*MEDIA STATEMENT*
The Organic Trade Association (OTA), our business members, and the nonprofits with whom we work are deeply concerned with the January 27th OMB memorandum on the “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs” and any associated communication post-recissions of the broad freezing of funds for already obligated federal grants. Many farms and businesses have already spent dollars and are awaiting reimbursement from these government programs. Farm businesses and organizations have made financial decisions, signed contracts, and otherwise obligated themselves and exposed themselves to financial risk based on the belief that they had a legal and binding agreement with the federal government. Funds must be dispersed for any grants or contracts that have already been executed with American businesses.
Within our membership, there are awardees for grants for on-farm infrastructure or equipment, expanding manufacturing capacity, technical assistance to farmers, dairy business innovation, and overseas market development. A pause for any length of would be extremely challenging and disrupt investments for American farms, rural communities, and businesses. We urge Congress to work with the administration to quickly resolve the confusion and broad blanketing of such important investments in American agriculture.
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About the Organic Trade Association
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing organic businesses and producers across the nation. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, brands. retailers and others. OTA's mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace.