From Resource to Action: Building a Diverse Equitable, and Inclusive Community of Organic Professionals
The pursuit of racial equity is a substantial endeavor that requires collective action. The National Organic Coalition (NOC), along with the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), the Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA), the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), and IFOAM - North America (IFOAM-NA) started coming together in the spring of 2021 to explore avenues for collaboration with the shared goal of bridging existing gaps in research, resources, education, and support for marginalized farmers and the organic professionals who work with them.
As a result, our organizations submitted a joint proposal to the USDA - National Organic Program’s Human Capital Capacity Building Initiative and were awarded two consecutive years of cooperative agreements spanning from 2021 to 2023. In Year 1, the project focused on understanding the current landscape of how racial equity is perceived among organic professionals and creating educational tools and resources for the organic community. A significant takeaway from this phase was the recognition that advancing racial equity is an ongoing learning process that requires more than isolated, stand-alone training. Building on the lessons learned, and guided by the recommendations provided by the racial equity consultants we collaborated with, Year 2 focused on researching barriers to participation in the organic movement, including but not limited to certification, as well as providing ongoing professional development opportunities for organic professionals to enact DEI change at the organizational level.
The year 2 report outlines the project outcomes and lessons learned, including:
An outline of barriers to organic certification
Recommendations to address the barriers to organic certification
Recommendations for building authentic and trusting relationships
Recommendations for developing a relevant and effective racial equity training for organic organizations
And more.
