The USDA is giving a big boost to organic agriculture just when the sector can use it.
The USDA has said it intends to invest $300 million into a new Organic Transition Initiative program as part of the USDA Food System Transformation Framework.
“Up to $300 million [will be available to support] a new Organic Transition Initiative to provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production,” the USDA said in a statement. “Organic production provides producers with the ability to demand a premium in the marketplace and thus take home a greater share of the food dollar; there can also be climate and environmental benefits.”
The agency said the initiative will deliver “wrap-around technical assistance,” including farmer-to-farmer mentoring. In addition, the USDA said it will provide direct support through conservation financial assistance and additional crop insurance assistance and support market development projects in targeted markets.
The Organic Trade Association praised the planned investment.
“Organic has grown from a niche industry to a $63 billion plus market – but for the industry to continue meeting demand and providing economic opportunity to U.S. farmers, production must be scaled up,” Tom Chapman, the association’s CEO and executive director, said in a news release. “USDA’s new Organic Transition Initiative will jumpstart that growth by making the organic transition process more accessible and impactful; particularly for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, who experience unique challenges to accessing resources and support programs. This historic investment in food production, which increases options for American farmers to ‘adopt practices that are both good for their businesses and the climate,’ is a significant win for our industry.”
The new transition program, the association said, will include core components for which the group has consistently advocated: organic-specific technical assistance, market development, and updates to USDA farm programs for conservation, crop insurance, and certification cost-share programs.
