From Seed to Fork: Advocating for a US Farm Bill that Supports Organic

Arguably the largest & most impactful US food policy – The US Farm Bill – is in the works and it is set to determine the future of the food we eat for the next 5 years. Your voice is needed! 

As organic advocates, we care deeply about our food and farming system. We imagine a future where the way we grow and produce food ensures that the food on our plates is not only delicious, but also healthy for us and the planet. Every 5 years, we have a powerful opportunity to vote for a healthier food future for our families & communities through the US Farm Bill – and that time has come again – we invite you to join us in taking action!

Nature’s Path Organic Foods & Center for Food Safety have joined forces throughout 2024 to raise awareness & empower our community to make our voices heard in this pivotal moment for our food future.

Learn more & join us in sending a strong message to Congress today for a healthier, organic food future for all.

Tell Congress You Support Organic Agriculture in the US Farm Bill here.

 

What makes the US Farm Bill so important?

The Farm Bill is a package of bills that directly shapes how our food is grown and ultimately, what ends up on supermarket shelves and our plates for the next five years. It allocates funding for agriculture, food assistance and other programs that impacts our entire food system from seed to fork – for better or worse. 

Ensuring that organic agriculture is well supported within the Farm Bill is critical to tipping the scales toward a positive food future that keeps harmful agrochemicals out of our environment & food system, ensures fair working conditions for farm workers, promotes equitable access to healthy food for all, protects finite natural resources and combats climate change. 

 How powerful is organic agriculture?  Here are a few of our favorite facts!

1. If organic farming standards (maintaining and improving soil health) were adopted globally, we could expect to save 2 billion tons of carbon a year — the equivalent of 12% of the total annual GHG emissions worldwide¹.
2. Organic diets have been shown to reduce pesticide levels in our bodies by up to 95% in just 6 days².
3. Organic production uses 45% less energy than conventional agriculture³.
4. Organic farming increases overall biodiversity by 30%⁴.
5. Organic farming protects nearby rural and urban communities from exposure to synthetic pesticides that can persist in the air, water, and soil⁵.

Organic agriculture is an important choice that benefits us all. Now, more than ever, we must urge Congress to increase critical support for organic agriculture in the Farm Bill.

 

Key Organic Priorities in the Farm Bill

Together with Center for Food Safety, we are advocating for several key bills within the Farm Bill that support the positive transformation we envision for our food system, and we invite you to do the same by joining with us to contact your Congressional representative to request they prioritize the following strategic marker bills in the Farm Bill: 

• Investing in Organic: The Opportunities in Organic Act (S.1582) would expand organic farming by making it easier for farmers to switch to organic. It would provide more technical assistance and mentorship programs, along with financial aid to reduce the initial costs of transitioning to organic practices.
• Promoting Organic as Climate-Friendly Farming: Legislation like the Agriculture Resilience Act (H.R. 1840) encourages farming practices that combat climate change, which align with organic approaches that prioritize soil health and carbon sequestration.
• Ensuring Social Equity in Agriculture: Legislation like the Justice for Black Farmers Act (S.96) promotes equal access to resources and opportunities, fostering a more diverse and inclusive food and farming sector.
• Supporting Small Farms: The Farmland for Farmers Act (S.2583) safeguards small farms from corporate ownership by stopping new corporate ownership of farmland, a vital step to keep small organic farms in business.

By advocating for a Farm Bill that strengthens organic agriculture, we're investing in a future filled with healthy food, a thriving environment, less climate change and vibrant farming communities. Let's use our voices and urge Congress to prioritize organic as the priority solution within the Farm Bill toolbox. Together, we can cultivate a more sustainable and equitable food system for all.

Take Action Today! 

Make your voice heard and help transform the US Farm Bill by urging your representatives to prioritize organic agriculture. Our pre-written letter template makes it easy to express your support for this important cause. Click this link and act now! 

 

About Center for Food Safety:

As a leader in the food movement for over 25 years, Center for Food Safety (CFS) has used groundbreaking legal, policy, corporate, public education, and grassroots campaigns to protect our food, our farms, and our environment. We believe in the power of organic and sustainable farming and eating and are proud to stand with like-minded organizations and consumers to create a better food future. Learn more here: https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/

 

Sources:

• Organic Farming Research Foundation – South Health & Organic Farming Report – Organic Practices for Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Carbon Sequestration. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://ofrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Climate_Guide_FINAL-F_WebRes.pdf
• Science Direct: Organic diet intervention significantly reduces urinary pesticide levels in U.S. children and adults . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119300246 
• Rodale Farming Systems Trial. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/fst-30-year-report.pdf
• British Ecological Society: Land-use intensity and the effects of organic farming on biodiversity: a hierarchical meta-analysis . https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.12219
• PubMed: Dietary intake and its contribution to longitudinal organophosphorus pesticide exposure in urban/suburban children. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18414640/