It is likely to result in the biggest bipartisan, bicameral deal of the year. It promises to spend another $5 trillion on taxpayers. Make illogical promises. Also, the impact on food safety is negligible.
It’s the 2023 Farm Bill, which the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled House Agriculture Committee hope to reach a deal by later this year. Special stakeholders are lining up to get a piece of the bill that will replace the 2018 Farm Bill.
The “Farm Bill” is the instrument used by Congress every five years to set the country’s agricultural, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policies. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees said late last year he initiated field hearings on the 2023 Farm Bill and is now working exclusively on it.
After many ups and downs, the 2018 Farm Bill didn’t reach the president’s desk until just before Christmas. The broad scope of the “Farm Bill” is best illustrated by its many “titles” including commodities, protection, trade, nutrition, credit, rural development, research, extension, and related matters. Forestry, Energy, Horticulture, Crop Insurance, and others.
The ‘Farm Bill’ is of particular interest in all shapes and sizes, from wide to narrow. An example of broader interest is the $53 billion US organic sector, much of which is represented by the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
OTA’s priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill are:
- Update organic food production laws to establish pre-planned and predictable timelines (at least once every five years) and review organic standards to continue to meet consumer expectations in an evolving market. Update.
- Strengthen the enforcement powers of the National Organic Program (NOP) against false or misleading organic claims.
- Increase funding for Farm Bill-approved core organic programs, including the Organic Research and Education Initiative (OREI), Organic Data Initiative (ODI), Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (OCCSP), and the National Organic Program.
- Expanding organic market data collection and improving risk management tools for organic farmers;
- Prioritize and increase funding for conservation activities that improve soil health.
- To recognize the contribution of certified organic agriculture to conserving natural resources in current and future USDA conservation and climate-smart verification programs.
- New programs to increase technical assistance to organic and transitional farmers and to facilitate market development and infrastructure grants to expand organic production and processing capacity in the country, as piloted by the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative. approval and investment.
OTA stated its priority policy It ensures that organic standards are responsive to market demand and provides organic farmers with supportive research and risk management tools. It called for conservation and climate-friendly programs that reward organic farmers for their contributions to protecting natural resources, and urged Congress to enact policies to strengthen the resilience of organic supply chains. .
“Organic is one of the fastest growing food production and processing categories in the country, but despite the strength and market success of the organic sector, the industry has to be addressed by Congress in the upcoming Farm Bill. “The benefits of organic extend far beyond the gates of the farm. We have developed a set of priorities that build on the progress achieved in
New to the 2023 “Farm Bill” are all environmental groups working on climate issues. The “Inflation Reduction Act” included his $20 billion into existing Farm Bill programs, including dealing with droughts in the West.
USDA has allocated more than $3.1 billion to 141 projects to support the production and marketing of so-called “climate friendly goods.” Where the USDA is headed with its “Climate Smart” slogan will become clear during deliberations on the Farm Bill. But it will still be a long time before Farmer Brown can call the county extension agent and ask him to get more rain on his back when he’s 40.
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