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IN THE KNOW ABOUT THE “O”
NEW FARM BILL
On December 20, President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill, officially titled the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, into law after quick passage earlier in the month by Congress. The new law advances the priorities of the organic sector.
“We applaud the quick signing of this historic legislation for organic,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director
of the Organic Trade Association. “Now it is up to USDA to ensure that the gains that organic stakeholders fought so hard for in the Farm Bill are put into action. Our growing sector needs the additional funding that this Farm Bill provides for research, and the stronger oversight and enforcement provided to prevent organic fraud. We look forward to working with the Department to help get these important provisions implemented.”
The Organic Trade Association praised the Farm Bill for making significant steps to move organic agriculture forward. It called the organic priorities contained in the legislation
a “major policy win” by organic champions, who included association members and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
The trade group cited the permanent funding for the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) program provided by the legislation, and the inclusion of important steps to modernize and speed up federal efforts to prevent organic fraud, to create a transparent marketplace, and to ensure that every stakeholder in the organic chain is playing by the rules.
The new law also provides funding for the organic certification cost-share program that helps small and beginning farmers to transition to organic by relieving some of the costs with annual organic certification fees. It provides full funding for the Organic Data Initiative, USDA’s organic data collection program that provides market and production information for the organic industry.
“Organic stakeholders worked tirelessly to get these provisions in the legislation because organic farmers and businesses need them to continue to move forward. We are now eager to work with USDA to bring these provisions to life and into the field,” said Batcha.
Approximately every five years, the U.S. Congress passes Farm Bill legislation setting national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy. The 2014 Farm Bill expired in late September 2018.
SIGNED INTO LAW, ADVANCES ORGANIC
www.ota.com
Organic farmers praise advances
“Organic farmers should be very pleased by provisions in
this Farm Bill. The substantial increase in funds for organic research will enable improvements in farming practices to make our farms more productive and sustainable. Investments in oversight will level the playing field for U.S. producers and stem the tide of illegitimate imports. Increases in funding for conservation on organic farms will help us continue to lead practicing an agriculture that enhances natural resources,” explained Doug Crabtree of Vilicus Farms in Havre, Montana.
Added Steve Pierson, organic dairy farmer and Organic Valley board member from St. Paul, Oregon, “The needs
of organic farmers and businesses are often times unique,
so I’m encouraged that this new Farm Bill makes progress specific to organic. The new bill supports organic research, which can help American farmers be more productive in the way we farm. It is hard for one individual farmer like me to do research trials on a certain pest or production technique but being able to have resources that enable research projects and disseminate that knowledge to farmers, well that makes good sense. It also makes good sense that we update the regulations on the global oversight of organic in this farm bill. We need USDA to have the wherewithal to go after organic fraud wherever it comes from. That reinforces the integrity of organic for farmers and consumers.”
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership- based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. It is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states.
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