Wednesday May 13 Ag News

Bayer CropScience Opens Beaver Crossing NE Breeding and Trait Development Station

As part of its commitment to support growers throughout the Great Plains and worldwide, Bayer CropScience today celebrated the grand opening of its Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station near Lincoln, Nebraska. Research and development activities at the $17 million state-of-the-art facility will serve to help Bayer CropScience deliver breakthrough wheat and soybean varieties with improved technologies and genetics. Bayer CropScience executives and employees, as well as Gov. Pete Ricketts and state Sen. Mark Kolterman participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility.

“Wheat and soybean crops play an integral role in strengthening Nebraska’s agriculture industry and its economy,” said Frank Terhorst, global head of Seeds for Bayer CropScience LP. “Through Beaver Crossing, we are expressing our commitment to using the latest scientific research and development to support the continued health of these valuable crops. Seeds innovations cultivated here will provide growers with the innovative tools necessary to meet a growing worldwide demand for food, and will provide industry leadership in sustainable crops.“

Research and development innovations taking place here will focus on parent discovery and hybrid wheat breeding, including research into new wheat varieties to help farmers address key crop challenges. Other research focal points include breeding for yield enhancements, drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency and enhanced quality wheat. The Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station will also host soybean activities serving soybean growers in the region.

The Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station, situated on 400 acres of farmland, is a cornerstone in Bayer’s commitment to invest more than $1 billion in wheat research and development over 10 years. The facility brings together approximately 25 of today’s brightest minds in agriculture and life sciences to develop wheat and soybean varieties to meet the specific needs of Midwestern growers and others worldwide. The facility, which began construction in September 2013 and was completed in November 2014, includes 53,000 square feet of new office space, research facilities, a greenhouse and an equipment building.

“The investment that Bayer CropScience has made in the Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station represents the best of what Nebraska agriculture has to offer,” said Gov. Ricketts. “We are very fortunate to have such a strong partnership that advances our state’s national agricultural leadership, and I look forward to the advancements made here that will change our future for the better both locally and globally.“

“In everything we do at Bayer CropScience, we seek to leave a better world by improving outcomes for our growers and using ‘Science For A Better Life’ in all the communities we serve,” said Jim Blome, President and CEO of Bayer CropScience LP. “Beaver Crossing will help us achieve this goal through improving wheat and soybean crops, advancing our agricultural thought leadership and helping to develop future generations of agricultural innovators.”

Bayer CropScience has numerous breeding and trait development stations dedicated to key commodity crops all over the world, and is in the process of developing several new stations across North and South America. The Beaver Crossing Breeding and Trait Development Station is the first new wheat breeding station in these areas. The Pikeville Breeding and Trait Development Station in Pikeville, North Carolina, opened in March 2015 and focuses on cotton and soybean research and development. Other wheat breeding stations include facilities in Sabin, Minnesota, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture To Fundraise on Give to Lincoln Day

Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (NFBFA) seeks donations during “Give To Lincoln Day.”

NFBFA will participate in the 24-hour fundraiser on Thursday, May 28 to help support its programs and efforts that build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education and leadership development.
Some of the programs dollars raised will support include:
·   Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom™ – a program that connects teachers with trusted resources to teach students about agriculture, connecting students to their source of food, fiber and fuel;
·   Ag Promotion and Education programs – inspiring people to tell the story of agriculture across the state of Nebraska to increase consumer knowledge and to dispel any misconceptions about every aspect of agriculture;
·   Scholarships and Loans – Providing funds for students to pursue higher education.

Give To Lincoln Day is one special day, when everyone is asked to make a donation and show support for local nonprofit organizations. Lincoln and Lancaster County residents, along with all Nebraskans, are encouraged to make a charitable donation to local nonprofits they care about during this 24-hour day of giving.

Gifts can be made online at www.givetolincoln.razoo.com/story/Nebraska-Farm-Bureau-Foundation-For-Agriculture. Or search Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture at www.GiveToLincoln.com.

In addition to the donations, the Lincoln Community Foundation and their sponsors will contribute a match fund of $300,000 for Give To Lincoln Day. Every nonprofit organization will receive a proportional share of this fund, based upon their percentage of the total dollars raised on May 28th. The match fund increases every donation made on Give To Lincoln Day, making every gift even more meaningful.



Common Sense Nebraska on the Passage of Latest Effort to Kill Harmful WOTUS Rule

“We are very pleased to see the House of Representatives stand up for our nation’s farmers, ranchers, homebuilders, county governments, golf courses, small businesses, etc., and pass H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015. This important piece of legislation is another step forward in our effort to defeat the EPA and Army Corps’ proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.”  

“H.R. 1732 would force the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw their proposed rule which expands federal regulatory jurisdiction over countless bodies of water and immediately initiate a new rulemaking that would more closely reflect Congressional intent and Supreme Court precedent.”

“We would like to thank all three members of Nebraska’s House Delegation, Congressmen Fortenberry (NE-1), Ashford (NE-2) and Smith (NE-3), for their votes in support of this legislation. We now urge the Senate to advance this vital piece of legislation so that we can all begin work on a constructive solution that will truly protect our nation’s water resources and not just simply expand the federal government’s regulatory reach.”  

Common Sense Nebraska is a Nebraska-based coalition consisting of organizations and entities that have come together in response to EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” Rule; a regulatory proposal that would harm both rural and urban Nebraskans through expansion of EPA’s powers and authorities under the federal Clean Water Act. The coalition’s purpose is to build awareness and understanding of the EPA proposal and the impacts it would have to Nebraskans. For more information visit Common Sense Nebraska on Facebook.

Common Sense Nebraska coalition partners:
AKSARBEN Club Managers Association
Association of General Contractors - NE Chapter
Farm Credit Services of America
Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association
National Federation of Independent Businesses/Nebraska
Nebraska Agribusiness Association
Nebraska Association of County Officials
Nebraska Association of Resource Districts
Nebraska Bankers Association
Nebraska Cattlemen
Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Nebraska Cooperative Council
Nebraska Corn Board
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation
Nebraska Golf Course Managers Association
Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
Nebraska Grain Sorghum Association
Nebraska Pork Producers Association
Nebraska Poultry Industries
Nebraska Rural Electric Association
Nebraska Soybean Association
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Nebraska State Home Builders Association
Nebraska State Irrigation Association
Nebraska Water Resources Association
Nebraska Wheat Growers Association
Nemaha Natural Resources District
Pawnee County Rural Water District #1



NCBA and PLC Statement on House Passage of the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act
 
Statement by NCBA President and Chugwater, Wyoming, cattleman Philip Ellis on the House passage of H.R. 1732 Regulatory Integrity Protection Act by a vote of 261 to 155; to withdraw the proposed “waters of the United States” rule:
 “We commend the members of the House on taking this action to protect America’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards from this Administration’s overzealous regulatory agenda. The proposed rule that the EPA and Army Corps’ are working quickly to finalize would put yet another regulatory burden on the rural economy and private landowners. This action by Congress will ensure that our private lands remain viable and productive, leaving landowners free to undertake stewardship and production decisions without interference by the EPA and the Administration. We urge the Senate to pass their companion legislation and send this to the President’s desk.”

Statement by PLC President and Idaho rancher Brenda Richards:
 “Public lands ranchers and landowners in the west are the best stewards of their land, water, and resources. This proposed rule by the EPA and the Army Corps’ is not only the largest land grab undertaken by this Administration, it has no basis in protecting our precious water resources. The Administration’s regulatory rampage across the west must stop. We look forward to passage of this legislation, which will require the EPA and the Corps’ to work with stakeholders to clarify the Clean Water Act in a way that works for those closest to the land. This needs to be a process that starts at the grassroots, not a process dictated upon us by those with no connection to the land and economic reality.”



NORTHEY: STATEWIDE COST-SHARE AVAILABLE FOR WATER QUALITY PRACTICES

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced today that funds are available to help farmers install nutrient reduction practices.  Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

    The cost share rate for first-time  users of cover crops is $25 per acre, no-till or strip till are eligible for $10 per acre and farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre. Any farmer not already utilizing these practices will receive priority consideration for this assistance.  Farmers that have used cover crops in the past may be eligible for $15 per acre for cover crops.

    “We continue to hear from farmers interested in doing even more to limit nutrient loss and better protect water quality and these funds will help them try new voluntary science-based conservation practices on their farm,” Northey said.

    Farmers are eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres. The funds will be made available in July, but farmers can immediately start submitting applications through their local Soil and Water Conservation District office.

    Farmers are also encouraged to visit their local Soil and Water Conservation District office to inquire about additional opportunities for cost share funding through other programs offered at their local SWCDs.

    “As farmers are busy planting, we wanted to get the announcement out as soon as possible so our staff and partners can prepare to sign-up interested farmers if there are rain delay or as field work is wrapped up,” Northey said.

    The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received $4.4 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2015.  These funds will allow the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to continue to encourage the broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

    In the last 2 years this program has been available, over 1,400 farmers put in new nutrient reduction practices on over 144,000 acres.  The state provided about $3.4 million in cost share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time and Iowa farmers provided at least another $3.4 million to support these water quality practices.



    4 CASES OF HPAI IN BUENA VISTA, LYON AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES

    The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is responding to three probable cases and one confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Buena Vista, Lyon and Osceola counties.  With these new announcements, Iowa now has 49 cases of the disease in the state. The Department has quarantined the premises and once the presence of the disease is confirmed, all birds on the property will be humanely euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

    Buena Vista 14 – A layer pullet farm that has experienced increased mortality.  An estimate on the number of birds at the site is still pending.  Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza.  Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

    Buena Vista 15 – Turkey farm that has experienced increased mortality.  An estimate on the number of birds at the site is still pending. Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza.  Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

    Lyon 1 - Commercial laying operation that has experienced increased mortality. An estimate on the number of birds at the site is still pending. Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza.  Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

    Osceola 4 – Broiler farm with an estimated 700 birds that has experienced increased mortality.  Confirmatory testing by the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames showed the birds positive for H5N2 highly pathogenic avian influenza.

    As the Department receives final confirmations of the disease updated information will be posted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.iowaagriculture.gov/avianinfluenza.asp.



Webinar for Producers with Value-Added Calves

Seasoned cow-calf producers recognize the calf market’s record-high prices are likely to decline as cowherd expansion brings additional supplies. Producers can maintain higher profitability by recognizing this shift and quickly adjusting management and marketing strategies.

CattleFax will discuss these topics during its next Trends+ Cow-Calf Webinar at 6:30 p.m. CT, Jun. 10, 2015. To participate in the webinar and access program details, producers and industry leaders simply need to register online at www.cattlefax.com/meetings.aspx.

The one-hour session will include a variety of relevant topics for the cow-calf audience:
-    A second half 2015 price outlook for the cattle and feedstuff markets,
-    Expectations for 2015 value-added premiums in the calf market, and
-    Considerations for estimating returns on value-added management practices.

The Trends+ webinar is designed to inform cattle producers about current market realities and provide producers with decision-friendly information to assist in making intelligent marketing decisions. More than 2,000 producers have benefitted from the analysis and strategies shared through the webinar series since fall 2013.

Elanco Animal Health is sponsoring the webinar – making it free for all cattle and beef producers to participate.



Senate Port Bill in Wake of Prolonged West Coast Strife

U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.), along with Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) Tuesday introduced common-sense sunshine reforms as a part of S. 1298 to help with early identification of port disruptions caused by labor strife or other factors before they inflict serious damage on businesses and the broader U.S. economy.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation over half of all containerized imports enter the U.S. through West Coast ports. The Department has separately stated that a "lack of complete data on U.S. international freight continues to hamper research and analysis of trends in international freight movement and its impact on transportation activity within the United States." While the Maritime Administration (MARAD) does produce its annual Statistical Snapshot of 20 water-freight-related statistics on freight volume and port of entry, MARAD has reported that the lack of a national standard for performance measures and "the lack of a reporting process have stymied its attempts to measure the efficiency of major U.S. ports."

S. 1298 creates a new level of transparency and accountability for ports, many of which are government owned, by requiring:

-- The director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to establish a port performance statistics program and report annually to Congress on the performance and capacity of the Nation's key ports.

-- U.S. port authorities that are subject to federal regulation or that receive federal assistance to report annually to BTS.

-- The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Commerce, to report to Congress on a port's performance before and after the expiration of maritime labor agreements to help indicate whether labor discussions have impacted operations, the estimated economic impact of such disputes and roughly how long it will take for shipments to return to normal.

The Senate Commerce Committee has broad jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Transportation and our nation's transportation system, as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce.




Senate Finds Fast-Track Deal

Senate leaders reached an agreement Wednesday to revive a bill that would provide fast-track trade-negotiation powers to President Barack Obama, one day after the chamber's Democrats blocked the measure in a stinging defeat for the administration.

President Obama argued that the fast-track is necessary to cement the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade accord with 11 other countries which he said will help the U.S. economy and counter the rising economic influence of China. Fast-track allows the president to submit the trade accord to Congress for an up-or-down vote with no amendments -- which is seen as crucial in winning concessions from foreign governments.

The chamber's two party leaders, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., took to the Senate floor to outline the path ahead.

Many members of both parties agree on fast-track, but Democrats had wanted to wrap it together with three other bills -- a customs and enforcement measure that includes a contentious currency provision; a measure to extend popular tariff discounts for African and other developing countries; and a bill to help workers who lose out under trade deals.

When the majority leader only paired the displaced-workers provision with fast-track, Senate Democrats balked. All of them except for Tom Carper of Delaware voted Tuesday against allowing the fast-track bill to come to a debate and vote.

McConnell has said he has no objection to allowing the four elements to come to a vote. However, at issue was whether the other two measures -- the customs bill and the Africa tariff-discounts bill -- were tied in to the package and how.

Republicans and Obama objected to attaching the customs bill, with its currency provisions, arguing that it would undercut U.S. negotiating strength with trading partners. Democrats have said such protections are necessary to prevent other countries from manipulating their currency to gain an unfair advantage in trade with the U.S.

Under the agreement, the Senate would vote first on the customs and enforcement bill along with the African trade legislation -- and then vote on a fast-track measure combined with the bill to help workers who lose out under trade deals, known as Trade Adjustment Assistance.

On Tuesday, McConnell had made a concession and married the fast-track legislation with Trade Adjustment Assistance. But pro-trade Senate Democrats, whose votes are necessary for passage of the fast-track bill, withheld their support -- as leverage for a larger package that would include the customs bill to make it harder for foreign companies to circumvent the terms of trade deals.



NAWG Hires Joehl as Director of Research and Technology

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) announces the addition of Steve Joehl as director of research and technology to the wheat growers’ team. Joehl will be responsible for coordinating programs to enhance and expedite the commercialization of wheat innovations through public and private research programs. He will also lead federal research appropriations and other research related policy efforts.

“As the wheat industry shifts focus to increasing overall productivity and profitability, I strongly believe Steve’s role is key to wheat production’s turnaround in the U.S.,” commented NAWG CEO Jim Palmer. “I am excited about what Steve will help us do, and I know we will benefit from his extensive experience in this field.”

Joehl joins the wheat growers after nearly 40 years with Monsanto, working in various roles and capacities since beginning his career in 1975 in sales and sales management. He was recognized as Monsanto’s first national account manager for seed in 1994 and named to the Roundup Ready Soybean commercial launch team operating from 1994 through 1997. He directed Monsanto’s soybean licensing business from 1998 through 2003. Monsanto formed its product management group in 2003, and Joehl led the soybean product management team to develop the soybean trait pipeline and post-patent strategy.

Joehl was Monsanto’s liaison to wheat growers through NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates since 2010 until his retirement from Monsanto in March of this year. Through his relationships with wheat growers, he was elected to the board of the National Wheat Foundation and served as secretary/treasurer. He led Monsanto’s wheat advisory council as the executive director.



More Than 40% of Bee Colonies Died in Past Year, Survey Finds

(AP) -- More than two out of five American honeybee colonies died in the past year, and surprisingly the worst die-off was in the summer, according to a federal survey.

Since April 2014, beekeepers lost 42.1% of their colonies, the second highest loss rate in nine years, according to an annual survey conducted by a bee partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"What we're seeing with this bee problem is just a loud signal that there's some bad things happening with our agro-ecosystems," said study co-author Keith Delaplane at the University of Georgia. "We just happen to notice it with the honeybee because they are so easy to count."

But it's not quite as dire as it sounds. That's because after a colony dies, beekeepers then split their surviving colonies, start new ones, and the numbers go back up again, said Delaplane and study co-author Dennis vanEngelsdorp of the University of Maryland.

What shocked the entomologists is that is the first time they've noticed bees dying more in the summer than the winter, said vanEngelsdorp said. The survey found beekeepers lost 27.4% of their colonies this summer. That's up from 19.8% the previous summer.

Seeing massive colony losses in summer is like seeing "a higher rate of flu deaths in the summer than winter," vanEngelsdorp said. "You just don't expect colonies to die at this rate in the summer."

Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Maine and Wisconsin all saw more than 60% of their colonies die since April 2014, according to the survey.

"Most of the major commercial beekeepers get a dark panicked look in their eyes when they discuss these losses and what it means to their businesses," said Pennsylvania State University entomology professor Diana Cox-Foster. She wasn't part of the study, but praised it.

Delaplane and vanEngelsdorp said a combination of mites, poor nutrition and pesticides are to blame for the bee deaths.



Annual U.S. Department of Agriculture Honey Bee Loss Survey

Richard (Dick) Rogers, Principal Scientist / Entomologist, Bayer Bee Care Center for Bayer CropScience LP, today issued the following statement regarding the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual national survey of honey bee colony losses:

“The latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is good news for all who care about bee health. For the second year in a row, winter losses of U.S. honey bee colonies were below the historic average seen since these annual surveys began. More importantly, the long-term trend of overwintering losses continues to show improvement.

“This report comes shortly after the USDA released its annual Honey Report, which showed that the
number of U.S. honey bee colonies grew to 2.74 million in 2014, the highest level in many years, continuing a 10-year trend of steady growth.

“This is only the third year that the USDA has reported on summer losses, so it is difficult to identify any
potential trend. Summer losses are expected and common, however, because of Varroa, other disorders, queen issues, and pesticide residues in hives, especially high residues of bee protecting
Varroacides. Experts have yet to agree on what’s considered a normal range for summer losses.

“Even with this good news about overwintering trends, we must continue to focus on the challenges facing bee health. Bayer CropScience is developing new solutions to the problems caused by the invasive Varroa mite and is working to tackle another major issue facing pollinators today – lack of forage – through our Feed a Bee initiative. And we recently announced our Healthy Hives 2020 research collaboration with honey bee experts to identify tangible actions to help improve the health of honey bee colonies over the next five years. Although there is much work yet to do, this report validates the efforts of many stakeholders who are working to protect bees and promote sustainable agriculture.”



Organic sector petitions USDA for organic check-off

In a groundbreaking move for the nation’s organic sector, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in collaboration with the GRO Organic Core Committee, on Tuesday formally petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin steps to conduct a vote on and implement a research and promotion check-off program for the organic industry.

OTA’s action reflects three years of dialogue with the entire organic sector and comes 25 years after Congress authorized USDA’s National Organic Program. Marking the first time in the 49-year history of U.S. agricultural check-off programs that organic could be recognized as a distinct commodity class based on production practices, it could have significant and game-changing ramifications for the burgeoning organic sector.

Unlike any other check-off program, the proposed organic check-off has been designed to solve what hasn’t worked in other research and promotion programs, emphasizes what has worked, and creates an innovative program tailor-made for organic.

“The organic industry in America is thriving and maturing, but it is at a critical juncture,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. “Many consumers remain unaware of what that organic seal really means. Organic production in this country is not keeping pace with the robust demand. An organic check-off program would give organic stakeholders the opportunity to collectively invest in research, build domestic supply and communicate the value of the organic brand to advance the entire industry to a new level.”

The proposal estimates the organic check-off, referred to as GRO Organic (Generic Research and Promotion Order for Organic), could raise over $30 million a year to advance the organic sector. Rooted in a strong focus on research to make farmers successful and technical services to accelerate the adoption of organic practices, the proposed program is designed to address organic’s most pressing needs. OTA led the drive to explore the feasibility of an organic check-off, gathering information over three years throughout the country in town hall meetings, panel discussions, surveys and phone calls.

“The GRO Organic check-off is as unique as the sector it will be representing,” said Melissa Hughes, Director of Government Affairs for Organic Valley, the nation’s oldest organic dairy cooperative. “This is not your father’s check-off. This check-off contains meaningful reforms to improve upon older check-offs. It has been painstakingly designed to reflect the diverse needs of the organic community, from the smallest organic farmer to the largest organic processor, and all the organic handlers, food makers, and organic businesses in-between.”

More than 5,000 organic farms and businesses responded to OTA’s extensive surveys, weighing in support of establishing a dedicated organic check-off by a margin of 2 to 1, with little or no difference in the amount of support between the size and types of operations.

How GRO Organic would work 
    The Check-off Board would be made up of 50 percent producers and 50 percent handlers.
    Producers will directly select their regional representatives through direct balloting.
    A referendum is required every seven years to decide whether or not to continue the program.
    Every single certificate holder subject to an assessment will have a direct vote – there is no bloc voting.
    Assessments would be made throughout the value chain: producers, handlers and processors, reflecting the full-chain production system.
    Organic producers would have the option of paying an assessment based on Net Organic Sales or Producer Net Profit, whichever they prefer.
    Farmers and handlers with gross organic revenue below $250,000 will choose whether or not to pay into the program.
    At least 25 percent of funds would be earmarked for research, including regional priorities.
    All of the research, inventions and innovations resulting from organic check-off programing would remain in the public domain.

A critical juncture for organic
Sales of organic food and non-food products in the U.S. are soaring. But consumer confusion about organic, inadequate funding for organic research and tight domestic organic supplies are major challenges for the sector. Organic stakeholders say the need to address these challenges has never been more urgent.

“As an industry we haven’t done a great job explaining to shoppers what it means to be organic and the benefits of organic. As a result, consumers are still confused by the difference between certified organic, ‘all natural’ and non-GMO products,” said Nicole Dawes, founder and CEO of Late July Organic Snacks.

“The need for more organic research, and a funding mechanism to finance it, is huge. Research of organic seed breeding is starving for funds, as is any long-term organic farming systems research,” said Doug Crabtree, organic farmer from Montana.

Added Perry Clutts, organic dairy farmer from Ohio, “More farmers in America need to go organic. Our country, the biggest agricultural producer in the world, is having to import organic food to feed America’s growing appetite.”

Next Steps
After USDA completes its review of the application, an official proposal for an organic research and promotion check-off program will be published in the Federal Register, followed by a public comment period. The final step will be a referendum on the proposed check-off, with all certified organic stakeholders eligible to vote. Approval by a majority of the organic stakeholders voting is required for implementation.

A summary of the proposal and a copy of the full application can be found on the GROorganic.net site.