Spending Bill Directs USDA to Assist Organic Dairy Producers & Boosts NOP Funding
Congress has passed a massive spending bill, averting a government shutdown and funding federal government activities for the rest of fiscal year 2023. Embedded in the legislation are key provisions to advance organic agriculture.
Organic Dairy Provisions
Congress is calling on USDA to provide emergency relief to organic dairy producers. The National Organic Coalition (NOC) asked Congress to address this crisis caused by severe drought conditions, supply chain backlogs, and a surge in organic feed prices. Report language accompanying the bill directs USDA to report back within 30 days on available sources of USDA funding to address the organic dairy crisis.
There is also report language focused on the need for detailed data about market conditions for organic dairy producers and enforcement of organic standards, two priority issues that impact the viability of organic dairy operations.
“After six years of pay prices that are significantly lower than the costs of production, organic dairy producers have no reserves left and many operations are at risk, said Ed Maltby, Executive Director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, a NOC coalition member. “We appreciate that the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are flagging this urgent issue. We are calling on USDA to meet immediately with all stakeholders and take immediate action to provide relief to ensure the survival of organic dairies.”
Increased Funding for the National Organic Program at USDA
The bill will boost fiscal year 2023 funding for the National Organic Program (NOP) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from $20 million to $22 million. The NOP is responsible for overseeing the growing organic industry, which generates about $63 billion in sales annually in the United States, and is charged with updating and enforcing USDA organic standards in a uniform way around the globe and investigating complaints of fraud.
Funding for Organic Research
The bill continues funding for organic research through the Organic Transitions Program, which will receive $7.5 million in fiscal year 2023. The bill also boosts funding for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program to $50 million. NOC had requested funding increases for these critical research programs to help farms meet future challenges, including research related to barriers to transitioning to organic production.