TOFGA

Tell the House Agriculture Committee to invest in organic agriculture in the 2012 Farm Bill – the committee is taking feedback on the 2012 Farm Bill on their website until July 28, 2010.

Comment here

Here are some suggested talking point from the Organic Farming Research Foundation:

• Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agricultural production and organic food is one of the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. food retail market.
• Organic farming systems have the potential to conserve water, improve air quality, and build soil quality while providing high quality food and fiber for consumers here and abroad.
• If we want to see the U.S. organic sector continue to grow and thrive, we need to invest in programs that support organic farmers, including:

Research and Extension Programs that expand the breadth of knowledge about organic farming systems and provide that knowledge to organic farmers.
Conservation Programs that reward organic farmers for the conservation benefits of organic farming systems and provide technical support for organic farmers who want to improve on-farm conservation.
Transition Programs that provide technical support to farmers who want to transition to organic farming practices but don’t know how.
Crop Insurance Programs that work for organic farmers and reimburse them for any losses based on the organic market value of the crop, not average conventional prices.

Please include any other points you think are relevant.