OMDG Advocacy
[[Date]]
The Honorable Glenn Thompson
Chair
House Committee on Agriculture
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Thompson,
As organic stakeholders in Pennsylvania, we harbor a strong interest in programs and funding that support organic agriculture – it remains an economic engine for our rural communities and is vital to our livelihoods. In late May the U.S. House Agriculture Committee voted favorably to advance the bi-partisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act to the full House for consideration. This is an essential step in the path to a final Farm Bill that hopefully will be passed yet this year.
While the Farm, Food, and National Security Act does acknowledge some organic measures such as the National Organic Program, organic data collection, certification support, and organic research the legislation lacks a more formative and necessary organic infrastructure agenda to grow the strength of organic industry for domestic farmers and businesses.
The Organic Market Development Act, introduced in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, provides that framework.
This legislation, modeled largely on a current USDA program, offers grant resources for processing infrastructure, specialized equipment, and market education to organic businesses, farmers, and trade partners. The grant program matches private resources with federal funds to solve supply chain bottlenecks and in doing so generates more economic commerce while providing a greater selection of choices for a broader collection of consumers. To date, the program has offered awards to 93 projects in 34 states. While encouraging results it is dwarfed by the staggering demand of $218 million in requested funding by over 190 applicants in 2023.
An organic infrastructure program is good for all of agriculture. We know organic farmers and businesses have consistently voiced the need for increased domestic processing and marketing assistance to meet rising consumer demand, generate greater farm to retail efficiencies, and expand and accelerate the adoption of regenerative practices inherent in organic agriculture. Pennsylvania has a pronounced standing in organic agriculture as a state with the fourth most certified organic operations at 1,649 and the third largest farm gate sales of organic at over $1.09 billion – this type of infrastructure program would be of great benefit to region.
As the U.S. House moves towards conference committee, we urge the House Agriculture Committee leadership to find common cause with the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee leadership and secure authorization of the Organic Market Development Program and funding of $50 million annually.
We appreciate your attention and support for organic agriculture and welcome a continued conversation to maintain and grow the returns this segment of value-added agriculture can provide our state and nation.
Sincerely,
Cc:
U.S. Senator John Fetterman