Organic Trade Association supports proposal to expand check-off program expansion

Dec 16, 2014

Organic industry would decide where dollars get spent

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced a proposal that, if passed, would further exempt organic farmers and handlers from paying into federal research and promotion programs, also known as check-off programs.

As it stands, organic farmers, handlers, marketers, and importers are exempt from paying into the 100% organic program. If the proposal passes, it would extend to the “primary organic” label; products that are 95% organic.

“The OTA (Organic Trade Association) has worked very hard to get this exemption on the books, and we are optimistic that this important regulation will now soon take effect," said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. “The organic sector is a fast-growing, distinct industry with its own unique demands for research and promotion. We're pleased USDA is moving swiftly to allow the industry to use its money to grow and develop its own sector."

Check-off programs are funded by the producers of the specific product. Notable popular ones to date are the iconic “Got Milk?” ads that feature celebrities and athletes sporting stylish milk moustaches.

Regardless that more than 80% of American families buy organic products and sales skyrocketed to $35 billion in 2013, there is room to do more.

“There is still much that needs to be done in the way of educating consumers about organic, devoting more research dollars to organic agriculture, and helping farmers to convert to organic,” Batcha said. “Giving the industry more ability to invest in its future is very significant."

The USDA published the proposed changes and there’s now a 30-day public comment period.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.