The Farm Bill is Done!• Hearings were first held

in Spring 2011• Nine votes were taken in

the House, Senate, or in committees

• This farm bill was the first full conference report for the 113th Congress

Projected Farm Bill Spending 2014-2023

Nutrition

79%Crop Insurance

$89.8 billion

Conservation$56 billion

9%

$756 billion

Commodities$44.4 billion

Other 1%$8.2 billion

6%5%

Source: Congressional Budget Office Projections, January 2014

NFU Priorities – Overall Outcomes

17 Included

5 Partially included

4 Not included

82% Success rate22 out of 27 issues are at least partially addressed.

Organic in the farm bill • The National Organic Certification Cost-Share

Program – Funded at $11.5 million annually (up from $5 million)

• The Agricultural Management Assistance Act – $1 million annually for 16 underserved states– Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,

Rhode Island, Vermont – Producers in AMA are eligible for reimbursement

under NOCCSP as well

Local & Regional Food Systems

• Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program– $30 million annually

• Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant program– For organizations administering farmers markets

and grocery store programs that encourage fruit and vegetable consumption for SNAP participants

Community Food Projects

• Addresses food access issues for low-income families and individuals

• $4.8 million in funding in 16 states this year• Association of Africans Living in Vermont• New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts• Windham Regional Community Council, Inc.

• Promote Comprehensive strategies to address food, farm, and nutrition issues with a regional focus

Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative

• Funded at $20 million per year• Example project from Univ. of Vermont

• $759,516 to develop technical training and support for agriculture service providers and farmers in certified organic dairy production systems

Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives

• $5 million over five years (one time funding)• ODI is a multi-agency initiative that ensures

USDA collects organic statistics, conducts organic price reporting, and releases organic economic reports

National Organic Program

• $5 million in one-time mandatory funding for technology and modernization upgrades

Organic Crop Insurance

• USDA is required to offer price elections for all organic crops by 2015 to reflect the actual retail or wholesale prices received

Checkoffs

• Provision in farm bill to exempt organic producers from having to pay into conventional checkoffs

• Provision to allow the organic sector to establish a checkoff under the 1996 generic act if they choose to do so

NFU policy on checkoffs

• NFU supports voluntary checkoffs and our support is determined by the extent to which producers who are actively involved in production agriculture control the programs

• Research and promotion are for the sole benefit of domestic family farmers

• Board of non-processing domestic producers elected by domestic producers assessed

www.nfu.org@NFUDCNational Farmers Union