$325M more for climate-smart commodities

 Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) led a letter to Vilsack calling for him to work with Congress to provide immediate direct assistance to organic dairy and poultry farmers.

The lawmakers, joined by Republican Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), wrote that “[i]nternational trade challenges specific to organic, persistent drought, and the lack of a stable domestic supply of certified organic feed have created a dire economic situation for organic livestock farmers across the U.S. over the last two years.” Without assistance, family farms will be forced to close and industry viability will be threatened, the lawmakers said.

Context: Organic farmers shun synthetic inputs in favor of natural solutions. While a limited set of synthetic tools are allowed under USDA standards, it is at a far lesser scale than in conventional agriculture. The list of allowed and banned substances for organic is here.

Organic goods have increased in popularity over recent years and many farmers have transitioned to organic to reap higher cost premiums. While organic goods retail for higher than conventional products, input costs are typically higher for organic operations and farms require a three-year transition period. Between 2020 and 2021, organic sales surpassed $63 billion, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2022 industry survey.

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By:  Garrett Downs
Source: Politico Pro

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