At present, the Natural Farming Analysis Basis (OFRF) is glad to ship to the management of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Diet, & Forestry a letter in assist of the Strengthening Natural Agriculture Analysis Act. OFRF and the undersigned consider this invoice represents important investments into answering analysis questions that natural producers proceed to grapple with.
“We’re excited to have the ability to work with Natural Champions in Congress to assist guarantee there are sources accessible to assist the success of natural farmers and ranchers throughout the nation. During the last a number of years OFRF has collected strong data from farmers about their analysis and schooling wants and these payments would supply a lot wanted funding in options to those issues. These payments are additionally an vital sign to early profession researchers that natural agriculture analysis is a crucial, revered, and securely-funded space to interact in,” – Brise Tencer, OFRF Government Director.
The 2018 Farm Invoice was an vital step in the direction of recognizing the standing of the natural agriculture trade, OREI reached obligatory funding ranges. The natural agriculture market has continued to mature over the previous 5 years of the Farm Invoice, partly as a consequence of this elevated funding. For this progress to proceed, natural producers should be given their justifiable share of sources devoted to agricultural analysis. This invoice intends to do exactly that with the 2023 Farm Invoice.
Within the Senate, Senator Fetterman is joined by Senators Booker, Brown, Casey, Gillibrand, Welch, and Wyden to introduce the Natural Science and Analysis Funding Act. This laws would enhance the resilience of U.S. agriculture, create financial alternative for producers, and lead to improved ecological vitality of the panorama by:
- Creating the Coordinating and Increasing Natural Analysis Initiative. This initiative costs the Analysis, Training, and Economics companies at USDA to catalog the present, ongoing analysis on natural meals and agriculture matters and supply a path to extend natural agriculture analysis performed and funded by the USDA.
- Directing the USDA to develop a plan to extend organically managed acreage. This plan will formulate how the Agricultural Analysis Service (ARS), the only in-house analysis operation at USDA, will dedicate a portion of their analysis fields to natural agriculture analysis.
- Bolstering packages operated by the Nationwide Institute for Meals and Agriculture (NIFA). The OSRI Act would supply stair-stepped finances will increase to the Natural Analysis and Extension Initiative (OREI), develop the statutory priorities to incorporate local weather change, natural alternate options to prohibited substances, and Conventional Ecological Data. The invoice would additionally present first-time Congressional authorization for the Researching the Transition to Natural Program (RTOP), at present generally known as the Natural Transition Analysis Program (ORG).
- Boosting funding for the Natural Manufacturing and Market Knowledge Initiative (ODI). The info produced via the ODI is crucial for the event of danger administration merchandise and focused market improvement. The OSRI Act directs the Financial Analysis Service (ERS) to conduct a full, systematic analysis of the financial impression natural agriculture has on rural and concrete communities, making an allowance for financial, ecological, and social elements.
We at OFRF are enthusiastic about this chance to assist the enlargement of natural agriculture analysis, and stay up for working with our companions and collaborators to advance the OSRI Act within the Senate, and the SOAR Act within the Home this Farm Invoice season.
View the ultimate OSRI Act sign-on letter right here.
View our OSRI Act Toolkit, for sources on how one can assist unfold the phrase
Help for the OSRI Act
“The Nationwide Sustainable Agriculture Coalition strongly endorses the Natural Science and Analysis Funding Act (OSRI Act). The OSRI Act makes significant investments in offering natural producers with the analysis and instruments they should proceed to enhance upon already local weather pleasant and resilient farming techniques and meet the rising market demand for natural merchandise. Along with rising investments in important natural analysis packages such because the Natural Agriculture Analysis and Training Initiative (OREI), this invoice offers a construction for USDA to coordinate and develop natural agriculture analysis throughout REE companies. This may enhance the scientific analysis and financial knowledge and evaluation these companies are capable of present in order that each natural and traditional agricultural producers can maintain and enhance their operations whereas serving to us attain significant options for the local weather disaster.” Nick Rossi, Nationwide Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
“As one of many oldest and largest natural certification companies within the nation, the Ohio Ecological Meals and Farm Affiliation applauds Senator Sherrod Brown for his management on the Natural Science and Analysis Funding Act of 2023. The elevated analysis investments and coordination throughout the various USDA companies will assist farmers overcome manufacturing hurdles and implement holistic approaches to farming that lead to higher water administration, water high quality, soil well being and resilience. It’s important that we give attention to the event of latest public plant cultivars and livestock breeds which are regionally tailored and applicable for natural manufacturing on this time of accelerating climate extremes. “ Amalie Lipstreu, OEFFA Coverage Director
“The Nationwide Natural Coalition is thrilled to see the introduction of the Natural Science and Analysis Funding Act, and we respect the work of Senators Fetterman, Booker, Brown, Casey, Gillibrand, Welch, and Wyden to champion this invoice. Analysis is essential to tackling the various challenges farmers face and natural analysis advantages all farmers. Actually, most of the farming practices embraced by natural farmers, corresponding to cowl cropping and different regenerative agricultural practices, are actually being adopted throughout the board to guard soil well being and pure sources.” Abby Youngblood, Nationwide Natural Coalition
“The Northeast Natural Dairy Producer Alliance helps all of the requests within the OSRI Act as a really mandatory stage within the progress and stability of natural agriculture. Farmers want correct knowledge in establishing danger administration, deciding to transition to natural and establishing a sustainable marketing strategy. This isn’t accessible to the vast majority of natural commodities and presents difficulties in establishing security internet packages, catastrophe packages and incentives for transitioning to natural manufacturing.” Ed Maltby, Northeast Natural Dairy Producers Alliance
“By investing in natural analysis, including local weather mitigation/resilience to legislative targets of OREI, and totally recognizing the contributions of Conventional Ecological Data to local weather options, the OSRI Act will go far towards constructing an equitable, resilient, and climate-friendly agriculture and meals system.” Mark Schonbeck, Virginia Affiliation for Organic Farming
“The Girls, Meals and Agriculture Community (WFAN) acknowledges the important want for natural analysis for the accountable co-creation of simply and ecological meals and agriculture techniques. The passage of the OSRI Act will present important funding to assist this analysis.” Juliann Salinas, Girls, Meals and Agriculture Community
“This program has not solely been a profit to our college in workers engaged on natural agriculture, however has supported the transition of a number of our partnering farms within the southeast.” Crystal James, Tuskegee College
“Whereas natural agriculture makes up greater than 6% of the meals gross sales market, ARS and NIFA dedicate lower than 2% of their analysis {dollars} to natural analysis. The insurance policies within the OSRI Act sign to researchers that natural agriculture analysis is valued.” Jaydee Hanson, Heart for Meals Security
“As a pacesetter in natural rice and rice merchandise, we’re supportive of those efforts to develop and nurture the natural farming trade. We applaud the Senate’s management right here and urge the physique to undertake this laws.” Natalie Carter, Lundberg Household Farms
“Continued funding and elevated funding is important for equitable analysis for natural agriculture practices, supplies, outreach and main in selling local weather good agricultural practices.” John McKeon, Taylor Household Farms
