Another alert concerning the 2007 Farm Bill, this time with an emphasis on organic foods…

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Center for Food Safety - office [at] centerforfoodsafety.org
Date: Oct 1, 2007 7:35 PM
Subject: Senate Taking Up Farm Bill Soon - Urge Them To Support Organic Programs

The Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Finance Committee are taking up the Farm Bill any day now. It is time for Organic Farmers and Consumers to tell their senators what organic means to them and ask for support for organic programs.

Tell the members of the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees to support Organic in the Farm Bill. Top priorities are:

* Organic Certification Cost Share — $25 million over 5 years
* Organic Research – At least $15 million in mandatory funding
* Conservation Security Program — with full funding and including and easy crosswalk for certified organic producers
* Organic Conversion Program — $50 million a year with at least half going to technical assistance for farmers

Contact your Senators TODAY and urge them to support organics! The tentative schedule is to consider the Farm Bill the week of October 1. Once the process starts, it could move very quickly so please stand by for urgent action alerts!

Call the Capitol Switchboard and ask for your Senator’s office: 202-224-3121.

For a list of Senate Finance Committee members, click HERE
For a list of Senate Agriculture Committee members, click HERE
Don’t know who your Senators are? Look them up HERE

Talking Points:

I am calling to urge your support for organic programs in the 2007 Farm Bill. In particular, I ask that the following provisions be included and fully funded:

Organic Certification Cost Share - Mandatory funding of $25 million for the 5-year life of the Farm Bill:
For many organic producers and handlers, the annual cost of organic certification is burdensome. The current program to help defray these costs should be reauthorized and updated to reflect increased costs and funding needs.

Organic Research - At least $15 million in mandatory funding:

Although organic currently represents about 3 percent of total U.S. food retail market, the share of USDA research targeted to organic agriculture and marketing only represents about 0.6 percent annually ($12 million). In order to adequately meet the public research and data needs of the rapidly growing organic sector, the 2007 Farm Bill should reauthorize valuable organic research programs at higher funding levels, and make sure that existing USDA research and data collection efforts are expanded to include organic-specific activities.

Conservation Security Program - with full funding and including and easy crosswalk for certified organic producers:

The Conservation Security Program was authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill to provide on-going financial assistance to reward farmers for implementation of conservation practices on their farms. However, the program has been significantly curtailed by spending limitations imposed through the annual appropriations process. In addition, changes need to be made to make it easier for organic producers to participate in the program.

Organic Conversion Program - $50 million a year with at least half going to technical assistance for farmers:

The process for farmers to convert to organic takes at least three years. During this conversion process, farmers incur the higher costs associated with organic production but do not receive the higher price premiums that come with final organic certification. In addition, financial assistance is needed for nonprofit organizations around the country to provide technical assistance to farmers in the organic transition process.

Thank you for taking my views under consideration.

You can also post your comment to the Senate Agriculture Committee at the website below:

Senate Agriculture Committee comment form (will open in a separate window)

or visit the web comment forms of members of the Senate Finance Committee (the Senate Finance Committee does not have a comment form)

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Center for Food Safety.

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