Wins on funding for organic certification, research, new farmers and import enforcement shadowed by changes to the National Organic Standards Board.

December 12, 2018 (Unity, ME) – The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) generally is pleased with the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill), but is disheartened by significant threats to the integrity of the National Organic Standards Board.

The Farm Bill is a gigantic piece of legislation that covers diverse agricultural programs from commodities to conservation to research to nutrition. As the federal government’s primary agriculture and food policy legislation (representing several hundred billion dollars over five years), the Farm Bill has great potential to cultivate a more local, more organic, more secure agriculture across the country. The 2018 bill has big wins for organic farmers and consumers, including provisions that will help safeguard organic integrity and generate jobs, economic growth, and environmental benefits in communities across the United States.

Continue reading: http://www.mofga.org/Programs/Public-Policy/Federal-Policy/2014-Farm-Bill/mofga-notes-mixed-results-with-the-2018-farm-bill