Organic Regulations and Issues Update Presented to Organic
Fertilizer Association of California and California Association of
Pest Control Applicators December 10, 2008 Claudia Reid CCOF Policy
Director
Slide 2
Who is CCOF? Nonprofit organic certification and trade
association since 1973 Organic Certification Trade Association -
education, promotion, marketing & PR support Political Advocacy
Certification throughout North America for processors, private
labelers, brokers, retailers, and producers More than 1,500
farmers, 400 processors, and 1,000 certified product categories
Currently certify 80% of Californias organic acreage and more than
half a million acres More than 35 years of organic certification
experience, fully accredited by USDA, and one of the oldest and
largest certifiers in North America Developed first organic
standards that lead to the California Organic Products Act of 1990
and ultimately the National Organic Program
Slide 3
Organic is more than input substitution Organic production:
responds to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural,
biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of
resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
National Organic Program, Section 205.2
Slide 4
Organic Consumers Thank you to Karen Klonsky and Roberta Cook
of UC Davis and Catherine Greene of USDA Agricultural Marketing
Service for providing some of the slides on organic
statistics.
Slide 5
Most Consumers Dont know what organic or certified organic
means. Dont understand how food is grown, processed or distributed.
Need to make a connection with the food they eat. Want food
produced the good the old-fashioned way, the sustainable way, the
organic way. Want cheap food.
Slide 6
Consumers Most Likely to Buy Organic Foods All or Most of the
Time Source: Harris Poll of 2,392 Americans Sept. 2007
Slide 7
U.S. Consumers Most Likely to Buy Organic Foods All or Most of
the Time Source: Harris Poll of 2,392 Americans Sept. 2007
Slide 8
Forces Driving Organic Growth Greater availability Improved
taste and quality USDA organic standards More competitive pricing
Financial investments in organic and natural companies
Organic sales have been growing at double digit rates. Growth
is expected to continue but at a slower rate. Produce still
dominates. Livestock and poultry sales are now growing at a faster
rate than produce. The National Organic Program seems to have had a
positive impact on sales. Organic Market Trends
Slide 11
NOP budget nearly doubled in 2008 to $2.6 million Japan
interested in equivalency Optimistic about Canadian equivalency
Source: Organic Trade Association, Summer 2008 Organic Export
Opportunities
Slide 12
Who Regulates Organic? International International Federation
of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Canada Japan Australia
National Organic Program (NOP) National Organic Standards Board
(NOSB) Departments of Agriculture Californias SOP County
Agricultural Commissioners
Slide 13
CCOF is involved Will be involved in new IFOAM North America
Already accredited for Canadian Organic Regime Involved in Japan
and Australia harmonization efforts Works with NOP program staff
routinely Testifies at all NOSB meetings Works with any State Dept
of Ag where we certify (29 states) Heavily involved in effort to
reform SOP in CA Interacts with Ag Commissioners on specific issues
such as SOP reform or LBAM
Slide 14
Total Mandatory Spending on Organic Agriculture: 2002 and 2008
Farm Bills TOPIC20022008 Certification cost share programs$5
million$29.5 million Research$15 million $78 million Production and
market data collectionNo specific funding$5 million for organic
TOTAL$20 million$112.5 million In 2000, separate from the Farm Bill
process, an additional $5 million was allocated for certification
cost share for farms in specific states. Source: Organic Trade
Association, Summer 2008 Farm Bill Opportunities For Organic and
Transitional
Slide 15
California Organic Program (SOP) Cost share sign ups going on
now http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/i_&_c/organic.html Ray Green,
Manager, 1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 445-2180 FAX
(916) 445-2427 [email protected][email protected] Cost Share Letter Cost Share Application
2007-2008 Cost Share Application 2008-2009Cost Share Letter Cost
Share Application 2007-2008 Cost Share Application 2008-2009
Slide 16
2008 Farm Bill Opportunities EQIP Organic Production and
Transition Assistance Beginning Farmer and Rancher Outreach and
Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Risk
Management Education Direct Loan Limits and Direct and Guaranteed
Loan Set-asides for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Thank you to the
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition for providing information on 2008
Farm Bill programs
Slide 17
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) The 2008 Farm
Bill substantially increases the total funding available for to the
EQIP program, including more than adequate funding for organic
conversion. Total funding provided by the new farm bill for EQIP is
as follows: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Funding
200820092010201120125 year cost10 yr cost $1,200 M$1,337 M$1,450
M$1,588 M$1,750 M$7,325 M$16,075 M
Slide 18
Organic Production and Transition Assistance (EQIP)
$20,000/year, max of $80,000/6 years available Must do OSP and
pursue NOP certification Does not include technical assistance
payments
Slide 19
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/2009/index.htmlAdd info
re NRCS Alan Forkey, Program Manager Phone: 530-792-5653 Email:
[email protected]@ca.usda.gov Roney Gutierrez,
Program Specialist Phone: 530-792-5649 Email:
[email protected]@ca.usda.gov Current EQIP
Program Fact Sheets NRCS EQIP National Program Information
(including Program, Contract and Funding Information)NRCS EQIP
National Program Information USDA Service Center eForms Web Site -
for instructions and informationUSDA Service Center eForms Web
Site
Slide 20
Food Safety and Competition from Imported Products Organic
sales typically increase when food recalls are announced; perceived
as safer. Food safety regulations trump organic. Tension between
food safety super metrics and biodiversity. Tension over lack of
harmonization.
Slide 21
Energy, Water and Climate Change After cars, the food system
uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy. 19% The
way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere than anything else we do. 37% Source: Michael Pollan,
New York Times, Oct. 2008
Slide 22
Energy, Water and Climate Change Between 1910 and 1983, U.S.
corn yields grew 346%, and energy consumption for agriculture
increased %. 810% In the 1890s, roughly % of cropland in the United
States was used to grow grain to feed horses, almost all of which
worked on farms. 25% Cheap and abundant fossil fuel has shaped the
farming system that Americans have come to think of as normal. % of
the water used by humans in the world goes to irrigate crops. 70%
Were now at a crossroads where were running out of water, and were
running out of oil two crucial inputs to farmers. Source: Deep
Economy by Bill McKibbon
Slide 23
Energy, Water & Climate Change Organic corn/soybean
cropping systems use about 1/3 less fossil fuel energy than
non-organic. Organic soil can sequester about 1,000 pounds of
carbon per acre foot of soil each year. Organic farming methods
retain nutrients better hold these nutrients in place for plant
uptake Source: Pesticides and You, Vol. 27, No. 1, 2007
Slide 24
Energy, Water and Climate Change Organic agricultural practices
can be the most effective strategy currently available for
mitigating CO 2 emissions. High correlation between increased soil
carbon levels and very high amounts of mycorrhizal fungi. These
fungi help slow down the decay of organic matter. Carbon was
sequestered into the soil at the rate of 875 lbs/acre/year in a
crop rotation utilizing raw manure 500 lbs/ac/year in a rotation
using legume cover crops. Implementing organic farming practices on
a national basis will depend on two factors: a strong bottom-up
demand for change a top-down shift in state and national policy to
support farmers in this transition. Source: Regenerative Organic
Farming: A Solution to Global Warming, The Rodale Institute,
2008
Slide 25
PCAs and CCOF What do PCAs need to know about organic? US
regulators CA regulator Resources CCOF OMRI WSDA
Slide 26
Certification Process Overview 1.Application - Drafting Organic
System Plan and associated record keeping systems (OSP) 2.Review
(OSP) 3.Inspection (to OSP) 4.Review (Inspection Report + OSP)
5.Conditions and resolution Major or Minor Different time frames
6.Certification 7.Annual renewal (update OSP, and repeat steps 2-6)
Potential PCA Interaction
Slide 27
Resources CCOF: www.ccof.org and CCOF Magazine Updates,
articles, quarterly magazine, online directory, etc. Organic Trade
Association: www.ota.com Market information, online directory,
resources, etc. National Organic Program: www.ams.usda.gov/nop
FAQs, labeling photos, etc. ATTRA:
http://attra.ncat.org/organic.html Publications and resources in
production methods for organic crops and livestock.
Slide 28
Resources Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)-
www.omri.org WSDA http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Organic
Slide 29
Claudia Reid, Policy Director 916-443-6480 [email protected]
www.ccof.org THANK YOU
