Organic Trade Association (OTA) welcomes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plans to invest up to $300 million in a new Organic Transition Initiative program as part of its Food System Transformation Framework. The program will provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production, which USDA says will bring environmental benefits and enable producers to demand a premium in the marketplace.
OTA’s CEO and Executive Director Tom Chapman says that USDA’s “historic investment in food production” increases options for American farmers, “making the organic transition process more accessible and impactful; particularly for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, who experience unique challenges to accessing resources and support programs.” He heralds it as a significant win for the organic industry that will help American farmers “adopt practices that are both good for their businesses and the climate”.
The new organic transition program will include core components for which OTA has consistently advocated, such as organic-specific technical assistance, market development, and updates to USDA farm programs for conservation, crop insurance, and certification cost-share programs.