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Organic Farmers Demand Their Fair Share in the 2007 Farm Bill

by Colleen Bednarz, Kari Hammerschlag
In order to keep organics on domestic soil and remain competitive, the organic sector needs far more public investment in research, extension, marketing, and conservation. At the very least, federal investment in organic agriculture should be equivalent to its proportional share of the United States food market.
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Nearly $300 billion in taxpayer dollars is at stake over the next five years, as Congress gears up to write the next Farm Bill in 2007, a collection of policies that impact all aspects of our food and farm system, as well as our environment. Historically, what is needed from national farm policy and what the Farm Bill actually delivers have never been in balance, as the majority of farm payments have been in the form of commodity subsidies that flow disproportionately to large farms growing a handful of commodity crops in a few regions of the country. These subsidy payments lead to cheap corn and soybean byproducts like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils (i.e., trans fats) that have directly contributed to alarming obesity rates and other chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.


Meanwhile, little federal support has gone to fund diversified farming regions like California that grow fruits and vegetables, the essential elements of a healthy diet. Hardly any investment has gone to promote regional food systems, small-scale farmers, and organic farming practices that deliver multiple environmental and economic benefits, as well as an abundant supply of safe, healthy foods. The California Coalition for Food and Farming (Food and Farming), an alliance of 45 food, farming, health, environmental, and nutrition groups, including CCOF, is working tirelessly each day to change federal policy to reflect the new needs of our ever evolving food system.

California’s organic farmers grow more than half of all organic produce sold in the United States, and in 2005, California produced approximately 50% of the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts, with the farming and ranching industry accounting for nearly $31 billion worth of goods. Despite the apparent agricultural bounty that the 350 different crops grown in California provides, millions of families across the state suffer from poverty, hunger, and poor nutrition, and many inner cities and isolated rural areas do not have access to safe, healthy, and wholesome foods. Major strides have been made in recent years to address these issues, like farmers markets, farm to institution programs, and new investments in retail outlets and urban farms. Many farmers, especially small to mid sized growers, are facing increasing pressures such as environmental challenges, development and regulatory pressures, high energy costs, and competition from developing countries, yet federal policy under invests in these positive efforts and undermines the major impacts that sustainable food producers and programs have on total community health, from improving nutrition and reducing obesity to creating new jobs and increasing civic participation.

Organic farming and ranching provides multiple benefits that contribute to all U.S. strategic goals for agriculture; a safe and secure food system, environmental protection, less dependence on fossil fuels, increased trade opportunities, improved human health and nutrition, and prosperous rural communities. Over the past decade, the organic industry has seen an annual growth of 20%, with estimates placing 2006 organic retail sales close to 3% of total U.S. food sales, and 5% of U.S. fruit and vegetable sales. Despite these impressive market trends, programs geared towards organic agriculture receive less than one tenth of 1% of federal Farm Bill funding. In order to keep organics on domestic soil and remain competitive, the organic sector needs far more public investment in research, extension, marketing, and conservation. At the very least, federal investment in organic agriculture should be equivalent to its proportional share of the United States food market.

On February 20th, Food and Farming, OFRF and CCOF took this message directly to Congressman Dennis Cardoza at a Farm Bill listening session in Modesto, CA. Cindy Lashbrook, of Riverdance Farms, delivered a letter to her representative that was signed by more than 100 farmers, businesses, and organizations. The letter outlined the alliance’s ideas for promoting Farm Bill legislation that meets the growing needs and competitive opportunities of the organic farming, ranching, and business sectors in California, calling for greater federal investment in organic farming. “In order to remain competitive, the organic sector needs far more public investment in research, extension, marketing, and conservation. At the very least, federal investment in organic agriculture should be equivalent to its proportional share of the United States food market,” the letter said. The letter asked Rep. Cardoza to include a number of organic proposals in his flagship Specialty Crop Marker Bill, the EAT Healthy America Act that was introduced in the House on March 20th, but those proposals were not included.

Key Proposals from the Organic Sign-on Letter

• Provide mandatory funding for the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service-Integrated Organic Program (IOP) of at least $15 million/year and expand the IOP
• Establish a “Fair Share” framework at Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to ensure higher funding of organic agriculture research
• Ensure that the proposed Specialty Crops Economic and Policy Research Institute incorporates a specific focus on organic agriculture
• Increase current authorization funding for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program from $60 million to $100 million.
• Fully fund the Conservation Security Program (CSP) and direct CSP to prioritize evaluation of organic conservation practices in the the program’s scoring system
• Reauthorize Organic Certification Cost-Share at $25 million
• Establish a National Organic Conversion and Stewardship Incentive Program at $50 million annually that prioritizes small and mid-sized growers and the adoption of advanced 100% organic farming conservation systems.
• Increase funding for the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and Value-Added Producer Grant Program
• Establish equitable fee structures in crop insurance programs as well as reimbursement rates for organic losses based on historical payments for the organic crops

Immediately following this action, Cindy Lashbrook took her message to Washington, DC in early March, where she joined a California delegation of six organic farmers and six organizations coordinated by Food and Farming and the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC). Over the course of three days, delegation members met with fifteen House and Senate offices to advocate for organic agriculture, as well as beginning and minority farmers, and increased access to local and sustainable food systems. “We need greater public investment in organics and local food systems, especially to help small and mid sized growers remain competitive in this increasingly globalized system,” Lashbrook said. “California’s organic growers protect our environment in so many ways. We help conserve our state’s water, soil and air quality. We help reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. Yet, unlike corn, soybeans, and other major commodity crops, we receive almost no federal support.” The delegation advocating for a fairly represented Farm Bill included CCOF certified organic almond producer Glen Anderson, Russ Lester of CCOF certified Dixon Ridge Farms, and Tony Azevedo, an organic dairyman from Rep. Cardoza’s district.

The delegation visit to DC was part of Food and Farming’s broader Farm Bill campaign for a Just and Sustainable Food and Farm Policy. Together with the California Food and Justice Coalition (CFJC), OFRF, CCOF, Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA), Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), and others, Food and Farming is working to bring urban and rural constituencies together to rally California Congressional support for Farm Bill legislation that embraces the vision for a more just and sustainable agriculture and food system.

Together, we are advocating for:

 Increased funding and improved effectiveness of conservation programs, especially the severely under funded Conservation Security Program
 Increased support for organic farmers
 Increased investment in local food systems, new markets and regional food distribution
 increased access to fresh, local, healthy and nutritious food, especially in limited resource communities and schools
 Increased support for beginning and minority farmers
 Meaningful payment limitation reform and gradually replacing commodity subsidies with a new system of farm income stabilization policies.

Even though the organic proposals didn’t make it into the EAT Healthy America Act, there is still time to get organic proposals included elsewhere, as the House Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture begins to mark up the 2007 Farm Bill. The Food and Farming alliance is aiming to mobilize organic farmers in key agricultural regions around the state. “California has four Congressional members on the House Agricultural Committee that will be in charge of writing the Farm Bill. If we want to have influence, we need organic and sustainable farmers to call and meet with their representatives,” said Kari Hamerschlag, policy director with Food and Farming. “With California’s organic farmers producing 50% of the country’s fruits and vegetables, California lawmakers need to take the lead in advocating for organic agriculture. This will only happen if organic farmers get involved,” she said.

Food and Farming will be working with the CFJC to reach out to California’s urban members, including many who are part of the House Organic Caucus. “We think urban members could actually make the main difference in this year’s Farm Bill,” said Heathery Fenny, coordinator of CFJC. Together with Food and Farming, CFJC is organizing Farm Bill Action Teams to go meet with their representatives in urban areas, making the case for our legislative proposals. “There will be a lot of specific pieces of legislation emerging over the coming months and we need to be ready to let our representatives know where we stand,” Fenney said. “We will also be actively trying to get them to sign on as co-sponsors to different pieces of legislation that support our priorities.” One bill, the Healthy Farm, Food and Fuels Act, introduced by Ron Kind from Wisconsin, includes two key organic provisions, including the continuation of the popular organic cost share program and the establishment of a new organic transition and technical assistance program. The Bill also includes significant expansion of the popular Farmers Market Promotion program that provides funding for direct marketing initiatives. Senator Barbara Boxer from California is a lead co-sponsor of the Senate version of the Kind bill.

For the Senate, Patrick Leahy and Tom Harkin are working on a set of comprehensive proposals to support organic agriculture, and with their strong leadership in place, the Senate will likely lead the march for organics in this year’s Farm Bill. The final Bill, however, will be a tough negotiation between the House and Senate, so it is critical to build as much support as possible on the House side, and California lawmakers will be more than instrumental in this effort.

Nationally, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the National Organic Coalition (NOC), SAC, and OFRF are among the groups taking the lead in this year’s federal Farm Bill strategies that promote sustainable agriculture. CCOF and Food and Farming are coordinating as much as possible with these organizations to make sure they have maximum impact in the California strategy.

While awareness is rising about the need for dramatic reform in our food and farming system, the extremely tight Farm Bill budget makes the possibility for real reform and dramatic increases in spending unlikely. At the same time, the tight budget speaks to the need for even greater and stronger action, for the current budget provides little or no new money for the 2007 Farm Bill and dictates “pay go” rules that require all increases to find offsets in other places in the budget. One key strategy to address the problematic budget is to force money out of inequitable and wasteful programs like the commodity payment programs. Haven’t we all had enough of GMO corn and high fructose corn syrup, anyway?

Watch for the Grassley-Dorgan amendment, which will be back at a later date, as it may end up being the action to get resources for organic agriculture and other sustainable agriculture programs into the Farm Bill. With enough pressure, lawmakers will hopefully find money somewhere for new programs and both the Senate and House have put reserve funds aside for that purpose. If the current “pay go” scheme remains, however, they will still need to identify the sources of those new funds (either other program cuts or new taxes), which is never a simple task.

2007 is a critical year for our country’s food system. The time to take action is now, so let your voice be heard, loud and clear. Will organic farmers get their fair share of federal funding in the 2007 Farm Bill? It’s up to you.


Take Action! Advocate, Educate, Speak Out and Spread the Word

Contact Kari Hamerschalg at calfoodfarming [at] gmail.com to sign up for updates and action alerts. For more information, email or call Kari at (510) 295-4781 or visit the California Coalition for Food and Farming’s website at http://www.calfoodandfarming.org.

• Speak Out! Respond to Farm Bill action alerts by sending emails or calling your Member of Congress (You can communicate directly with and/or find out who your representative is at: http://www.house.gov/writerep)
• Sign on to letters calling for specific actions on legislation at http://www.calfoodandfarming.org
• Join a Farm Bill action team and meet with your member of Congress by sending an email to calfoodfarming [at] gmail.com
• Write letters to the editor or op-ed pieces for your local newspaper
• Educate others! Host a meeting in your community about the Farm Bill
• Spread the Word! Encourage your friends and colleagues to get involved
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