more bipartisan. Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) of the Senate Agriculture Committee said, “In addition to having the support of over 500 groups, it [the Senate Farm Bill] passed on a historic vote of 86-11—the most votes a Farm Bill has ever received in the Senate since the very first bill in the 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression.”

As champions for organic farmers, OFRF is pleased that many members of Congress highlighted important organic issues at the Conference hearing, including the need for increased investment in organic research. With several programs set to expire if not reauthorized, Senator Stabenow discussed providing permanent investments for a number of important priorities including historic support for organic research that helps farmers tap into this fast-growing sector of agriculture.

In his opening statement, Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) also highlighted the importance of baseline funding for organic research and funding for organic cost share. While the Senate version included both baseline funding for organic research and funding for cost share, the House version did not. We are hopeful that Rep. Costa will be able to champion these key organic priorities as the conferees hash out the Farm Bill. He won’t be alone, as Rep. Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D-NM), the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, also expressed her support for organic research in the Farm Bill.

The Chairman of the Research Subcommittee, Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), also showed his support for organics, specifically calling out protections against fraudulent organic imports that are in both bills, and the important investments in research that were included in the Senate Bill. One of the research provisions in the Senate bill includes baseline funding for organic research.

Senator Leahy summed things up well. “Another value and priority that our Farm Bill must support is America’s organic industry, which now totals $50 billion a year and is growing.” During the hearing, Senator Leahy said, “We must continue investments in organic research, certification, and enforcement that allow consumers to trust the USDA organic seal and ensure that American farmers who have invested so much can continue to be successful.”

OFRF will continue its work to ensure all members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee understand the importance of the organic provisions in the Farm Bill.

August 30, 2018 – By Carolyn Dimitri, Associate Professor of Food Studies, New York University, Board Member, OFRF

Earlier this month, Secretary Sonny Perdue of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced his intention to move the Economic Research Service (ERS) from Washington, DC and place it under the direction of the politically appointed Office of the Chief Economist. These changes will result in the loss of expertise and jeopardize the quality, relevance, and overall integrity of the agency’s research.

As a federal research agency focused on food and agricultural issues, USDA ERS is a forward looking organization that identifies pressing research questions and engages in analysis to fully understand our food system. The range and quantity of issues ERS analyzes is vast, covering the entire the food system—from farm to table and everything in between.

Overall, the mission of ERS is to provide high quality, policy relevant, national level research on all matters related to food and agriculture. The agency serves as an incredible source of unbiased information about the costs and benefits to stakeholders in the food system. Only an independent, research focused government agency is able to accomplish this task.

The agency’s current location in Washington DC, and placement as a part of the USDA’s Research, Education and Economics mission area reinforces the fact that ERS works for the public interest. Moving ERS outside of Washington, DC and reorganizing the agency to be under the political thumb of the Office of the Chief Economist will likely undermine the integrity of the research, and could potentially jeopardize the operations of ERS for years to come.

Unlike other agencies that are exclusively farmer focused, ERS examines both agriculture and the entire food system. And as a federal research and statistical agency, ERS works with other professional agriculture and research federal organizations in the D.C. area. Having started my economics career at ERS, I enthusiastically developed a portfolio of research that considered the public good, without the constraints of satisfying academic requirements for tenure at a university, or the need to consider profit or partisan politics. While at USDA, I was able to research and report on organic agriculture without outside political pressure, in order to provide impartial scientific analysis for congressional and agency officials as well as the program agencies of USDA that deliver key agricultural, environmental and food system services.

ERS serves the public interest by examining food and agriculture programs for all stakeholders including farmers, producers, consumers, food and agriculture companies, and addresses the types of relationships that facilitate the movement of food along the supply chain. The complexity of these relationships cannot be overstated, and the research and analysis of programs that impact our food and agriculture systems should not be tainted or swayed by the politics of any administration.

Being in Washington, DC, in close proximity with other federal research and statistical agencies allowed me and my ERS colleagues to directly interact with research and economics professionals to efficiently and effectively do our work. Now, sitting in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University as a PhD applied economist, I am continually impressed with the integrity and quality of economic analysis and reporting of ERS . . . but I am concerned about the future. I urge Congress to put a stop to this disrupting move and reorganization that would lead to a dismantling of a government research agency that is respected throughout the food and agriculture community.

August 30, 2018 – Organic and sustainable agricultural research, education, and outreach will be the focus at a stunning new facility donated to the University of Idaho by Dennis Pence of Sandpoint. The Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center features 8 acres of organic orchards, surrounded by 8 acres of organic field plots, as well as a dormitory and a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen.

Michael Parrella, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences dean, said the new center will help U of I link more effectively with the local community and provide a template for programs that focus both on local food systems and bigger agriculture

in Idaho. “The work that’s been done to advance organic has broader applicability than just the organic community.”

Dennis Pence created the orchard with the vision of supporting local food systems. A huge believer in advancing organic agriculture and the principles, research, and education that goes along with that, he sees the orchard as a way of helping people understand what we’ve lost—the variety and quality of heritage varieties. The orchard includes approximately 65 heritage varieties and 700 trees just coming of age.

Kyle Nagy planted a lot of those trees. He’ll continue his role as Superintendent and Orchard Operations Manager. “Kyle has a phenomenal understanding of all aspects of production from an organic perspective,” said Parrella. “He’s a wonderful ambassador for the orchard and the program.

Hands-on internships for U of I and North Idaho College students will be offered to help boost enrollment in agricultural programs and strengthen the university’s presence in North Idaho. Other U of I colleges will have access to the center as well.

August 7, 2018 – In 2017, OFRF awarded a grant to researchers at Michigan State University to examine organic grain productivity in support of the organic livestock industry in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Organic grain production is virtually non-existent in the area and sourcing outside of the region is quite costly. The goal of this project is to increase knowledge of grain performance in an organic system, leading to the expansion of certified organic grain production and entry into the growing market for natural or organically produced meat.

Results will inform organic farmers of the opportunities and challenges within grain production and identify optimum crops, varieties, and management strategies to improve successful cultivation. The team believes they will see an increase in farmers experimenting with organic grain and that continued research will support these efforts. Ultimately, they hope the project will spur additional acreage of organic small grain in the U.P. to fill the need.

The researchers have developed a framework of research and knowledge of organic grain systems  through variety and crop management research, identification of need and marketing opportunities, and dissemination of findings through field days and outreach materials.

Although they were able to determine which varieties did not perform well, further investigation is needed with additional varieties. The framework they were able to develop as a result of OFRF’s seed grant will be leveraged to obtain additional funding to continue this important research.

June 29, 2018 – In a sweeping show of bipartisanship, the Senate voted 86-11 to pass their version of the Farm Bill. With the House passing a different version of the bill without Democratic support, lawmakers will meet later this summer to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate bills. With the current Farm Bill set to expire on September 30, 2018 there is a lot riding on this process.

Here is a comparison of some of the organic provisions.

Both the House and Senate bills have strong support for organic policies. We would like to express our appreciation for all of the hard work and efforts that members of Congress put in to advance organic agriculture.

Working closely with both Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) will continue to advocate strongly for the inclusion of robust organic provisions in the Farm Bill.  The Farm Bill is important for all Americans.  We strongly encourage the members of the Congress to work toward a bipartisan solution that supports America’s farmers, consumers, communities.