Spring Organic Summit Recap: DC Developments, Farmer Voices, and USDA Engagement
On May 20, the National Organic Coalition (NOC) hosted a virtual Organic Summit, bringing together over 140 policy advocates, farmers, organizational leaders, and USDA staff for critical conversations on the future of organic agriculture. Below is a summary of the key takeaways.
Thank you to Organic Farmers Association for co-sponsoring the event!
DC Update: What’s Happening in Washington
NOC Policy Director Steve Etka and Organic Farmers Association’s Lily Hawkins kicked things off with a timely DC update:
Budget Reconciliation Bill & Farm Bill Fallout
Congress is advancing a Budget Reconciliation bill that makes significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, while also incorporating changes to the Farm Bill. This approach risks undermining years of bipartisan efforts to build consensus. Read more about the bill.
Organic Program Funding
The bill restores some—but not enough—funding for previously “orphaned” organic programs:
Cost Share (OCCSP): $8M/year; this is progress in getting this program restored, but it is not enough to fully fund the program in 2025 and future years
Organic Data Initiative (ODI): $10M total—double last Farm Bill
Trade & Tracking (OCTT): $6M total
Farm Bill Marker Bills
NOC and OFA continue to champion critical marker bills like the Organic Imports Verification Act (OIVA). Learn more about Farm Bill marker bills that NOC is endorsing here.
Appropriations Advocacy
NOC is seeking additional funding for the National Organic Program and important research programs via the annual appropriations process. A Continuing Resolution is likely again this year, which would freeze funding at current levels.
Program Freezes and Reductions
TOPP and OMDG funding is now restored, though TOPP projects and some OMD grants must move forward on an accelerated timeline with a 2026 end date. Programs like OREI remain frozen, and others like LFPA and Climate-Smart Commodities have been restructured or eliminated.
Legal Wins—With Limits
The Southern Environmental Law Center had previously brought a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, arguing that the freezing of funding was illegal. A federal judge in South Carolina has recently announced his intent to order the administration to reinstate federal funding for critical community programs across the country. This permanent injunction represents one of the first final judgments challenging the administration’s actions. Notably, the Trump Administration conceded that its decision to cancel grant funding based on executive orders violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
USDA Reorganization & Staff Losses
USDA has lost over 15,000 staff—including 20–30 from the National Organic Program (NOP). A major reorganization is expected soon, potentially disrupting organic services further. Note: Since the Organic Summit, a new legal challenge has put reorganization plans and further workforce reductions at USDA (and other agencies) on hold.
Call to Action
NOC is asking the organic community to communicate with policy makers about the need for strong organic regulations. We need to educate USDA and Members of Congress about the importance of these regulations to protecting farmer investments, creating a fair marketplace and maintaining trust. Take Action.
Farmer Panel: Growing Organic ADvocates
A highlight of the summit was a powerful panel of farmers from across the country, sharing their advocacy journeys:
THANK YOU to our incredible and inspiring panelists:
Bridget Burgess, Hirzel Farms (OH)
Maynard Mallonee, Mallonee Family Farm (WA)
Robert & Dakota Moore, Moore Family Farms (NC)
Stoni Tomson, New Tradition Farm (VT)
and Julia Barton from the Organic Farmers Association for helping organize and moderate the panel.
The panelists’ reasons to start their advocacy journeys varied widely, from a costly NRCS misstep, to being alarmed by grain import fraud threatening domestic growers, to feeling the need to fight against increasing food insecurity during the pandemic, and seeing farming through a lens of political activism and land justice. All connected around the fact that farmer voices matter in the political landscape.
The farmers shared some of the policies that had been the most helpful to them recently, which included:
NRCS programs, high tunnels, and socially disadvantaged farmer support
Strengthened enforcement of organic fraud rules (SOE)
Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA)
Co-op support (e.g., Organic Valley) and strong lawmaker relationships
Mentorship, advocacy orgs (OFA, OEFFA, NOC, OFRF), and peer support networks were critical to keeping farmers engaged and confident in policy work. The panel ended with the farmers encouraging participants to take action in one of the following ways:
Uplift new and underrepresented farmers
Advocate for transparent, domestic sourcing in organic
Invest in community building and grassroots power
Organizational Panel: Building Farmer Power Across Regions
Four advocacy leaders shared regional strategies for building farmer engagement:
Jessica Hays Lucas (NOFA-VT - Vermont), shared some of the work NOFA-VT is leading around member-led policy committee, op-eds and storytelling. One of the successes highlighted was the great strides they were making towards a Vermont Climate-Disaster Support Fund in the Vermont legislature. Finally, Jess highlighted the importance of partnering with farmworker justice movements, especially in the current political landscape.
Matt Kneece (Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) - North & South Carolina), highlighted CFSA’s farmer advocacy training, their bipartisan outreach with members of congress on both sides of the aisle, and their efforts to balance both grassroots and grasstops strategies to elevate organic and sustainable agriculture policies.
Nicole Wolcott (Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA) - Ohio): gave examples of organizing farm tours for members of congress on OEFFA farms, creating authentic engagement and educating members of congress about organic. OEFFA’s diverse member base is used as an advocacy strength. OEFFA’s policy team works to make sure policy work is manageable for busy farmers.
Melissa Spear (Tilth Alliance/CORA - Washington): Shared CORA’s farmer-driven legislative agenda, the high turnout and public support at hearings, and cross-political bridge-building they are doing to advocate for organic at the state level.
USDA Q&A: Updates from Erin Morris & Chris Purdy
The summit ended with a Q&A with Erin Morris, Administrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Chris Purdy, Acting Deputy Administrator at the USDA National Organic Program, and Andrew Malone, Associate Deputy Administrator of the USDA National Organic Program.
The following key points were shared:
Jenny Tucker will return to the NOP on June 2. Erin Morris announced that Dr. Jenny Tucker will return to her role as Deputy Administrator for the National Organic Program on June 2. Dr. Tucker previously served in this capacity from 2018 until early 2025, when she temporarily stepped into a leadership role within USDA’s Specialty Crops Program. Christopher Purdy temporarily filled the role of Deputy Administrator while Dr. Tucker was gone. Mr. Purdy will be moving into the role of Chief Innovation Officer at USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
Rulemaking Slowdown: The federal government, under the President’s Executive Order, is moving into a deregulatory environment, which means agencies are being asked to review and potentially reduce existing regulations. The organic community should continue to communicate with USDA leaders about the importance of organic regulations. Additionally, the rulemaking process will likely be slower than usual during this transition.
USDA Grant Programs: The organic community is pleased that Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and Organic Market Development Grants funding has been restored (TOPP projects and some OMD grants must move forward on an accelerated timeline with a 2026 end date). Farmers and summit participants raised concerns about other grant programs that have been canceled or frozen (including Local Food Purchasing Assistance, Climate-Smart Commodities, Business Builder, and the Fair Labor Stabilization and Protection Program) and expressed frustration that they cannot learn more about the status of those programs. Erin Morris noted that the Fair Labor Stabilization and Protection Program will be resuming, but the status of the Business Builder program is still unknown.
Staffing Cuts: NOP has lost about a third of its staff, including key IT and HR personnel. USDA remains committed to core functions, but may need to prioritize in order to continue performing core work to accredit certifiers, enforce the organic regulations, and ensure that technology systems function.
Technology & Database Challenges: Staff are addressing recent problems with the Organic Integrity Database (OID). USDA is working to keep the OID and other technology systems functioning, but the recent Farm Bill extension failed to provide funding to continue to improve and upgrade technology systems at USDA.
Fraud Enforcement: Import fraud remains a top concern. USDA’s partnership with Customs and Border Protection is key to conducting investigations. USDA is requesting that organic community members submit detailed complaints with evidence of fraud to aid in the USDA’s investigations.
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Appointments: NOC urged USDA to ensure that the nominations process for open NOSB seats moves forward in a timely manner. Five NOSB members (2 farmers, 2 consumer/public interest reps, 1 certifier) will transition off the Board in January 2026. Secretary Rollins will be appointing five new Board members this year to serve five-year terms.
We thank Erin, Chris, and Andrew for their willingness to engage and connect with the organic community.
We are grateful to all who joined, spoke, and shared ideas. Let’s keep working together to protect and grow organic—with farmers, equity, and integrity at the center.
—The NOC Team
