{"id":19839,"date":"2017-01-19T00:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-01-19T04:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=19839"},"modified":"2017-01-19T13:34:30","modified_gmt":"2017-01-19T17:34:30","slug":"usda-proposes-organic-check-off-program-family-farmers-question-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2017\/01\/usda-proposes-organic-check-off-program-family-farmers-question-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Got Organic? USDA Proposes Organic Check-Off Program, Family Farmers Question Value"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>,\u00a0January 19, 2017) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened a 60-public comment period January 17 on a controversial\u00a0proposal<\/a>\u00a0to establish a federal research and promotion check-off program that has split the organic community, with many family farmers and small farm operators disagreeing with the larger organic industry groups, represented by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), on the benefits that they will derive from a mandatory payment requirement. The application to USDA for a check-off, originally submitted by OTA in 2015, has drawn sharp division on questions of benefits and cost to farmers. OTA believes that the check-off will generate resources to lift the organic market. This program is different from traditional check-off programs, which promote individual commodities. USDA oversees check-off programs under the\u00a0Commodity, Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"According to OTA, the check-off creates an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for certified organic products, whose overarching goal is to\u00a0strengthen the position of certified organic products in the marketplace. OTA says<\/a> this would be achieved by funding research to benefit the organic industry, improving access to information and data across the organic sector, and educating consumers about the benefits of organic, resulting in increased demand for organic products. Under the proposal, funds will be collected from certified organic farmers, handlers, and processors. The program will be led by a board of the same makeup from different geographic regions.<\/p>\n

The concerns of opponents, which include a diverse mix of farm and consumer organizations, are represented by the group No Organic Check-Off<\/a>. The group identifies six problems with the proposed check-off system:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. This will be just another tax on farmers either directly or indirectly when processors pass the cost down.<\/li>\n
  2. Want to promote the benefits of organic? You can\u2019t in a check-off. Even something as simple and accurate as \u201cOrganic is the Gold Standard,\u201d will not be allowed by USDA.<\/li>\n
  3. The Check-off system is fundamentally broken for farmers \u2013 the federally mandated check-off programs have restrictive guidelines, heavy bureaucracy, lack of accountability and cost of administration.<\/li>\n
  4. Check-off programs have a history of using check-off funds inappropriately, with poor representation of farmer priorities in granting of research dollars.<\/li>\n
  5. Commodity check-off programs that are successful see a decline of family farmers in business.<\/li>\n
  6. Promoting organic sales now will not increase organic acreage in the US but will increase lower priced organic imports.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The proposal\u00a0will be open for public comment until March 20, 2017. Submit a comment here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    According to the National Agriculture Law Center, checkoff programs \u201cpromote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands.\u201d They are referred to as \u201ccheck-off programs\u201d because at their inception\u00a0they were not mandatory and producers had to mark a check-off box to indicate that they wanted to contribute to the program. Some of the most prominent campaigns to come from these check-off programs include “Got Milk?” “Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner,” and “Behold, The Power of Cheese.”<\/p>\n

    USDA\u2019s current rules exempt organic producers from participation in conventional check-off programs, since those promotional campaigns make no distinction concerning the quality of the product, health benefits, or methods of production that set organically produced products apart from competitors. USDA says, “Should this proposed rule become final, pursuant to section 10004 of the 2014 Farm Bill, the regulatory language currently exempting organic commodities from assessment by generic commodity promotion programs created under the various commodity promotion laws (7 U.S.C. 7401(e)) shall no longer be in effect. Such commodities would then become \u201cdual-covered commodities\u201d, and persons producing, handling and importing them would need to elect to pay assessments to the commodity-specific program, or the organic commodity promotion program.”<\/p>\n

    The proposed program will be funded by organic certified producers and handlers whose annual gross sales are in excess of $250,000 paying one-tenth of one percent of net organic sales, with importers paying the same percentage on the transaction value of their certified organic products reported to U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon import. Producers, handlers, and importers that fall below the $250,000 threshold could voluntarily choose to opt in to the program.<\/p>\n

    The program would also:<\/p>\n