Organic Leaders Meet with USDA on Farm Bill

WASHINGTON—Representatives of the organic community met with the USDA Farm Bill Implementation Team on Aug. 11, 2008, to discuss the implementation of organic provisions within the 2008 Farm Bill. The meeting was organized by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in what David Gagnon, OTA’s interim executive director, called a “historic opportunity to present key information on the significance of these organic provisions to the team charged with developing the rules implementing the Farm Bill.”

The OTA-led group included representatives of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), the Center for Food Safety's National Organic Coalition, Rodale Institute, National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Food and Water Watch, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and Florida Organic Growers. The meeting was co-hosted by USDA Deputy Under Secretary Floyd Gaibler of the Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services and Lowell Randel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Congressional Relations. Also attending were agency representatives from the Agricultural Marketing Service, National Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Risk Management Agency, Agriculture Research Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.

During the meeting, OTA spokespersons and other participants stressed the importance of National Organic Program (NOP) funding, organic production and market data, research needs, organic crop insurance provisions, the national cost share certification program, and provisions for organic agriculture in conservation programs. Particular emphasis was given for a well-implemented nationwide USDA support system for conversion to organic agriculture.

“This meeting was very important as we shift from legislative advocacy to the hard work of implementation. Our wins in the Farm Bill must be integrated into each agency’s work plan as directed by the USDA leadership, but it won't happen automatically,” said Mark Lipson, senior policy analyst, OFRF. “The broader organic community must continue to work together, share the workload, and present a united front. This is essential to our success.”

The USDA Farm Bill Implementation Team is charged with crafting 70 Farm Bill implementation rules by 90 days after the June 18 enactment date of the 2008 Farm Bill, including the conversion provision.