The pause on the $85 million Organic Market Development Grant program and the $100 million Transition to the Organic Partnership Program has jolted farmers, nonprofits and businesses struggling to make planting and hiring decisions. Even if the pause on funding is lifted, it could put farmers out of business.
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Called the Organic Dairy Product Promotion Program, its goal is to increase consumption of organic dairy among children and young adults while building partnerships with local organic producers.
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Alongside agricultural leaders and stakeholders, OFRF hosted Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta for a field day visit to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Salinas station.
Read Article USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service Market News recently expanded its collection and distribution of price and production cost information by adding organic milk, cattle, grains and feedstuffs, and fertilizer to its list of published reports.
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The investment includes $70.4 million to support specialty crop production research and $50.5 million to support farmers and ranchers who grow and market organic products.
Read Article The $9.7 million for 13 grant projects through the Organic Market Development Grant program brings the total amount awarded through the program to $85 million.
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Apparently, regenerative organic agriculture — a proven and cost-effective solution — is viewed as not thinking big enough.
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The new tool will ultimately streamline the organic transition process and help producers more easily take advantage of all USDA programs.
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Selected projects will benefit more than 31.8 million consumers and more than 27,000 producers.
Read Article These grants will provide information and services to more than 20,000 producers and 20,000 buyers to increase market opportunities for organic farmers.
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$83M is remaining in unspent funds in the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program.
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In a second round of payments, USDA will provide additional assistance to organic dairy producers on top of the $15m that was paid out in the first round. Even still, this will hardly be enough.
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Known as the Streamlining Organic Research Act, it would require the USDA to study the feasibility of certifying more research land as organic and would protect mandatory funding for the Organic Research and Extension Initiative.
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“While we appreciate the USDA providing some help, the reality is that this program equates to roughly $6,000 for a 60-cow herd. It is going to make very little of a difference to the struggling small organic dairies in our community,” said Ed Maltby, executive director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.
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Among other measures, the USDA will issue up to $75M in competitive grants to expand and improve markets for domestically-produced organic products.
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The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service just released details about its $75M investment in conservation assistance for producers transitioning to organic production.
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The USDA announced that it is establishing cooperative agreements in six regions across the U.S. for the Organic Transition Initiative, Transition to Organic Partnership Program.
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A grant of more than $700,000 from the USDA will support a University of California collaboration to improve and expand undergraduate education in organic agriculture, with an emphasis on supporting underrepresented students.
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Some of the lead recipients include: $55M to the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture to help small and underserved farmers; $35M to Wolfe’s Neck Farm to catalyze transition incentives; $25M to the Organic Valley Carbon Insetting Program to help build a multi-stakeholder path to produce and market climate-smart commodities; $25M to Rodale Institute to quantify the reduction of GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration; and $20M to Maple Hill Creamery to grow the supply and market for climate-smart, grass-fed organic dairy.
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According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the number of non-certified organic farms actively transitioning to organic production dropped by nearly 71% since 2008. Through the comprehensive support provided by this initiative, the USDA hopes to reverse this trend.
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In 2020, just as covid hit, the USDA, EPA and FDA launched a pro-GMO campaign called Feed Your Mind. That program has since been updated.
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In a visit to Maine, USDA undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt encouraged farmers to consider a transition to organic farming.
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Along with providing technical assistance, including farmer-to-farmer mentoring, the USDA also acknowledged that “there can also be climate and environmental benefits” with organic. Wow.
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Former Deputy Secretary of the USDA Kathleen Merrigan discusses how our country is moving in the wrong direction.
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