Organic Trade Association releases forward-looking 2023 Farm Bill platform

Building on progress proposed for the organic sector in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) released its platform for the 2023 bill. Priorities include ensuring organic standards keep pace with marketplace demands, providing research and risk management tools to organic farmers, and enacting policies strengthening resilience of the supply chain.

“Organic is one of the country’s fastest-growing food production and processing categories, but despite the organic sector’s strengths and marketplace success, the industry faces core challenges that Congress must address in the next Farm Bill,” said Tom Chapman, OTA CEO.

The platform benefitted from consultations with the OTA’s Farmers Advisory Council, representing over 8,500 U.S. growers. While organic research funding got a boost from the last Farm Bill, crop insurance rules and support for mentoring and other technical help for organic and transitioning farmers are needed.

Top priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill include:

• Updating the Organic Foods Production Act to establish a timeline to review organic standards;
• Strengthening the NOP’s enforcement authority;
• Increasing funding for OREI, ODI, OCCSP and the National Organic Program;
• Expanding organic market data collection/improving risk management tools;
• Authorizing programs to increase technical assistance for organic and transitioning farmers and facilitate market development.

Source: Organic Trade Association

To view source article, visit: https://www.ota.com/news/press-releases/22684

Organic & Non-GMO Insights April 2023