NOC Advocates on Behalf of Organic Community during Covid-19 Outbreak
NOC is deeply concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on farmers, farmworkers, the organic community, and beyond. We are mindful of the need to protect the health and safety of all who are involved in organic agriculture, certification, and compliance. Some in our coalition and their stakeholders are on the front lines during this outbreak. We seek to advocate for responsible actions that will protect the integrity of the USDA organic seal during this difficult time.
Congress is currently debating coronavirus economic stimulus legislation. NOC is advocating to ensure that the farmers, farmworkers, organic certifiers, and organic inspectors who are so critical to our food and farm system are included in this support.
NOC is advocating with members of Congress to:
Support Farms, Farmworkers, Certifiers, Inspectors, & Communities
Ensure that farms, farmers markets, farm stands, and CSAs are deemed essential services and have the same status as retail stores when it comes to social gathering and loss of income.
Increase certification cost-share assistance for certified organic farms and handlers and provide immediate payment to organic operations.
Provide technical assistance to organic operations so they can maintain their certifications during the pandemic by providing required records to certification agencies through virtual platforms.
Provide funds for farms quickly moving to set up “on-farm” stands, curbside pickup, and other direct to consumer “no-touch” distribution channels that minimize interaction.
Help connect local farms with emergency relief efforts.
Provide farmers with disaster payments that cover both crops not harvested or sold, as well as those that can move to emergency food needs.
Allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments to be made online directly to farms.
Provide farmworkers who are currently employed on a farm with the same payments as any other workers without questions about their status as citizens, and make farmworkers eligible for paid sick leave, SNAP, health coverage, and workmen's compensation.
Support the proposals made by Rep. Pingree in her recent letter to Speaker Pelosi about addressing the needs of farmers who sell their products through local and regional markets, most of whom received no benefit from the Administration’s trade mitigation payments. When making emergency disaster payments, emergency farm loans and suspending FSA loan payments, it is critical that farmers selling in local and regional markets be explicitly included in those programs too.
Move Critical Rulemaking Forward to Protect Organic Integrity
The rulemaking to improve organic enforcement, both domestically and internationally (aka the “strengthening organic enforcement” rule) is critical for the economic viability of the U.S. organic sector. The 2018 Farm Bill required USDA to complete the rulemaking by December 19, 2019, but the proposed rule is still under review by OMB. This rulemaking must move forward.
The final rule on Origin of Livestock (OOL), to close loopholes with regards to the organic standards related to the transitioning of conventional dairy cows into organic dairy operations, is another critical regulation for the organic sector. Through the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations process, Congress mandated that USDA complete OOL final rule by June 17, 2020.
Address Farm Labor Needs
Establish a program to provide relief workers for sick farmers.
In order to ensure uninterrupted food, crop, and commodity production, recognize all H-2A, as well as any other non-immigrant visa petitions involving an agricultural worker, visa consular processing functions as “essential” and direct the U.S. Consulates to treat all agricultural worker appointments as emergency visa services.
NOC is also assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the USDA’s National Organic Program and we have the following updates to share:
The National Organic Program will hold he NOSB Spring Meeting 2020 live online, instead of in-person. This will allow the NOSB to move forward with deliberations in an open and public setting, without needing to travel. More details are available on the USDA website.
NOC will hold the Pre-NOSB Meeting virtually on April 28 starting at 1 pm eastern. Learn more.
NOC is urging the National Organic Program to move forward as swiftly as possible to publish the Strengthening Organic Enforcement proposed rule for public comment. This remains a top priority for the organic community.
NOC is urging the National Organic Program to publish a final Origin of Livestock regulation no later than the June 17, 2020, deadline set by Congress. This remains a top priority for the organic community.
NOP and certification agencies are working together to determine opportunities to ensure compliance through virtual records review and delayed inspections when necessary and in accordance with provisions in the organic regulations. The Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA) and the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) are collaborating to develop an industry-wide pandemic contingency plan.
NOP staff are continuing with accreditation and enforcement activities. NOP is conducting virtual accreditation interviews with certifiers and reviewing records off-site to move accreditation and enforcement activities forward. Witness inspections of certifiers and unannounced inspections as part of compliance efforts may be delayed, in some cases, until travel is once again safe.
NOC Members & Affiliates are taking actions to support farmers and communities during the pandemic:
NOFA-VT is recruiting relief workers to work on dairy farms during the outbreak and they are using their Farmer Emergency Fund to pay these relief workers. Learn more.
NOFA-NY has posted a list of COVID-19 resources to their website home page. Learn more.
OEFFA has posted news and resources to help farmers, food and farm workers, and consumers navigate this unprecedented challenge. Learn more. In addition, OEFFA organized a statewide press statement in coordination with the Ohio Farmers Market Network, Produce Perks Midwest, the Ohio Food Policy Network and others with a set of state policy recommendations followed by a grassroots action opportunity. OEFFA’s policy blog provides updated policy information and analysis.
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) has shared with us this streamlined list of resources and information to support farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including food safety recommendations, customer relations, federal support programs and networking.This list is updated daily. Learn more.
RAFI-USA will be offering emergency mini-grants for farmers who have experienced a drastic loss of income as a result of the virus and need immediate assistance for household expenses. RAFI-USA is also supporting farmers markets and farmers whose marketing channels will be impacted by social distancing or school closure. Learn more.
MOSES has created a resource page to help farmers cope with the coronavirus pandemic and they are making a workshop recording on how farms can reach customers online available for free. Learn more.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut has collaborated with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to create a new searchable tool of farm stands and farmers markets that are open and serving the public: https://guide.ctnofa.org/
PCC Community Markets in Seattle has provided a temporary wage increase to the store team amid the COVID-19 pandemic to support workers on the front lines. Learn more.
Consumer Reports has created a resource hub to keep citizens up to date on the pandemic and shares advice on how to keep yourself and your family safe. Learn more.
The Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance has shared information with us from the Cornell Small Farms program. Learn more.
The Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance shared with us a link to a Cornell University webinar with information about steps that dairy managers should consider to protect their workforce, their business, and their markets. The recording is available online. Learn more.
The Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA) and the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) are collaborating to develop an industry-wide pandemic contingency plan. Learn more.
Nature’s Path is immediately directing thousands of cases of organic products to organizations supporting children and the elderly most in need during these difficult times. Learn more.
Oregon Tilth conducted a webinar with information about online sales platforms for farmers. The webinar is recorded and available for free viewing. Oregon Tilth will be conducting additional webinars related to COVID-19 in the coming weeks. Learn more.
Natural Grocers shared with us a set of recommendations from the Colorado Food Insecurity Task Force to address COVID-19. Learn more.
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is posting action alerts and information to the blog on their website. Learn more.