FARM BILL LEGISLATION

About the Farm Bill:  
The Farm Bill is the primary agriculture and food policy legislation of the federal government. This omnibus bill deals with agriculture, food assistance programs, and other aspects under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The National Organic Coalition advocates for organic programs in the Farm Bill.

You can learn more about NOC’s Farm Bill Recommendations:

  • Read about NOC’s top Farm Bill priorities here.

  • View the list of marker bills NOC has endorsed here. This list highlights the many different Farm Bill marker bills that advance organic priorities.

  • Take Action - Organic Programs Are at Risk!

NOC’s Priorities for the Farm Bill:

Organic agriculture has multiple benefits, including economic, environmental, climate, and human health benefits. NOC is making recommendations for the inclusion of organic provisions across the farm bill titles, including commodities, crop insurance, conservation, energy, nutrition, and horticulture. NOC’s top priorities in the Farm Bill include:

  • Support for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program & Organic Transition - NOC is asking for support for the Opportunities in Organic Act. This bill will increase organic certification cost share reimbursements to $1,500 annually per scope and will provide technical support and mentorship to existing and transitioning organic farmers. This program would build on the Organic Transition Initiative launched by USDA in 2022.

  • Regulatory bottlenecks at USDA – NOC has endorsed the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Act. This bill requires USDA to update the organic standards regularly based on input from the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to make it easier to make improvements to the organic standards.

  • Equity - NOC is advancing Farm Bill policies that address disparities, land loss, and promote equitable access to organic agriculture. See the full list of legislation that NOC has endorsed to promote racial equity in organic agriculture.

  • Organic Dairy Crisis - Organic dairy farmers across the country are facing severe economic challenges. The Farm Bill should provide long-needed support for the organic dairy market, including investments in regional organic milk processing infrastructure, expanded data collection, publication of data for the organic dairy sector, and recommendations to create an economic safety net program for organic dairy farmers. NOC is urging support for the O DAIRY Act and the Organic Dairy Data Collection Act.

  • Organic Research - research is key to tackling the many challenges facing organic farmers. NOC is asking for increased funding for organic research, to keep pace with the growing organic sector. Ask you Members of Congress to support organic research in the Farm Bill!

  • Conservation - Organic operations are required to use climate-smart farming practices, such as cover-cropping and crop rotations. Organic operations create detailed Organic Systems Plans to describe how they will maintain and improve natural resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity on their farms. But many USDA conservation programs are not well tailored or accessible to organic farmers. NOC is requesting organic literacy training for NRCS staff and provisions to increase access to conservation programs for organic operations.

    And more! NOC is making recommendations for the inclusion of organic provisions across all farm bill titles. 

NOC’s Analysis of the 2018 Farm Bill:

The 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018. The bill has big wins for organic farmers and consumers, including provisions that will help safeguard organic integrity and generate jobs, economic growth, and environmental benefits in communities across the United States. The bill included:

  • a historic boost in funding for organic research.

  • provisions enhancing organic import enforcement; the recently finalized Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule is a direct result of these provisions.

  • funding and authority for the organic certification cost-share program, a program that provides partial reimbursement for rising organic certification costs and is especially important for small and mid-size operations.

The bill, however, contained deeply troubling provisions that impose statutory changes on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), the USDA advisory board responsible for keeping toxic substances out of organic production and processing. NOC stands in strong opposition to these NOSB provisions. Read NOC’s full press release here.

You can learn more about NOC’s advocacy on the Farm Bill:

  • View NOC’s organic marker bill tracker to assist you in navigating the many different Farm Bill marker bills that advance organic priorities.

  • Read about NOC’s top Farm Bill priorities here.

  • Read NOC’s full document, detailing our requests for all Farm Bill titles here.

  • NOC has created a detailed scorecard to rate the 2018 Farm Bill and compare it to the House and Senate Farm Bill legislation on key organic priorities.

  • This document summarizes NOC’s 2018 Farm Bill Priorities and contains information about the marker bills that advanced those priorities.

  • NOC submitted testimony to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees in August of 2017 detailing our priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill and we expressed strong opposition to efforts to dilute the authority and role of the National Organic Standards Board.

Find relevant news and updates on #Farm Bill blog posts.