farm bill

Organic Growers Give Input for 2018 Farm Bill

Randall Weiseman Farm Bill, Organic

By Jaci Schreckengost As the 2018 farm bill discussion continues, many growers are pressing to get their voices heard by those writing the bill. At the inaugural Florida Organic Food & Farming Summit in Gainesville, a workshop on September 18 allowed growers to discuss their concerns and suggestions for the farm bill. Sarah Hackney, grassroots director at the National Sustainable …

imported organics

Organic Field Crop Production Numbers Rising

Dan Industry News Release, Organic

Organic farming is a rapidly growing segment of U.S. agriculture. Organic vegetables, fruits, and livestock make up the bulk of the entire segment. However, a new USDA report shows organic field crops are making gains in the number of acres planted and overall value. The National Ag Statistics Service released the numbers showing that U.S. farms and ranches produced $7.6 …

ota

Organic Trade Association Responds To Jump in Organic Sales Data

Dan Industry News Release, Organic

A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found a 23 percent jump in organic sales from 2015 to 2016. Laura Batcha, CEO of the Organic Trade Association, says that’s very good news for the industry. She says the market has been growing faster in recent years at the consumer level than the base number of organic acres and …

Farm Bill Discussed at Florida Organic Growers Summit

Randall Weiseman Farm Bill, Livestock, Organic

By Jaci Schreckengost With 2018 farm bill provisions being discussed, many growers are interested in telling their stories about how certain portions of the bill have either helped or hurt them in the past. At the inaugural Florida Organic Growers (FOG) Florida Organic Food & Farming Summit in Gainesville, a workshop was held to discuss what is currently in the …

Florida NRCS Reminds Producers about Organic Initiative

Dan Organic, USDA-NRCS

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind producers that the current Farm Bill provides financial and technical assistance to help producers transitioning to organic farming and certified organic producers meet their conservation goals. Monica Jones, a district conservationist in Alachua, Bradford, and Union counties, says the Organic Initiative is through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

alabama

Alabama Organic Cost Share Signup Deadline is September 30

Dan Alabama, Organic

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) wants to remind growers and handlers of organic agricultural products that they can recover part of the cost of their USDA certification. Through USDA, funds have been allocated to reimburse producers and handlers who either obtain or renew their organic certification in the fiscal year that ends September 30, 2017. The reimbursement …

2016 Sales of U.S. Certified Organic Agricultural Production Up

Dan Industry News Release, Organic

California continues to lead in certified farms, acres, sales Sales of organic agricultural production continued to increase in 2016, when U.S. farms produced and sold $7.6 billion in certified organic commodities, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show that 2016 sales were …

organic trade association

OTA Files Lawsuit Against USDA Over Organic Livestock Standards

Taylor Hillman Industry News Release, Organic

The Organic Trade Association announced a lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture over its failure to advance new organic livestock standards. The suit alleges USDA violated the Organic Foods Production Act, and unlawfully delayed the effective date of the final livestock standards. The trade association further contends that the Trump Administration’s regulatory freeze order issued to federal agencies in January …

Head of USDA Organic Program Stepping Down

Taylor Hillman Industry News Release, Organic

The leader of the Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program will step down at the end of the month. Miles McEvoy will vacate the position overseeing the program and return to his home state of Washington. McEvoy led the program that oversees organic regulations and the USDA organic seal for eight years. McEvoy told Fern’s Ag Insider that his original …

commissioner nikki fried

Organic Family Farmers Need Strong Standards and Enforcement

Dan Industry News Release, Organic

American family farmers and ranchers grow and raise organic foods for the nation under strict standards. Those standards are set by the National Organic Program under the guidance of the National Organic Standards Board and protect the integrity of the industry. When major producers and organic product importers fail to comply with these standards, it puts all organic farmers and …