This past winter, organic industry partners coalesced to support continued funding for the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) projects, communicating the critical importance of these programs in strengthening the domestic organic supply chain to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. As the letters to Sec. Rollins explained, the programs support American farmers and businesses by reducing dependency on imports through market access, technical assistance, mentorship, and infrastructure development. USDA responded to the united voice of industry by disbursing held payments and retaining its funding of the programs through 2026. A huge win for organic businesses!
With the invaluable work of OMDG and TOPP ensured through next year, it’s a critical time for partners and industry members across the supply chain to stay engaged.
Why TOPP and OMDG Matter
For years, OTA and our stakeholders advocated for support for organic transition for farmers and businesses – the very pillars of which now exist through programs.1 One of the key advocacy points is the priority area that OTA and our partners at Rodale Institute and the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS) are driving through our TOPP program – market development for farmers and business – through in-person and virtual events and targeted educational resources.
The activities to support domestic market expansion and reach are connected to and impacted by the crucial work happening across the country through the six regional TOPP partners. Through TOPP’s regional activities, more than 165 non-profit organizations are partnered to support farmers in transitioning to organic – expanding domestic supply, supporting local economies, and employing American workers. Through the close of federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, there were
- 3,863 new operations certified organic in FY 2024
- 260,000 acres of newly certified organic farmland
- 325 farmers mentored with guidance from over 230 experienced mentors2
This work continues to grow the supply and expand its reach in FY 2025.
Building Domestic Market Opportunities
What is TOPP doing to support organic markets? Glad you asked!
🌱 This past year, Rodale and its partners hosted 13 in-person and 12 virtual sessions, with around 1500 participants in attendance.
🌱 Events were held across all six regions to provide market development support to farmers and represent the perspectives and current needs of buyers –regionally and nationally.
🌱 They connected with farmers and invited organic businesses to events like:
- The High Plains Organic Conference in Wyoming this past February, hosted a panel discussion on market opportunities for full rotation crops and facilitated a second panel on growing the organic meat marketplace.
- The MidAtlantic Grain Conference in Virginia in March, facilitated a session on the economics of organic grain markets with organic buyers, economists, and farmers. The session was followed by a mixer to provide opportunities for transitioning and certified organic farmers to connect with organic buyers.
🌱 Hosted webinars and advisor calls for farmers who are exploring transition in organic vegetables, livestock, dairy, and grains markets. These 3-part series highlighted the return on investment of organic and transition, brought buyers to farmers to discuss perspectives on the current markets and how to access, along with advisor calls for farmers exploring transition.
🌱 The team at OATS is writing and producing resources for handling operations that are considering organic transition or split operations – free to access and written with handlers’ needs in mind.
- Published a microlearning on the Organic Integrity Learning Center – A Newcomer’s Guide to Organic Handler Certification, featuring three new resources, including: a certification process overview, glossary of organic certification terms, and a guide to organic regulations.3
- Future resources will include courses, case studies, fact sheets, and one-pagers. Some of the topics covered include:
- What to expect at handling inspections
- Processing facility requirements
- Ingredient sourcing and compliance
- Labeling and packaging requirements
- Organic supply chain management and compliance
How the Industry Can Engage
Over the next year, there are many ways your organic business can benefit from and support the USDA’s investment in TOPP and our sector – ways that are good for organic businesses, the planet, and people and animals across the supply chain.
- Attend TOPP buyers-seller mixers and buyer tours
- Serve as a subject matter expert at in-person or virtual TOPP sessions
- Share TOPP handler resources with colleagues exploring organic
- Train new and current employees with TOPP handler resources
The Road Ahead
With an industry over $71 billion and growing each year, we can continue to invest domestically and grow strategically through programs such as TOPP and OMDG. Join the thousands of like-minded organic champions who have engaged in TOPP and help grow organic together.
To learn more about upcoming events and find published educational resources that directly support American farmers and businesses, go to the National TOPP page. OTA members can learn more about future events and published resources through communications such as the News Flash and our Member Communities.
1 “Organic Trade Association recommendations for New Organic Transition Initiative,” Organic Trade Association, https://ota.com/news-center/organic-trade-association-recommendations-new-organic-transition-initiative.
22024 Impact Report, Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), https://www.organictransition.org/impact-report/.
3To access the course on the Organic Integrity Learning Center (OILC), sign up or log in at https://usda.geniussis.com/PublicStudentSignUp.aspx?AffiliateID=46B0C0. Within the dashboard search for the National Organic Program Microlearning and scroll to the bottom of the list to “A Newcomer’s Guide to Organic Handler Certification.”