Portland, Ore., Nov.7, 2024-- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt yesterday attended the National Organic Standards Board fall meeting to highlight USDA’s investment in and support of the nation’s organic agricultural industry. USDA’s programs are opening new market opportunities for farmers, expanding consumer access to organic foods, and helping producers take home a greater share of the food dollar.
“USDA recognizes how important it is to meet the growing consumer demand for organic goods and the unique position organic producers have in the marketplace,” said Under Secretary Moffitt. “Our investments through programs such as the Organic Market Development Grant program are ensuring more Americans have access to affordable organic foods and helping small and mid-sized producers gain access to new, profitable markets. I was excited to share these accomplishments with industry leaders at the National Organic Standards Board meeting.”
During her remarks, Under Secretary Moffitt highlighted the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program which has, with the final awards announced in August, provided $85 million for 107 projects around the country. OMDG is supporting the development of new and existing organic markets to increase the consumption of domestic organic agricultural products. The projects funded through this program are expected to benefit over 102,000 producers and increase 119 million people’s knowledge of organic products. Among the awarded projects is funding to Grange Cooperative in White City, Ore., to expand its processing and marketing capacity of organic grain for livestock feed. It is anticipated that through this project, the cooperative will be able to process an additional 2,000 tons of organic grain feed, increase domestic organic grain feed sales, and create more and better markets for organic producers.
OMDG is part of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), a $300 million investment that delivers wrap-around technical assistance to producers interested in transitioning to organic. The initiative includes mentoring and advice, direct farmer assistance through conservation financial assistance, and targeted organic market development grants.
Among OTI’s comprehensive suite of programs is the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is supporting farmers transitioning to organic by connecting them with mentors, providing community building, technical assistance, workforce development, and helping producers overcome challenges during and following certification.
Additionally, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) supports conservation practices required for organic certification and leverages partnerships to expand relationships within the organic community. NRCS and its partners offer field days, workshops, and one-on-one technical assistance to producers working to meet organic standards.
OTI is a part of the USDA food system transformation initiative to support local and regional food systems, expand access to markets for more producers, and increase the affordable food supply for more Americans while promoting climate-smart agriculture and ensuring equity for all producers.
Credits/ Source:https://www.ams.usda.gov/