NOC Members are going to D.C.
NOC Members prepare to meet with Senator Stabenow’s agriculture staff during the 2023 NOC Fly-in.
Members of the National Organic Coalition are preparing to descend on Capitol Hill on March 20 to speak with Members of Congress about the value of organic agriculture to our communities. The NOC delegation includes 26 farmers, advocates, scientists, organic inspectors, organic company & food co-op representatives. Participants in the event hail from fifteen different states and will meet with dozens of Members of Congress and their staff who serve on the House and Senate Agriculture and Appropriation Committees.
We are urging Members of Congress to pass a five-year Farm Bill and to tackle the following issues in the Farm Bill:
CT organic farmer Steve Munno meets with House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro during the 2023 NOC Fly-in.
Support for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program & Organic Transition - NOC is asking for support for the Opportunities in Organic Act. This bill will increase organic certification cost share reimbursements to $1500 annually per scope and will provide technical support and mentorship to existing and transitioning organic farmers. This program would build on the Organic Transition Initiative launched by USDA in 2022. Ask your Member of Congress to support the Opportunities in Organic Act! https://www.nationalorganiccoalition.org/action-alerts
Regulatory bottlenecks at USDA – NOC has endorsed the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Act. This bill requires USDA to update the organic standards regularly based on input from the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to make it easier to make improvements to the organic standards. We will be asking Members of Congress to co-sponsor this legislation during our fly-in.
Equity - NOC is advancing Farm Bill policies that address disparities, land loss, and promote equitable access to organic agriculture. See the full list of legislation that NOC has endorsed to promote racial equity in organic agriculture.
Organic Dairy Crisis - Organic dairy farmers across the country are facing severe economic challenges. The Farm Bill should provide long-needed support for the organic dairy market, including investments in regional organic milk processing infrastructure, expanded data collection, publication of data for the organic dairy sector, and recommendations to create an economic safety net program for organic dairy farmers. NOC is urging support for the O DAIRY Act and the Organic Dairy Data Collection Act.
Organic Research - research is key to tackling the many challenges facing organic farmers. NOC is asking for increased funding for organic research, to keep pace with the growing organic sector.
Conservation - Organic operations are required to use climate-smart farming practices, such as cover-cropping and crop rotations. Organic operations create detailed Organic Systems Plans to describe how they will maintain and improve natural resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity on their farms. But many USDA conservation programs are not well tailored or accessible to organic farmers. NOC is requesting organic literacy training for NRCS staff and provisions to increase access to conservation programs for organic operations.
NOC members will also ask Members of Congress to increase funding for the National Organic Program at USDA and key organic research programs and to improve organic dairy data collection through the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations legislation.
Stay tuned for updates on our progress and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn (#NOC2024FlyIn) for live updates! You can also support our and elevate our message in two ways: