Early this month, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Organic Agriculture Research Act of 2018. This bill would reauthorize the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) until 2023, with a gradual increase of funding, from 20 million dollars to 50 million dollars annually.
“OREI was created over 15 years ago when the organic industry looked very different,” said Kanika Gandhi, Policy Specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. “The organic industry has experienced massive growth over the last few years, and all signs indicate that consumer interest in organics will only continue to increase. Yet, despite its growth, domestic organic production continues to lag far behind demand for organic products. It is high time that our national investment in organic agricultural research is increased to catalyze the advancement of domestic production.”
Currently OREI is the only federal program specifically focused on organic research, and it is the only federal farming program whose funding is set to expire at the end of the 2014 Farm Bill cycle. If this bill is passed, it will help ensure that the funding for the program increases to an amount that will bring to the total budget for organic research in line with the current demand and growth projections for the organic farming industry.
Passing the Organic Agriculture Research Act of 2018 would mean that organic farming in America could continue on a level that would keep up the growing demands of the country for organic food products, and continue to further increase the quality of organic farming.
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With all the money that goes to support the fossil fuel industry, I am encouraged that something that helps our environment and our local economies is on the radar.
I find it refreshing that so many people commenting have been paying attention to government, and have not been just blindly following whatever the "official" authority tells them to think. Many people claim that we are all just "sheeple" and unaware of how things are done. I think this comment section proves that statement false. In organic farming, as in other areas, it will be the people that create the changes we desire, and not some distant authority. With that in mind, I care not what the government does with its' stolen funds in this bill, or any other.
Government is a good thing when people participate. I’m not talking about knee jerk reactions to sound bites. I’m talking about research and critical thinking. Problem is with quick to react – mob mentality.
Government is a good thing when people participate. I’m not talking about knee jerk reactions to sound bites. I’m talking about research and critical thinking. Problem is with quick to react – mob mentality.
@Infwp...If you think that Susan Collins is a "leftist commie", you need to be institutionalized for your own well being. And I don't think our military is in any jeopardy of "going bankrupt." This bill is a rare bipartisan act that will increase funding for organic farming research.
We need the government to STAY out of organic business. Name ONE thing that the govt has control of that is not bankrupt or close to going bankrupt.
Anything Susan Collins leftist commie wants to do I am against. Keep govt out of business.
Thinking of research... If anyone here hasn't already read Sir Albert Howard's "An Agricultural Testament," please do. He has some very interesting thoughts on ag researchers/scientists who have no first-hand knowledge of farming of any sort, doing their studies in a lab or at best on small plots. Chapters XIV and XV. Howard is, of course, considered the father of composting and organic farming.
Be sure to read what Sir Albert Howard wrote in "An Agricultural Testament" (chapters XIV and XV especially) about ag researchers who had no first-hand knowledge of farming--everything done in a lab, or on small plots at best.
The government needs to keep out of businesses. The free market will take care of business. If a product is bad, people will stop buying it. If it is good, more people will buy it. If you cancel all the subsidies, more people could use the land for organic farming. It would have to be sold at cheaper prices because organic takes 5 years to get the approval certificate. My guess is that most of the land in subsidies is probably full of man-made chemicals and will require the full 5 years or more to make them compliant. Then the prices would come down on the food. Also, please stop the production of Roundup and its main poison glyphosate. Why do you think so many people have allergies never heard of before 1950 or cancers in children at an unheard rate. We are slowly killing ourselves with our chemicals. Remember the old ad - "better living through chemistry"? NOT NOT NOT
Let organic agriculture do the free market thing. The government should not be in business with businesses or regulating them. Stop the subsidies, stop polluting our earth with glyphosate and keep out of the organic argriculture. Maybe more people will start organic farms and bring down the prices if you get rid of the subsidies!
I read the news report and it sound great until I read that they want to increase the organics research from 20 million to 50 million. Is someone getting rich off of this government (tax payer) funded research? Instead of research, perhaps they should consider passing regulations on the large corporations of a thousand acres and above to insure they have enough land for organic farming. Not to mention, the dust bowls these corporations have created! Now, if our new government chose to discontinue the subsidiaries to the big farmers etc. and put the 20 million back into the research for organics, I would be happy with that, but not 50 million!
If there is such a high demand for organic agriculture, then supply (through the profit motive), will follow. KEEP the government OUT of our agriculture. This is somebody's 50 million dollar gravy train. Research my butt. Jim
Just how the heck does passing a 50 million dollar bill "mean that organic farming in American could continue on a level that would keep up with growing demands"???? Why can't the free market dictate supply and demand. If organic agriculture is in such a high demand, supply (through the profit motive) should readily catch up without government intervention. I am against government spending in this way. This sounds like somebody's gravy train. Jim
There is nothing in this that would persuade me to endorse this bill. How do we know this isn't just for corporate farms and the local organic producer will be squeezed out? More detail is needed and more input from local organic farmers so that we as citizens can make a real choice on this bill.
The problem I may have with this is that the monies may go to corporate farms rather than supporting individual and local farmers. If the language is more specific I could support the bill.
The USDA (or, USDuh, as Joel Salatin is wont to say) is the camel with its nose in the tent on the organic food supply. The Feds merely took their monoculture and CAFO standards and stretched them to include the organic food supply. This action stifles innovation and productivity, impedes local food production and seeks to preserve the monopolies of the big food processors, none of whom have an interest in providing nutritious food to the general public. The irony is, of course, that organic farmers invited the Feds to come in and define their 'industry.' As consumers, we must educate ourselves as to what constitutes healthy food as the education system and the medical treatment system are certainly not going to do it for us
I love organic food and think there should be significantly more of it available. On the other hand, there are few and defined (read the US Constitution) things the Federal Govt does well... with everything else it is asked to do, it wastes considerable time and resources (our tax money being one of them, but also natural resources) corrupting the original intent. The private sector would do an incredibly better and more efficient job IFF those who are passionate about his would stand up and form/join/support private organizations to do the same function.
I think we need to move away from government solutions in organic farm practices. They have lowered the standards, making the label USDA Organic meaningless, while increasing the costs to acquire and maintain those lowered standards. At the same time, they reward (the state) those who spray poisons onto their crops (and into those poor beasts) and rarely enforce any environmental protections on those most guilty. This was not an accident, and there is more than enough evidence available for the average person to realize that the biggest problem with our food system is government involvement.
This government initiative has been in effect for some time, however few of us know what they have accomplished for the $20M plus we are investing. I would ask that they publish a list of accomplishments, and implement a quarterly newsletter report to advise the taxpayers and organic industry participants what they are doing. Lacking this, I would have to ask my Senators to vote nay on this extension.