Defend the USDA Certified Organic Label and Promote Environmental Stewardship In Agriculture

Defend the USDA Certified Organic label and promote environmental stewardship In agriculture

I urge you to fully support organic agriculture in the Farm Bill and to oppose any changes that would undermine the organic standards and the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Consumer confidence in the integrity of the USDA organic seal is a key driving factor in the exponential growth in the organic sector. Making changes to the authorities or composition of the NOSB could harm the integrity of the organic program, undermine consumer trust in the organic label, and severely damage the reputation of the industry as a whole. Organic farming is a bright spot in the U.S. rural economy. Data show that organic farms are 35 percent more profitable than the average farm, and that rural counties with a high level of organic farms and businesses have higher household incomes and reduced poverty rates. A growing body of research demonstrates that organic farming systems provide an impressive range of conservation benefits. Organic farms support 50 percent more pollinator species, sequester carbon in the soil, and deliver greater resilience in the face of climate-related weather impacts like drought and floods by improving soil structure and soil water-holding capacity. Research also shows that organic food and farming reduce human exposure to toxic pesticides for consumers, farmers, farmworkers, and rural communities. The number of organic consumers is steadily growing. Data shows that over 80 percent of U.S. households buy organic food, and the demographics of organic buyers matches the diversity of the American population. Organic remains the fastest-growing sector of the food industry — while the overall food market experiences a stagnant 0.6 percent growth rate, organic sales grew 8.4 percent from 2016 to 2017. Yet domestic production is not keeping up with this booming consumer demand. The U.S. accounts for 44 percent of global organic sales, but just four percent of global farmland under organic production. Approximately 25 percent of organic corn and 75 percent of organic soybeans used in the country are imported. U.S. farmers are losing out on the chance to feed Americans’ growing appetite for organic food. At a time when so many farmers and rural communities across America are struggling, we need more policy support for organic agriculture. First and foremost, I urge you to oppose any changes that would undermine the National Organic Standards Board in the Farm Bill. I also urge you to maintain key elements of the House and Senate Farm Bills that support organic and conservation agriculture, including the policies mentioned in the August 14 letter from 168 organizations and companies to House and Senate agriculture committee leaders. Organic farmers and businesses depend on consumer trust in the organic seal and support from the programs outlined above. I urge you to uphold the integrity of the organic standard by opposing any changes that would undermine the National Organic Standards Board and to maintain the pro-organic provisions from the House and Senate Farm Bills in order to grow the American organic sector.