THIS WEEK IN
Federal Policy News
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USDA Announces $300 Million in
New Assistance for Organic Growers
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Earlier this week, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a new initiative called the Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance (TOGA) Program, which will provide up to $300 million in additional assistance for applicable organic grain and feed growers (or those transitioning to organic). The funds will be available for the 2023 reinsurance year, July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. In order to be eligible for the program, a grower must be insured through a federal crop insurance program on their applicable crops (although some exceptions exist).
According to the release, the benefits include:
- For crops in transition to certified organic, producers can receive 10 percentage points of premium subsidy;
- For organic grain and feed crops, producers can receive $5 premium assistance per insured acre; and
- 10 percentage points of premium subsidy for all Whole Farm Revenue Protection policies covering any number of crops in transition to organic or certified organic practice crops. Producers who have additional individual crop insurance policies will also receive the applicable premium assistance on those policies.
USDA cited the importance of continuing to grow the organics sector, saying, “The demands on our agricultural producers and their subsequent needs are always growing and evolving, we want to make sure that the programs, policies, and benefits UDSA offers grow and evolve with our producers.” Due to the federal crop insurance requirement, growers will not need to enroll into the program. Rather, the assistance will be doled out automatically. Members are encouraged to examine the applicable grain or feed crops as well as the other exceptions, should you think this program applies to you.
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CAFB Joins Western Caucus in Montana for Public Lands, Forestry and ESA Discussions
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Last week, CAFB President Jamie Johansson joined the Western Caucus Foundation in Montana for meetings focused on public lands and forestry management as well as the federal Endangered Species Act. Relative to endangered species, discussions focused on the community economic and environmental impacts of protected predator species and the importance of state management plans. Attendees also had the opportunity to interact with U.S. Forest Service and municipal water utility engineers collaborating on forest heath projects that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire threat to drinking water supplies. The Congressional Western Caucus consists of more than 60 Members of Congress from across the United States who advocate for rural policy issues throughout the West and beyond. Learn more about the House Congressional Western Caucus click here.
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Registration Remains Open for Federal
Milk Marketing Order Forum
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Earlier this month, the American Farm Bureau Federation announced its plans to host a Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Forum to be held in Kansas City from October
14th – 16th. The forum is intended to be for all dairy industry participants, including farmers, processors, and exporters. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack had previously called on the industry to come together and discuss potential changes and improvements to the program—and the event should represent a major step towards identifying potential solutions and proposals to current issues within the system. For more on the event and registration, please see below.
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$550 Million to be Distributed for Underserved Producers and Career Development
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On Wednesday, USDA announced $550 million in new funding for separate initiatives aimed at benefiting historically underserved agricultural producers. The funds come from the American Rescue Plan, which passed early last year. The funds will include $300 million for projects intended to increase land, capital, and market access for underserved producers, with a deadline of October 28th for interested applicants (the portal has not opened at this time). It directs the remaining $250 million towards career development programs at minority-serving institutions, such as 1890 land-grant universities and certified Hispanic-serving institutions. This comes on the heels of the USDA’s Equity Action Plan which was announced earlier this year. The framework has the agency committed towards expanding access to both older and newer programs for historically underserved communities and producers.
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Sara Arsenault
Director of Federal Policy
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Matthew Viohl
Federal Policy, Associate Director
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Erin Hutson
Federal Policy, Consultant
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