Historic Farm Bill requests Organic Provisions. Before Ag Committee today.

Date:   7/18/2007 3:37:59 PM ( 17 y ago)

on 7/18/07 8:55 AM, Organic Trade Association wrote:

July 18, 2007
1:36 PM

Dear Leslie,

By the end of the day today – July 18 – the House Agriculture Committee (see Members here:
http://capwiz.com/ota/directory/committees.tt?commid=hagri)
will emerge from a full committee meeting with a Farm Bill ready to present to the full House of Representatives next week for more debate and a vote.

You can listen to this development LIVE by using one of the links on this page:
http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/audio.html


Today's discussions are historic for organic agriculture. Organic provisions have never before been this detailed or regarding this amount of funding.

Here's what OTA knows is happening with organic agriculture in the House Bill:
Specific access for organic farmers to the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and other conservation programs
Increased organic certification cost share (which may be challenged in the Mark-Up.)
Targeted organic research provisions
Funding for segregated organic data collection and publication
Instructions to the USDA to create a remedy for crop insurance for organic farmers
The following amendments could be offered today:
An amendment by Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) requiring a "fair share" of total USDA-ARS funding be applied to organic research.
An amendment by Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) calling for mandatory funding for organic research.
An amendment by Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for organic conversion assistance.
Once the Farm Bill moves out of the House, the U.S. Senate (and OTA) will follow the same process to produce a Senate version of the Farm Bill. Once the House and Senate have their respective versions, a conference committee – with representatives from both the House and Senate - will work to merge the two versions. Once the versions are merged, everyone will vote again and a final version will be sent to the President for a signature.

Thanks to all of you that sent messages to your Members of Congress over the last week using OTA's Legislative Action Center (http://www.capwiz.com/ota). Your action makes a huge difference as work on the Farm Bill evolves.

Please be alert over the coming weeks and months as OTA will seek your advocacy efforts again – as things unfold. Be ready to write or call when you get an action alert.

At the very least - cross your fingers for organic!

Take Care,
Beth Fraser
Legislative Grassroots Manager
Organic Trade Association
Organic Trade Association
P.O. Box 547 Greenfield, MA 01302


 

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