EWG Asking Congress to Help Organic Farmers Meet Demand

The Environmental Working Group last week released a study that claims U.S. organic production lags significantly behind consumer demand. The group suggested that Congress could help farmers turn to organic farming by addressing organic agriculture further in the next farm bill. EWG is suggesting that Congress reform the Conservation Stewardship Program to create bundles of conservation practices for farmers who want to transition to organic practices. EWG is also asking Congress to reform the Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative to provide organic and transitioning producers with the same level of support as other farmers. Finally, EWG is seeking reforms to the Conservation Reserve Program to provide greater incentives for producers to put farmland exiting the program into organic production. Between 1997 and 2015, sales in the organic sector soared from $3.7 billion to more than $43 billion. Yet, the gap between supply and demand means many American organic food companies have to rely on foreign suppliers for staple items that could be met by domestic producers.