Trade group makes bid for organic farm funding

Food & Drink Weekly, Oct 23, 2006

Trade group makes bid for organic farm funding: The Organic Trade Association this week said it will lobby for more money in the 2007 farm bill. The organic industry receives only a tiny fraction of USDA's budget, but organic retail sales have hit a total of $15 billion annually and demand is growing, the association said.

OTA Director Caren Wilcox says federal money is needed to help eliminate hurdles to organic agriculture and trade, including converting from conventional to organic farming. Current USDA programs such as the National Organic Program need to be maintained and enhanced, and federally funded research is needed in organic agriculture and economics, Wilcox said.