Organic Farmers and Advocates Head to Washington as USDA Funding Freezes and Cuts Threaten the Future of Organic Agriculture

Washington, D.C. — This week, a 30-person delegation from the National Organic Coalition (NOC)—including farmers, major organic companies like Nature’s Path Organic Foods and Equal Exchange, and representatives from consumer food co-ops—is in Washington, D.C. to meet with over 55 Congressional offices and USDA officials. Our mission: to sound the alarm over devastating USDA funding freezes and staff cuts, and to defend the integrity of the $70 billion organic industry.

“When USDA breaks contracts and cuts staff, farmers pay the price,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director of the National Organic Coalition. “If the National Organic Program—which safeguards a $70 billion industry and protects against fraud—faces similar cuts, we risk unraveling decades of progress toward a trusted, transparent organic system that supports thousands of US farms and businesses. Without adequate staffing and resources, USDA cannot uphold the organic label or deliver on its promises to farmers and businesses.”

Across the country, farmers and organizations are feeling the impact of federal funding freezes. With USDA withholding obligated funds, many are scaling back acreage, laying off staff, and halting conservation projects—undermining food security, local economies, and long-term agricultural resilience.

Delegation members represent 18 states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. They are meeting with Congressional offices and USDA officials to discuss:

  • Threats to the National Organic Program and the need for adequate staffing;

  • The status of Transition to Organic Partnership Program and Organic Market Development Grants, both frozen;

  • USDA’s efforts to prevent organic fraud, and the resources required for enforcement;

  • On-the-ground impacts of USDA funding freezes and broken contracts.

NOC members will also highlight ongoing efforts to include organic priorities in the Farm Bill, including:

  • Increased funding for NOP enforcement and modernization;

  • Restoration and expansion of the Organic Certification Cost Share Program;

  • Enhanced investment in organic research and dairy data collection.

“Policies made in Washington directly shape what’s possible on our farms,” says Steve Ela of Ela Family Farms, a member of the National Organic Coalition’s delegation to Washington, D.C. “Farmers are facing delays and broken contracts, and at the same time, the organizations we rely on for training and technical assistance are at risk of shutting down. That doesn’t just affect us—it affects the entire food system that begins on our land and ends on your plate.”

Read NOC’s action alert and take action here: https://www.nationalorganiccoalition.org/blog/2025/3/16/-urgent-action-needed-protect-organic-farmers-amp-the-usda-national-organic-program-

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Abby Youngblood