Caren Wilcox, outgoing director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), said last week that Congress had "made excellent progress" in support of organic agriculture with new farm bill legislation, and that OTA would work to ensure its' ultimate passage into law. Both the Senate and the House voted for the bill by large margins, probably enough to sustain a possible presidential veto.
Among the bills provisions: -an increase in mandatory spending on organic programs to more than $100 million dollars during the time that the legislation remains in effect, expected to be until about 2012. This is an approximately fourfold increase over the amount provided for in the about-to-expire 2002 bill.
Additionally, organic agriculture is made eligible for programs that have previously been difficult to access.
Among provisions included: $22 million in cost-sharing for organic farm certification, $5 million for enhancements in data reporting and analysis, and $78 million (over 5 years) for research intended to provide better marketing and technical information to organic producers and processors.
Another item to be funded will be a study to formulate a plan for overcoming current inequities in crop insurance coverage, in which organic farmers pay an extra premium of 5 percent, yet are compensated for any losses only at the same rate as conventional crops. The legislation also authorizes, in principle, more funding for the National Organic Program (NOP) via the Agriculture Marketing Service, intended to guarantee appropriate accreditation, enforcement, and international organic production oversight. Also agreed to in principle was focusing attention on the provision of technical and conversion assistance, within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), to increase organic acreage in the United States.
Some of the provisions included are not covered by mandatory funding and must yet undergo the congressional appropriations process.
