12 CapitalPress.com
October 16, 2015
Greatest challenge is financial hurdle of transition period
ORGANIC from Page 1
And it’s not for everyone,”
he said. “You’ve got to be
present in the field, and tim-
ing is everything. It’s hard
to fix a wreck once you get
started.”
And there’s a lot of paper-
work. Every single thing has to
be documented, he said.
The impetus for going
organic has to be more than
money. It’s about producing a
healthy product, he said.
Help wanted
Demand for organic food is
booming with no sign of slow-
ing, far outstripping on-farm
production and boosting U.S.
organic farm gate sales 72 per-
cent since 2008.
On-farm organic sales
reached nearly $5.5 billion
in 2014, the USDA National
Agricultural Statistics Service
reported in its 2014 Organic
Survey, which was released
last month.
Given the growing appe-
tite for organic products, the
Photos by Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press
industry could move well Founded in 1904, Sunset Butte Ranch is transitioning to the next generation.
beyond claiming just 5 per-
cent of the U.S. food supply, own on the family farm that is
according to the Organic Trade being transitioned to his fiancee.
Association.
Townsend said he knew a
To say there’s abundant op- bit about farming and that crops
portunity for farmers is a “gross should be rotated to care for the
understatement,” said Nate soil but he can’t imagine going
Lewis, OTA senior crop and into organics without a mentor.
livestock specialist.
Heath invited him to learn
U.S. organic sales, including from the mistakes he has made
non-food products, hit $39.1 bil- in more than 25 years of organ-
lion in 2014. That’s an 11.3 per- ic production, and the learning
cent increase year over year, no- curve wasn’t so steep — al-
ticeably outshining the 3 percent though this year was harder than
increase in comparable conven- last year, he said.
He realizes his transition
tional sales, according to OTA.
“Demand is far outstripping into organic is unique. He didn’t
supply, especially for grain and have to weather the three-year
transition period and didn’t
pulses,” Lewis said.
But there are significant ob- have as tough a learning curve
stacles to getting into organic as most, but it is demanding, he
said.
production, he said.
“You really have to be on top
The greatest challenge is the
financial hurdle of the three- of it. If you get behind, you re-
year transition period. Without ally don’t have anything to fall Tim Cornie discusses beneficial bugs in his corn crop with Darcy
the use of conventional fertiliz- back on. The weeds are the big Sexton, a student of soil microbiology who is helping him analyze
ers and pesticides, the producer thing. If you get behind, it’s go- and build soil health on his farm in Buhl, Idaho.
is faced with lower yields but is ing to hurt your yield and make
farmers into agriculture, he said.
there,” he said.
not yet able to benefit from the a mess of things,” he said.
OTA is addressing all these
“We
need
to
be
meeting
pro-
higher prices organic crops gen-
Roadblocks
ducers where they are. We need issues on the national and re-
erally bring, said.
Playing into that is a lack of
Healthy price premiums are that on-ramp. What gets com- gional basis, he said.
organic-specific technical as- creating a lot of interest in or- plicated is how to build that on-
Veteran advice
sistance, which runs the gamut ganic farming, more than OTA ramp,” he said.
The industry needs to share
Given current strong de-
from USDA agencies to uni- has previously seen. But there
versity extension specialists, he aren’t many farmers making in that financial hurdle. Some mand and high prices, longtime
said. In addition, crop insurance the move, which underscores food companies do that through organic growers anticipate more
has largely been unavailable for the financial barrier and lack of a direct relationship with the entrants into their industry. But
technical assistance, Lewis said. producers who will be sup- it’s not for everyone, they warn.
organic production, he said.
“Despite prices, if you can’t plying the companies, and it’s
It takes commitment and a
“Support and a safety net
different style of management,
have been lacking in the organic make it through that three years working well, he said.
The industry also needs to and there are no quick fixes,
(of transition), it’s not a viable
sector,” he said.
institutionalize
transitional cer- Heath, the organic farmer, said.
option,”
he
said.
Easing in
For instance, there is a dire tification, perhaps through US-
Some get out as quickly as
Some transitioning farmers need for organic grains — re- DA’s Process Verified Program, they get in, feeling it’s just not
have it a little easier than others. flective of the drastic increase to enable transitioning produc- worth it, he said.
It takes talent, and there are
Matt Townsend’s transition into in organic corn and soybean ers to market their crops at some
premium, he said.
always “ins” and “outs” and
organic is with himself and not imports.
While USDA is genuinely spikes in bad years for conven-
But with the price plummet
with the land, which is already
in the conventional sector drag- interested in extending the safe- tional agriculture, said Nate
certified.
Taking an early buyout ging down organic prices too, ty net to organic producers and Jones, who has run a diversified
from United Airlines, where he those farmers might not be in a has made some recent improve- organic operation at King Hill,
worked for 27 years as a me- financial position to weather the ments, it’ll take a fundamental Idaho, for more than 25 years.
shift in the agency — from crop
People get in, have a bad
chanic, he had planned to farm transition period, he said.
Oats, wheat, corn and soy- insurance to conservation pro- year, think it’s too much of a
on a small conventional farm
headache and get out, he said.
he purchased near Wilder, Ida- beans are in the greatest demand grams, he said.
“You can’t just add the word
The two veteran growers,
ho. That plan changed when he right now, with some wheat
met and became engaged to an contracts at four times conven- ‘organic’ and have it work,” he however, are ready to help new-
tional prices and some corn and said.
comers to organic production
organic farmer’s daughter.
Other areas of need include — which they say is as much
He spent two summers soybean contracts at three times
organic research aimed at philosophy as it is practice.
working for his fiancee’s father, conventional prices, he said.
“The premium is dangling a weeds, pests, plant breeding, ap-
The hardest part is the tran-
Mike Heath, in Buhl. He farmed
with him last year and has just carrot on the stick. But it’s so far prenticeship programs, a stable sition phase, and the best way
completed his first year on his away, they can’t see how to get labor force and bringing young to go about it is to grow alfalfa.
Police delayed
announcing
deaths of wolves
WOLF from Page 1
went to the area the following
day and found the male wolf
dead as well. Police have said
the wolves’ bodies were within
50 yards of each other.
State police and ODFW did
not announce the deaths until
Sept. 16. OSP spokesman Lt.
Bill Fugate said at the time that
investigators delayed disclosing
the information because they did
not want to tip their hand.
The pair had pups that would
have been about 5 months old
when the adult wolves died.
An ODFW spokeswoman said
the pups have not been seen,
but they should be weaned at
this point and are most likely
“free-ranging” and able to fend
for themselves.
Police ask that anyone with
information about the case
contact Coggins at 541-426-
3049, call the TIP Hotline at
1-800-452-788 or email TIP@
state.or.us.
New organic grower Matt Townsend prepares to start a tractor at
Sunset Butte Ranch in Buhl, Idaho.
Organic farms, land in production, 2014 *
Item
U.S.
Calif.
Farms – 2014
14,093
2,805
– 2008
14,540
2,714
Acres – 2014
3.7 million 687,168
– 2008
4.1 million 470,903
Transitional acres **
– 2014
172,863 19,642
Ore.
525
657
204,166
105,605
Idaho
161
254
125,141
148,425
Wash.
716
887
73,841
82,216
5,637
4,688
2,955
* Includes exempt organic — farms that follow the National Organic Standards and have less
than $5,000 in annual sales can be exempt from certification.
**Includes organic, exempt organic and non-organic farms.
Source: USDA NASS
It’s easy to sell and take care of,
offers good weed control and
soil fertility, and insects can be
controlled by timing cuttings,
Heath said.
Ground coming out of con-
ventional production might not
support other crops, and three
years of alfalfa will result in
good soil condition, he said.
The best thing to put in is
pasture and grass and graze it
so the soil builds up. But alfal-
fa is great because it cleans up
any weed problem and gives the
ground a rest from tillage, Jones
said.
It’s less temperamental than
row crops and with the obvious
learning curve in going organ-
ic, it will give a grower time to
learn and research before jump-
ing into row crops, he said.
“Take advantage of those
three years” of transition, he ad-
vised.
Aside from getting the
ground in good, fertile condi-
tion, composting and crop rota-
tion, Heath advises newcomers
to learn to live with a certain
amount of weed pressure and
come up with a good crop.
“Learn to control them to
a point but don’t get too excit-
ed; there are ways to deal with
weeds,” he said.
In the long run, a good or-
ganic system will have fewer
weeds and insects, he said.
Jones agrees, saying that
yields will improve over time
and producers will benefit from
fewer inputs.
Heath also advises new
growers to know the rules and
regulations of certification and
to do everything properly. Cer-
Capital Press graphic
tification is important to get the
bonuses, he said.
Growing organic demands a
lot of record keeping, and opera-
tions are subject to routine audits
and inspections by the certifying
agency and USDA.
Jones recommends newbies
get help in figuring out how to
fill out all the paperwork, which
requires a basic understanding
of nutrient management and
weed control.
Certification
Certification costs vary
widely, depending on the cer-
tifying agent and the size, type
and complexity of the farm.
Certification costs may range
from a few hundred to several
thousand dollars, according to
USDA Agricultural Marketing
Service.
Typically, there is an applica-
tion fee, annual renewal fee, as-
sessment on annual production
or sales and inspection fees.
Once certified, producers
can apply for assistance from
the USDA Organic Certification
Cost-Share Program — which
can reimburse eligible opera-
tions up to 75 percent of their
certification costs.
Nearly 80 agents nationwide
are currently authorized to certi-
fy organic farms.
Longtime organic growers
also advise new growers to seek
out a mentor and network with
others in the business.
Things can be a little scary
that first year or two. Most or-
ganic growers are happy to help
novice growers, and the impor-
tance of that networking can’t be
overstated, he said.
‘You can’t have 13 states where it doesn’t apply and 37 where it does’
WOTUS from Page 1
A federal district judge
in North Dakota in August
blocked the rule in 13 states,
including Idaho. The judge
declined to extend the rul-
ing to other states, pending
a review by the 6th Circuit.
Meanwhile, the EPA said
the rule was in effect in 37
states, including Washing-
ton, Oregon and California.
Washington State Dairy
Federation policy director
Jay Gordon said the 6th Cir-
cuit was right to keep the
country under one rule.
“You can’t have 13 states
where it doesn’t apply and
37 where it does,” he said.
“We are the United States of
America, not parceled up. It
made perfect sense to me.”
The 6th Circuit, in its
ruling, said a “whirlwind
of confusion” surrounds
the law. Gordon said meet-
ings with regulators to try
to understand the new rule
has left him frustrated. “You
always leave the meetings
“Folks should not let off on the phone
calls and emails to legislators.’
Jack Field, executive vice president of Washington Cattle-
men’s Association
thinking, ‘I don’t think I got
my questions answered.’”
Some 18 states sought
the injunction in the 6th
Circuit. Seven states, in-
cluding Washington and
Oregon, intervened and
asked the court to deny the
motion.
Several environmental
groups also asked the court
to let the new rule stand.
The 18 opposing states
argued that the EPA’s new
definition of “waters of the
United States” overextends
the reach of the Clean Water
Act and spoils the federal
and state collaboration in
protecting waters.
States that support the
new rule argued they will
be harmed if upriver states
were lax about protecting
waters.
In the 2-1 ruling, the
court said the opponents
have raised enough objec-
tions to suggest they might
have a winning case. Judge
David McKeague said
granting the stay “honors
the policy of cooperation”
between states and the fed-
eral government on the
Clean Water Act.
“The sheer breadth of the
ripple effects caused by the
rule’s definitional changes
counsels strongly in favor
of maintaining the status
quo for the time being,”
McKeague wrote.
“A stay allows for a more
deliberate
determination
whether this exercise of ex-
ecutive power … is proper
under the dictates of feder-
al law,” he wrote. “A stay
temporarily silences the
whirlwind of confusion that
springs from uncertainty
about the requirements of
the new rule and whether
they will survive legal test-
ing.”
Lawsuits have been
filed against the new rule
in federal courts across the
country. The Washington
Cattlemen’s Association is
the lead plaintiff in a suit
pending in the U.S. Dis-
trict Court for Minnesota.
The association’s executive
vice president, Jack Field,
called the 6th Circuit ruling
“wonderful news,” but said
the rule’s opponents should
continue lobbying Congress
to repeal it.
“Folks should not let
off on the phone calls and
emails to legislators, letting
them know how important it
is we kill the rule and start
over,” he said.
The Washington Farm
Bureau made the same ap-
peal in an email to its mem-
bers Oct. 9.
“Today’s action is only
a temporary reprieve, and
getting to a final court rul-
ing will take years, at great
cost to all involved,” the
email stated.
The Judicial Panel on
Multi-District
Litigation
referred the case to the 6th
Circuit for initial review.
McKeague and Judge Rich-
ard Griffin said they were
satisfied the issue was prop-
erly before them.
The dissenting judge,
Damon Keith, said the
court should first rule
it has exclusive juris-
diction before issuing a
stay.
The court will make a
ruling on its jurisdiction in
a “matter of weeks,” McK-
eague wrote.
Meacham said the rul-
ing doesn’t foreshadow a
eventual victory for the rule
opponents. “We believe we
will prevail in the long run
because we’re right,” she
said.