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Update on Organic Agriculture Amendments Proposed in the U.S. Farm Bill
(dated: July 2007)
Currently Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa is drafting the Senate’s version of the U.S. Farm Bill which aims to offer incentives to support organic agriculture. Here is what the House passed:
- Organic research and extension initiative to receive $5 million a year, including $25 million for discretionary funding if extra funds can be found. These funds will support organic research and extension to help farmers with organic practices.
- $3 million for five years for an organic data initiative for collecting information on production and marketing
- $50 million allocated to the Organic Conversion Assistance Program that provides assistance to farmers transitioning into organic agriculture. Farmers to receive $10,000 per year for three years. This will support young and beginning farmers transitioning into organic production.
- $22 million dollars was reauthorized to the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program. Farmers to see 75% of their certification costs covered to a maximum of $750 in payments.
For more information about the Farm Bill, visit the Organic Farming Research Foundation website: http://ofrf.org/index.html
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|ISU Agronomy Extension|
|ISU
Horticulture|
|Leopold
Center for Sustainable Agriculture|
|Sustainable
Agriculture Extension|
|Graduate
Program in Sustainable Agriculture|
|Iowa Dept. of Ag. & Land Stewardship Organic Program|
|Organic
Ag Info|
|Organic
Materials Review Institute (OMRI)|
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(Design by Liisa Järvinen)
Page last updated
11/11/08
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Contact: Dr.
Kathleen Delate, Associate Professor
Organic Specialist
Depts. of Agronomy/Horticulture, 106 Horticulture Hall
Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
Phone: 515-294-7069, Fax: 515-294-0730
Email: kdelate@iastate.edu
Internet info: http://www.hort.iastate.edu/, http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/
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Organic
Agriculture Lab
Mike Graham, Graduate Student
Amy Alesch, Graduate Student
Phone: 515-294-5116
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