NFU submits organic supplemental proposal
July 21, 2015 |05:08 PM
The National Farmers Union on Monday filed with the Agriculture Department a proposal that a majority of organic checkoff funds should go toward agricultural research, that producers should make up a majority on the board to manage the checkoff, and that the checkoff should be inclusive so that all organic producers have the ability to vote in any referendum establishing the checkoff.
The Organic Trade Association filed the original checkoff proposal. The NFU proposal signals some subtle differences between the two groups over spending priorities and board structure.
“NFU’s proposal calls for a majority of the checkoff funds to go to agricultural research to ensure consumer demands are met with American-produced organic products, as well as a board composition that has a producer majority in order to better represent the organic industry, and a democratic process that allows for each organic certificate holder to vote on whether or not the checkoff should be established,” said Farmers Union President Roger Johnson.
“Commodity research and promotion programs are, and always have been, intended to support the efforts of producers of agricultural commodities,” according to the proposal. “An organic checkoff must fill the gap in agricultural research and prioritize addressing the production research needs of the industry.”
The proposal also notes that board composition should be a producer majority, and provides for 13 members of the 19-member board to be organic producers in order to properly represent the organic industry.
“The board would have considerable oversight of the checkoff dollars, including 25 percent for discretionary purposes,” notes the proposal. “Board composition is of tremendous importance to NFU and should constitute a significant producer majority.”
Laura Batcha, OTA executive director, said, “OTA continues to be pleased to see acknowledgement of the need and interest in the structure of an organic checkoff program.”
OTA Board President Melissa Hughes, who is general counsel and director of government relations for Organic Valley, a large organic co-op based in Wisconsin, added, “We are pleased that NFU has shown interest in the checkoff for organic, especially with regard to research. Our three-year study of the needs of the organic community demonstrated that the supply issues identified by NFU are based not only in a lack of research, but a failure to provide farmers with the technical assistance needed to access the research and other important information.”
Hughes added, “Our proposal reflects a flexible approach to the use of the funds that focuses on research, and also the technical assistance and information dissemination that works hand-in-hand with that research.”
The Organic Trade Association filed the original checkoff proposal. The NFU proposal signals some subtle differences between the two groups over spending priorities and board structure.
“NFU’s proposal calls for a majority of the checkoff funds to go to agricultural research to ensure consumer demands are met with American-produced organic products, as well as a board composition that has a producer majority in order to better represent the organic industry, and a democratic process that allows for each organic certificate holder to vote on whether or not the checkoff should be established,” said Farmers Union President Roger Johnson.
“Commodity research and promotion programs are, and always have been, intended to support the efforts of producers of agricultural commodities,” according to the proposal. “An organic checkoff must fill the gap in agricultural research and prioritize addressing the production research needs of the industry.”
The proposal also notes that board composition should be a producer majority, and provides for 13 members of the 19-member board to be organic producers in order to properly represent the organic industry.
“The board would have considerable oversight of the checkoff dollars, including 25 percent for discretionary purposes,” notes the proposal. “Board composition is of tremendous importance to NFU and should constitute a significant producer majority.”
Laura Batcha, OTA executive director, said, “OTA continues to be pleased to see acknowledgement of the need and interest in the structure of an organic checkoff program.”
OTA Board President Melissa Hughes, who is general counsel and director of government relations for Organic Valley, a large organic co-op based in Wisconsin, added, “We are pleased that NFU has shown interest in the checkoff for organic, especially with regard to research. Our three-year study of the needs of the organic community demonstrated that the supply issues identified by NFU are based not only in a lack of research, but a failure to provide farmers with the technical assistance needed to access the research and other important information.”
Hughes added, “Our proposal reflects a flexible approach to the use of the funds that focuses on research, and also the technical assistance and information dissemination that works hand-in-hand with that research.”
