House Fails to Fund Critical Organic Programs in Farm Bill Extension

In a rushed effort to prevent a government shutdown and extend the Farm Bill for one year, the House has passed a spending package that excludes funding for vital organic programs. Though the cost is miniscule in relation to the overall Farm Bill, just over $10 million per year, the House has failed to include these essential organic programs. This decision undermines the organic industry and leaves thousands of organic farmers and businesses across the country in jeopardy.

“We are deeply disheartened by this failure to support the organic sector,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director of the National Organic Coalition (NOC). “Excluding funding for ‘orphaned’ organic programs in the House Farm Bill extension is a significant blow to organic farms and businesses, many of which are already operating under severe economic pressures.”

For weeks, organic farmers and advocates have urged Congressional leaders to secure funding for three core programs critical to the success of the organic industry. Without immediate action to rectify the situation, the repercussions will be felt throughout the organic sector:

1. The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP): This program, now defunded, helps organic farms and businesses offset the costs of certification. Without a solution from Congress or the USDA, certification costs will increase significantly in 2025, and may force some operations to forgo certification altogether.
2. The Organic Data Initiative (ODI): Essential for collecting and analyzing data to support organic agriculture, this program ensures U.S. businesses can meet growing consumer demand for organic products. Without it, producers will lack critical insights needed to run competitive and successful operations.
3. The Organic Certification Trade and Tracking Program (OCTT): Without the necessary resources for critical technology infrastructure, the USDA National Organic Program will be crippled in their efforts to enforce organic regulations and prevent fraud. These cuts could not come at a worse time as the USDA National Organic Program is just now implementing import certificate requirements as a part of the new Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule to crack down on unfair competition from fraudulent imported products.

The lack of funding for these essential organic programs will have serious and lasting consequences for the organic industry. The National Organic Coalition calls on Senate leaders to promptly correct this serious mistake by allocating the necessary funding.