The Organic Farming Research Foundation, International Fresh Produce Association, Organic Farmers Association, the Organic Trade Association, and the National Organic Coalition are proud to have led a letter sent to the Senate Agriculture Committee today about the importance of supporting organic research, specifically the Organic Agriculture Research Extension Initiative (OREI) and the Organic Transitions Program (ORG), in the Farm Bill.
These National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) programs are the only two dedicated organic research programs under the USDA. OREI is the flagship competitive grant program dedicated to organic agricultural research. It supports research, education, and extension programs that enhance the ability of established organic producers and processors to grow and market high-quality products. ORG awards competitive grants to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices, through research, extension, and higher education. Both programs are critical to advancing innovation, productivity, and long-term competitiveness within the organic market, projected to grow from $76.6 billion in 2025 to over $100 billion by 2030. They also produce valuable resources for non-organic farmers interested in adopting organic practices.
The Senate Farm Bill will build off the progress the House Farm Bill made for organic research, most notably, reauthorizing OREI and providing first-time authorization for the Organic Transitions Program, which was renamed to the Researching the Transition to Organic Program (RTOP).
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