Each year, the discretionary spending portion of the federal budget must go through the appropriations process in Congress.  Since many organic and other agriculture programs are funded through discretionary spending, the National Organic Coalition participates in the Appropriations process by submitting testimony and taking action.

NOC is currently focused on increasing funding for the National Organic Program. Organic sales have been growing by leaps and bounds and the USDA National Organic Program is now responsible for overseeing more than $60 billion in sales each year. The National Organic Coalition recognizes the urgent need to modernize and strengthen USDA oversight of organic products to prevent fraud and make sure that everyone in the supply chain is playing by the same rules.

NOC is also calling on Congress to fund critical organic and sustainable research programs and to reinvigorate animal and seed breeding programs so farmers have seeds and breeds that are adapted to regional conditions and the changing climate.

You can learn more about NOC’s current appropriations priorities here.

NOC thanks the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for their leadership in securing funding increases for key organic programs. The most recent spending bill, passed in December 2022, included a boost in funding to $22 million annually for the USDA National Organic Program, funding for two critical organic and sustainable agriculture research programs, and a directive to USDA to provide emergency relief to organic dairy producers. Read more.