CCFB News» May 2022

Cook County Farm Bureau® leaders are looking into updates to Farm Bureau’s organic agriculture policy to reflect the exponential growth of the industry and its importance to Cook County’s agricultural economy.

Organic products are overseen by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP)-authorized certifying agency (ACA); produced without excluded or prohibited methods; and produced using only allowed substances.  Organic is a production standard set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) for marketing label use (Title 7, Subtitle B, Chapter I, Subchapter M, Part 205).

We support:

1. All methods of agricultural production and marketing provided they offer opportunities to all farmers who qualify or meet required standards.
2. Broad availability of information on the USDA-certified organic program, certification process, and labeling requirements, as well as other unbiased information on organic products or production.
3. Clarity and integrity of organic standards in the marketplace.
4. Efforts to support organic production through increased funding for organic agriculture, education, and technical assistance by non-government organization, land-grant universities, and extension.
5. Efforts to enhance marketing opportunities for producers of organically grown commodities just as we support such efforts for conventionally produced crops.
6. Organic farmers be responsible for taking appropriate measures (e.g., buffer strips) to protect their crops from pollen drift or other factors affecting the integrity of their crops.

Federal Programs and Support

1. Research into methods for improving soil health and the development of biological and cultural management of disease, weeds, and pests.
2. Organic farmers using organic prices for all federal farmer support programs.
3. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) Organic Crop Insurance Program allowing first-year organic crop insurance applicants to receive the organic price for their crop insurance providing that organic inspection occurs by RMA before the crop insurance deadline without final review and the final certificate required at a later date.
4. The National Organic Cost Share Certification Program to help farmers meet current and future consumer demand and expand outreach and education opportunities.