Additional organic provisions are included in latest Farm Bill mark-up
The House Agriculture Committees Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture on Thursday approved additional key steps to help strengthen the infrastructure for organic agriculture. Provisions include:
- $22 million to help farmers pay for organic certification. The certification cost-share program would provide up to $750 per farmer, increased from the current $500.
- $3 million for organic price and production data. This information could used to analyze crop loss data for organic production.
- Provisions to increase Farmers Market programs that will help small and new organic farmers have an immediate local outlet for their products.
In May, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research extended the Organic Research and Extension Initiative to examine optimal conservation and environmental outcomes for organically produced agricultural products, and to develop new and improved seed varieties that are particularly suited for organic agriculture. That subcommittee authorized $25 million per year for each fiscal year through 2012. It also included language making loans for water and soil projects to organic producers a priority; permitted organic transition to begin at the end of CRP (Conservation Reserve Program); and gave organic farmers access to EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) Conservation Innovation grants providing that each fiscal year, $5 million will be used for outreach to organic and specialty crop producers.
There are two more subcommittee mark-ups to come as well as full committee action on the Farm Bill in the House Committee on Agriculture. Keep up-to-date by going to http://www.ota.com/07FarmBill.html (members-only section).
Meanwhile, the House Agriculture Committees Rural Development Subcommittee this week amended the 2007 Farm Bill proposed language to reauthorize the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Area program (ATTRA), which assists sustainable and organic agricultural producers with current technologies and practices. The amendment authorizes $5 million per year for ATTRA program costs.
Still to come are possible remedies for problems in the organic crop insurance arena, and other improverments for organic farmers and processors.
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