Going organic gets easier - USDA unveils support package

May 16, 2024

By Farms.com

The USDA is unveiling a new support package designed to make organic farming a more achievable goal for American farmers. These initiatives aim to address the challenges that often deter producers from transitioning to organic practices.

A key program is the Organic Market Development Grant, which awards funding to projects that promote organic products and create new market opportunities. The USDA recently awarded $24.8 million in grants and plans to award an additional $10 million soon.

Another initiative is the NRCS Organic Expertise Program, a partnership with organizations like Oregon Tilth. This program provides $5 million to support training and technical assistance for organic producers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

Additionally, the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers the Organic Certification Cost Share program. This program helps ease the financial burden of organic certification by covering up to 75% of the costs.

By providing financial support, training opportunities, and market development assistance, the USDA aims to make organic farming more accessible and encourage the growth of the organic sector in the United States.

Video: What Happens When Pigs Adapt to High Soybean Meal Diets? - Gustavo Lima

In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Gustavo Lima, PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University, discusses how grow-finish pigs respond to high soybean meal diets. He explains the initial drop in feed intake, changes in backfat, later adaptation, energy efficiency, amino acid utilization, and the rise in nitrogen excretion at higher inclusion levels. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article: https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/...

“Once they got adapted to the diet, they can handle higher levels of inclusion of soybean meal.”

Meet the guest: Gustavo Lima / gustavo-lima-a9867127 is a PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University whose work focuses on swine nutrition, ingredient characterization, energy metabolism, caloric efficiency, and applied data analysis. With more than 15 years of experience in swine production across Latin America, Gustavo also brings expertise in environmental control, performance evaluation, barn ventilation, and grow-finish housing. Learn more from Gustavo Lima on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.