NOC Members Will Meet with Dozens of Congressional Offices on June 21-23

Farmers, Food Co-ops, & Advocates Urge Action on Organic Priorities

National Organic Coalition (NOC) members will be zooming in this week to urge Congress to act on organic priorities in the lead up to the 2023 farm bill.

With farm bill negotiations already underway, NOC fly-in participants are asking Congress to increase technical assistance and transition support in the farm bill for farmers who want to shift acreage to organic production.

Numerous organic, regenerative, and rural organizations already provide technical assistance, transition support, and other services to producers. These organizations are poised to assist more farmers in transitioning to organic systems of production, which will help the U.S. agricultural sector achieve net zero emissions. Thirty years of peer-reviewed research demonstrates that organic farms sequester carbon, build resiliency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Organic agriculture is a systems-based approach to transforming the food system that has scientifically proven climate and soil health benefits,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director at NOC. “As we seek to drastically reduce the climate footprint of U.S. agriculture, organic systems are a critical link. Now is the time to ramp up support to help farmers transition to organic systems, and to reduce the cost of getting certified, which is a real barrier for small and underserved farmers.”

Increasing the number of farms that grow crops organically also provides additional economic, public health, environmental, and biodiversity benefits.

NOC is also asking Congress to increase organic research in the 2023 farm bill through a boost in funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) to address production, marketing, and environmental challenges and to keep pace with tremendous growth in the organic sector over the past several decades. 

Additionally, a fair and competitive marketplace is essential for the viability of small and mid-size organic family farms. NOC is asking Congress to urge USDA to take immediate action to finalize the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule to crack down on fraud in organic supply chains.

Follow NOC on social media (Facebook @NationalOrganicCoalition and Twitter @NationalOrganic) for live updates on Congressional meetings.