By Vinnie Trometter, OFRF Policy Fellow

Hi! I’m Vinnie Trometter, the new policy fellow at OFRF. I want to take a moment to introduce myself: Prior to coming to OFRF, I worked in policy fields related to pesticide safeguards, reference prices, and crop insurance. I also have a background in the commodities trade and have worked in international trade organizations around the world. I have also had multiple op-eds about agriculture and the steel industry published in outlets like the Chicago Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Boston Herald. It seems only fitting then that my first blog post for OFRF be about the elephant in the room, tariffs.

Few sectors of the economy will feel the brunt of the ongoing trade war more than agriculture. Retaliatory tariffs placed on our producers will drive foreign buyers of U.S. agricultural products elsewhere while the tariffs we place on other countries will make import products farmers depend on more expensive. To make matters worse, there is little clarity on how the White House plans to support farmers during this period of uncertainty.

In terms of exemptions, thankfully all food products coming from Mexico and Canada that are United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) compliant have been exempted. Many agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer, potash, and herbicides, have also been exempted. However, these victories do nothing to lessen the blow for farmers who trade with countries other than Canada and Mexico or depend on items that have escaped duties.

Organic farmers, who are less dependent on exports and almost devoid of reliance on foreign agricultural inputs, will still face challenges caused by the trade war. Tariffs could cause inflation and eat away consumer demand for organics that are priced at a premium compared to their conventional alternatives. Things like farm equipment will go up in price since those items, and the parts for those items, are made all over the world.

Ultimately, the total list of foreign items tariffed, exempted, and then the items created in the United States which have been tariffed as retaliation is extensive. All tariff-affected items on a country-by-country basis can be found here. 

How can Organic Farming Research help Mitigate Costs Associated with the Trade War?

Prior to the trade war, demand for organics was poised to grow significantly. According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s 2024 Organic Survey, sales in organic products were projected to grow by 28% through 2025 compared to 2021 numbers. This trend is consistent with a recent 2025 Economic Research Service (ERS) study showing that the organic market in the United States has grown from $11 billion to almost $64 billion over the last two decades.

However, funding for organic research is less than one percent, or $15 million, of the total Agriculture Research Service (ARS) research budget. Furthermore, less than two percent of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)’s competitive grants go towards researching organic topics.

Increases in funding for programs that focus on organic production and competition, like the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) and the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), could be a way to help both conventional and organic producers weather the storm. Since chemical application is restricted for organic farmers, resource optimization and leveraging a farm’s natural environment are critical for success. Organic farming research innovations around production can help conventional operations reduce input costs and improve soil health to maintain or increase yields. In this way, conventional operations can mitigate risk caused by supply chain disruptions.

The Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI)

The most direct path for increasing the funding for OREI and ORG funding is through the passage of the Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI). First introduced by Senator John Fetterman in 2023 in the 118th Congress, and reintroduced April 10th, 2025 by Senators John Fetterman (PA) and Adam Schiff (CA), the OSRI Act would:

  • Provide stair-stepped funding increases for OREI from $60 million to $100 million through the duration of the Farm Bill.
  • Provide Congressional authorization and direction for the Researching the Transition to Organic Program (RTOP), currently known as the Organic Transition Research Program (ORG), with an authorization for appropriations of $10 million a year for the next two years and $20 million the following year.
  • Bolster funding for the Organic Production and Market Data Initiative (ODI). Providing $10 million over the life of the Farm Bill. ODI data is essential for risk management products and targeted market development.
  • Direct ERS to conduct a full, systematic evaluation of the economic impact organic agriculture has on rural and urban communities, taking into account economic, ecological, and social factors.

Organic and conventional producers would greatly benefit from the passage of OSRI because organic research findings are applicable to all agriculture. It would also help producers mitigate supply chain risks by replacing the function of foreign chemical products with natural solutions. Find out if your Senators have signed on to support the OSRI act and reach out to thank them or ask them to do so. Contact gordon@ofrf.org for more info.

Eat well and breathe deep,

Vinnie