HR7318-119

What This Bill Does

The Opportunities in Organic Act amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act to create the Opportunities in Organic program. It defines certified organic farms and handling operations, eligible nonprofit organizations, the National Organic Program, organic, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and transition to organic. USDA must continue organic certification cost-share payments, with a normal maximum of $1,500 per producer or handler, but the Secretary may exceed that cap to keep certification costs from blocking organic production, including for producers in high-cost regions or members of socially disadvantaged groups. The bill adds transition and resilience funding for eligible nonprofits that serve socially disadvantaged farmers, organic producers and handlers, vulnerable agricultural regions near schools, childcare, residential areas, or sensitive ecosystems, under-resourced regions, and smaller nonprofits. Nonprofit funding can support staffing, translation, certification paperwork, compliance, recordkeeping, farm and conservation planning, fair contracting, organic management practices, advisor training, paid mentor relationships, conservation and risk-management resources, cooperatives, processing, storage, refrigeration, distribution, food hubs, Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative work, composting, granaries, meat processing, on-farm research, certification staff and inspector training, land access, tenant farmers, regional conventions, field days, and virtual skill-sharing. Producer transition funding can cover organic system plans, eliminating synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or antibiotics, cover cropping, crop rotation, rotational grazing, compost, organic seed and feed, pollinator habitat, processing and storage equipment, soil testing, debt relief, cooperatives, inspector training, land access, labor, food safety certification, education, transition income losses, apprentice housing, and farm planning. The bill also supports organic supply-chain development through nonprofit-led funding to other entities.

Who Benefits and How

Organic farmers, certified organic handling operations, socially disadvantaged farmers, small farms, mid-sized farms, tenant farmers, and producers transitioning to organic benefit from larger cost-share payments, technical assistance, translation help, certification paperwork support, organic system planning, transition funding, debt relief, land-access support, and payments for organic practices. Eligible nonprofit organizations benefit from funding to build staffing, partnerships, mentor networks, training, research, and regional organic infrastructure. Organic certifiers and inspectors benefit from recruiting and training support. Organic supply-chain businesses, food hubs, cooperatives, composting services, storage facilities, refrigeration facilities, granaries, meat processors, and Indigenous food sovereignty projects benefit from support for organic capacity and market access. Consumers and communities near vulnerable agricultural regions may benefit from reduced synthetic pesticide, fertilizer, and antibiotic use.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA must redesign the program, decide when certification costs justify payments above $1,500, award and oversee nonprofit funding, verify eligibility, monitor organic system plan conditions, and manage supply-chain and transition grants. Eligible nonprofit organizations must administer funding, document outreach, support certification and compliance, manage mentors, partnerships, training, research, and infrastructure projects, and track outcomes. Producers receiving transition or resilience funding must develop organic system plans before using funds for many activities and must comply with organic management requirements. Organic certifiers and technical service providers must handle more training, inspection, paperwork, and compliance demand. Federal taxpayers fund the expanded organic support program.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Opportunities in Organic program to replace the national organic certification cost-share structure.
• Raises the standard certification cost-share cap to $1,500 and allows higher payments when certification costs are a barrier.
• Funds eligible nonprofit organizations serving socially disadvantaged farmers, organic producers, vulnerable regions, under-resourced regions, and smaller nonprofits.
• Supports organic transition through technical assistance, recordkeeping, farm planning, mentor programs, land access, organic practices, debt relief, training, research, and income-loss compensation.
• Supports organic supply-chain infrastructure including certified handling operations, equipment, food hubs, cooperatives, composting, granaries, storage, refrigeration, and meat processing.