WASHINGTON, D.C.?—?U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has joined his colleagues in urging the Appropriations Committee to support organic farming investments in the FY2025 spending bill. In a letter to Chairman Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Ranking Member John Hoeven (R-ND), the members urged the leaders to prioritize organic-specific programs across the country and to consider congressionally appropriated grant funding for research, technical support and regulatory oversight to help the organic industry flourish. 

In a 2020 study, Maine, ranked second in the country per capita for the availability of organic food. For every 100,000 Maine people, there are 37 organic farms located across the state — with Maine vegetable farms producing the most organic produce in the nation.
 

“As you draft the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, we request that you continue to invest in the rapidly growing organic agriculture industry by funding key programs outlined below. Organic agriculture provides environmental benefits and bolsters local economies by supporting nearly 28,000 family farms and businesses,” wrote the lawmakers. “In 2022, total organic sales in the United States topped $67 billion, nearly doubling 2013 sales of $34 billion. This trend is likely to continue as more consumers seek organic goods. However, federal support is needed to help current and future organic producers meet the growing demand.”? 
 

“While federal funds appropriated to support organic agriculture have been modest in recent years, the return on that investment has been substantial and impactful. From farm fields to businesses, organic agriculture continues to be a growing industry which provides jobs throughout the supply chain. We ask that you continue to support its growth by funding the organic-specific programs outlined in this letter,”?the lawmakers concluded. 

The letter was also signed by Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).  

Senator King has been a strong advocate for Maine farmers. He previously introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill to boost marketing efforts and overseas sales for American agricultural products with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA). Their Expanding Agricultural Exports Act is estimated to increase agricultural exports by $7.4 billion by doubling funding for the advertising programs of agricultural goods in foreign countries. Additionally, Senator King has worked to support Maine’s lobster fishery, wild blueberry industry and potato farmers. King has also co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to combat the unfair practice of mislabeling non-dairy products using dairy names. This past fall, Senator King and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree introduced the Organic Market Development Act which would expand an existing, highly popular grant program for organic farmers.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

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Dear Chair Heinrich and Ranking Member Hoeven:

As you draft the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, we request that you continue to invest in the rapidly growing organic agriculture industry by funding key programs outlined below. Organic agriculture provides environmental benefits and bolsters local economies by supporting nearly 28,000 family farms and businesses.1 In 2022, total organic sales in the United States topped $67 billion, nearly doubling 2013 sales of $34 billion.2 This trend is likely to continue as more consumers seek organic goods. However, federal support is needed to help current and future organic producers meet the growing demand.

Ensuring the continued growth of organic agriculture requires continuing the modest but important federal investments in organic agriculture. There are a critical set of national programs which work to provide the research, information, technical support, and regulatory oversight to permit the industry to flourish. These programs are:

National Organic Program (NOP) – Fund at $29 million

NOP is a regulatory program responsible for developing and enforcing national standards for certified organic agricultural products. These standards assure consumers that products with the USDA organic seal meet consistent, uniform requirements. In a given year, NOP handles anywhere from 500 to 850 inquiries or complaints about violations of organic regulations. As funding has increased in recent years the average time needed to complete these investigations has fallen from 14 to 4 months.3 To sustain these efficiency gains, we support increasing funding from $22.8 million in FY24 to $29 million. From FY18 to FY23, authorization levels for this program trended upward from $15 million to $24 million; appropriating $29 million for FY25 would be in line with that trend. As the organic industry continues to grow, it is essential that NOP receives the resources it needs to enforce organic regulations, develop international equivalency agreements to expand the market for American organic products worldwide, and develop organic standards for emerging sectors.

Organic Transitions Research Program (ORG) – Fund at $15 million

Another challenge to the continued growth of organic agriculture is limited research into effective organic production methods. The Organic Transitions Research, Education, and Extension program (ORG) helps farmers fill their knowledge gaps, overcome barriers in transitioning to certified organic, and become successful organic farmers. We request an increase in FY24 funding from $7.5 million to $15 million to keep pace with growth in organic farming.

Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives (ODI) – Fund at $3 million

ODI is a multi-agency organic data collection initiative that collects and disseminates data regarding organic agriculture through the AMS. This includes information vital to maintaining stable markets, creating risk management tools, and negotiating equivalency arrangements with foreign governments. ODI has been successful in providing valuable data to policymakers and the organic industry at a low cost. We support appropriating $3 million for ODI in FY25 to continue and expand upon organic price reporting and data collection. National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) - Fund at $11 million OCCSP reimburses up to 75 percent of annual certification costs for organic operations. Certification is an important step that ensures compliance with rigorous USDA organic standards, however, it can create barriers for organic producers, particularly smaller and medium-sized farmers who may not be able to afford the full cost. In recognition of the economic, environmental, and human health benefits of organic production, Congress has consistently helped to defray certification costs. Though the OCCSP received $8 million in FY24 through the Farm Bill extension, we urge you to appropriate $11 million in FY25 to ensure program funding does not lapse and continues to keep pace with the growing number of organic farmers and handlers that are seeking certification.

While federal funds appropriated to support organic agriculture have been modest in recent years, the return on that investment has been substantial and impactful. From farm fields to businesses, organic agriculture continues to be a growing industry which provides jobs throughout the supply chain. We ask that you continue to support its growth by funding the organic-specific programs outlined in this letter.

Sincerely,

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