A portion of the funding has been allocated for every state and is available exclusively through a special sign-up under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. To qualify, a producer must be certified through the National Organic Program or be in the process of transitioning to organic production.
“The Organic Trade Association is pleased to see this support and recognition from USDA that organic farming practices represent positive environmental practices,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s executive director. “OTA believes that this funding will further encourage farmers to use such practices and help increase the US production of organic food to meet growing consumer demand.”
Under the initiative, new contracts for organic production are being offered for six core practices, which include conservation crop rotation, cover crops, nutrient management, pest management, prescribed grazing and forage harvest management. Funding is capped at $20,000 a year. The sign-up period for the special organic contracts begins 11 May and ends on 29 May.
Kathleen Merrigan, the USDA’s deputy secretary of agriculture, announced to the National Organic Standards Board that the USDA intends to create a division within the agency that’s dedicated to organic agriculture. Currently, the National Organic Program is part of the Transportation and Marketing Program within the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Barbara Robinson, deputy administrator of transportation and marketing, had told attendees at OTA’s Policy Conference in late March that she believes the National Organic Program is now ready to stand on its two legs.
Source: Organic Trade Association
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