*MEDIA STATEMENT*
On Tuesday it was reported that a bipartisan compromise on a funding bill was imminent, including a one-year farm bill extension with funding for Organic “orphan programs.” Unfortunately, that was derailed on Wednesday and a new scramble began to keep the government funded and address the need for a farm bill extension. Late Thursday afternoon the House released new bill text for funding the government through March, disaster relief, and farm bill extension that was “clean” – lacking any additional plus ups in funding. As such, organic orphan programs were left out. These programs total only $10 million and yet are essential. The cessation of operations of the Organic Certification Trade and Tracking (OCTT) program, the Organic Data Initiative (ODI), and the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) for an entire year without alternative funding mechanisms would be detrimental to the continued growth and integrity of the organic program.
“We are incredibly disappointed in the House bill released on Thursday. On Tuesday we had bipartisan Congressional leadership aligned on a compromise bill that served US farmers without disrupting key programs,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association. “The alternative that emerged at a frighteningly late hour given the December 20 deadline is inadequate. It hampers the ability of the National Organic Program to ensure the integrity of organic imports. It cripples the USDA’s ability to safeguard organic imports, inviting import fraud which directly hurts American farmers, removes data tools which farmers use to make operational decisions, and hits organic farmers in the pocketbook at a time when we’ve lost over 15% of our organic dairies since 2021 due to economic challenges.
We believe Congress should reject this bill and quickly move back towards the middle ground compromise that was achieved on Tuesday. At the least the bill should be amended to cover all orphaned programs, organic or not, that provide US farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to succeed.”