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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 26, 2017)
May 26, 2017 CapitalPress.com 7 House bill would increase organic research funding By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press A bill to more than double the annual funding for organ- ic research through USDA is being warmly embraced by members of the organic com- munity. The Organic Research Act of 2017 would boost annual funding for USDA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Ex- tension Initiative from $20 mil- lion a year to $50 million. It was introduced last week by Reps. Chellie Pin- gree, D-Maine; Dan New- house, R-Wash.; and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif. OREI funding has been crit- ical in solving problems and developing ways for organic farmers to increase productivi- ty, prevent loss and streamline their operations. But insuffi- cient funding has led to unmet research needs and opportuni- ties, Pingree said in introducing the bill. U.S. organic sales now ex- ceed $43 billion annually, up from $19 billion 10 years ago and $3.5 billion 20 years ago. But domestic production isn’t keeping up with consumer demand — a missed opportuni- ty for U.S. farmers. One prob- lem is the dramatic increase in demand hasn’t been met with an increase in public invest- ment in research, Pingree said. Organic research is a top priority for organic farmers, said Kate Mendenhall, director of the Organic Farmers Associ- ation. “Having more federal funds dedicated to organic research is a win-win-win for organic farmers, conventional farmers and consumers,” she said. While organic research clearly helps organic farmers, conventional farmers also ben- efit from more information on cover crops, seeds and breeds, crop rotation and soil health, she said. “When we improve soil health and focus on growing healthy food, all citizens bene- fit,” she said. Several members of the or- ganic community applauded introduction of the bill in writ- ten statements and weighed in on the need for more funding. The Organic Trade Asso- ciation said robust funding for agricultural research is critical for the advancement of organic practices. “The future of organic farm- ers’ success is tied to discover- ing new organic crop varieties, developing breakthroughs in pest and weed control, crop ro- tation and the development of effective and compliant farm inputs,” said Lara Batcha, OTA executive director and CEO. The Organic Farming Research Foundation has pushed for the organic share of USDA’s $3 billion in annual re- search funding to at least reflect organic sales, which is about 5 percent or 6 percent of all U.S. food sales. “At a time when demand for organic food is increasing, it is critical that we continue fund- ing research that supports this promising opportunity for rural communities across the U.S.,” said Brise Tencer, OFRF exec- utive director. Erin Silva, University of Wisconsin organic-sustainable cropping systems specialist, said the benefits of OREI ex- tend beyond the organic com- munity. “Research supported by this program has furthered our knowledge of soil health, soil biology and agricultural resil- ience — knowledge that will contribute to the creation of more sustainable and produc- tive systems across all agri- cultural approaches and com- modities,” she said. Follow us for the latest Ag News www.capitalpress.com @capitalpress facebook.com/capitalpress “D & S Tires has always been there for us whether we needed drivers, rollers, idlers or track. We know that we can rely on D & S Tires to keep us in the field and rolling with their service that can’t be beat.” Hunt Family Farms Has 7 track tractors
