There is no question that organic production is on the rise. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported twelve percent growth in the organic sector between 2014 and 2015, the highest growth rate the sector has seen since 2008. However, given the diverse sets of data that make up this growth rate, […]
Organic
Cost-Share Program Makes Organic Certification More Affordable
As demand for organic products has continued to rise across the country, the industry has struggled to keep pace. Farmers interested in organic production often face significant barriers to entry, such as difficulty accessing or transitioning land, and daunting financial costs. As part of efforts to reduce these barriers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s […]
The Contract Price Addendum: A Good Risk Management Tool for Certified Organic and Transitioning Producers?
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has recently announced an important update to the Contract Price Addendum (CPA) — transitioning to organic acres will now be eligible. With this change have come a flurry of questions about CPA and how it works, including “What are CPAs?”, “Is my crop eligible for this?”, and “Should I use […]
USDA Makes Payments Available for Organic Field Border Buffers
Many organic farmers install conservation buffers strips around the edges of their crop fields. These ‘field border’ buffers provide multiple conservation and environmental benefits, and also help farmers meet U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic certification requirements, which include protecting soil and water quality and enhancing biodiversity and habitat). In some circumstances, the buffers can […]
RELEASE: New Conservation Option for Organic Farms Unveiled
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ferd Hoefner, Paul Wolfe, 202-547-5754 New Conservation Option for Organic Farms Unveiled U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist in establishing up to 20,000 acres of new conservation buffers Washington, DC, February 26, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a new conservation option for organic farmers–cost-share and land […]
Can USDA Support for Transitioning Organic Crops Spur the Market?
Interest in organic products has boomed over the last several years, between 2004 and 2016 sales of organic food more than tripled (from $11.1 billion to $39 billion), but farmers are finding it difficult to keep up with demand. Part of this difficulty stems from the time and expense of transitioning farmland from conventional to […]
Organic Farmer Survey Now Underway
The 2015 Certified Organic Survey, which collects data on acreage, production, and sales for a variety of certified organic crop and livestock commodities, is now underway via the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Certified organic crop and livestock producers have until February 19, 2016 to submit their data by mail or to complete the […]
Final Guidance on National Organic Program Provides Clarity for Farmers and Certifiers
Preservation of natural resources and the promotion of biodiversity and animal welfare are core principals of organic production. In order to support these principals and help farmers and certifiers to comply with organic requirements, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) released its final guidance, Guidance on Biodiversity and Conservation, on Friday, January […]
2011 Budget Drilldown: Organic Programs
This post is the seventh in a series of commentaries by NSAC staff on the President’s 2011 budget, released on February 1st. To read the overview by Executive Director Aimee Witteman click here. Look out in the following days for the final budget analysis on conservation programs. The President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2011 […]