Welcome, Fall 2025 OFA Interns!
Fall Interns Join OFA to Gain Hands-On Experience in Organic
The Organic Farmers Association has welcomed three new interns to the team this fall! The interns will have a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of organic agriculture advocacy. They will not only gain valuable insights into the principles and practices of organic farming, but will also actively contribute to OFA’s mission of elevating and uniting farmer voices.
The interns are part of the fall Organic Career Network (OCN) cohort. OCN connects organic organizations to students who are interested in exploring career pathways in the organic sector, and aims to provide students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience with organic certification, inspection, advocacy, and farmer education organizations and agencies.
Welcome, Interns!
Amanda Ohnmacht
Farmer Services Intern
Amanda is a graduate student in Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University. She holds a BFA in Ceramics with a minor in Applied Biological Sciences from ASU, along with a certificate in Sustainable Agriculture from Mesa Community College. With a passion for small-scale ecological farming, she is committed towards building sustainable and regenerative food systems. Her long-term goal is to establish her own farm rooted in agroecological practices.
Aparna Nidamanuri
Communications Intern
Aparna currently lives in Illinois, where she was born and raised. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2024, with a BS in Agriculture and Food Business Management. While in school she interned both in the public and private sectors and was able to narrow down her interest in sustainable movements after being exposed to many facets of the food system. For the past year she did Americorps, serving the communications and development team of a non profit food hub in Rhode Island that primarily focused on building market opportunities for local producers, and promoting local eating. Right now she is studying for the GRE, and hopes to eventually get a masters degree in economics.
Assata Makonnen
Policy Intern
Assata is a sophomore at the University of Maryland College Park, where she pursues a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy with a minor in Sustainability Studies. On campus, she is a member of the environmental science and policy student advisory board ENSPire, the Jimenez-Porter Writers’ House, the University Student Judiciary, Maryland Mock Trial, and serves as the head of the UMD Chapter of the nationwide organization, Plant Futures Initiative. She is particularly passionate about the intersection between the natural world and people/society, which is what led her to join the Organic Farmers Association. Through pursuing a career in environmental law, she hopes to advocate for marginalized voices within the environmental community and push for a revision of current food systems to prioritize organic, regenerative, and sustainable living.
Attention Farmers Marketing to Whole Foods Market!
If your farms work with Whole Foods Market, you may have received communications indicating you needed to sign up for a specific invoicing system being managed by SPS Commerce. This annual subscription invoicing system is expensive and not a good fit for many OFA farmers selling to Whole Foods.
After Member Farmers raised this concern with OFA, we called a meeting with the Whole Foods Team and the farmers being affected. Whole Foods indicated that this switch is NOT REQUIRED, and that other options will be made available to farmers who do not want to sign on to the SPS invoicing system.
The Whole Foods Team shared this message:
“Whole Foods Market is moving toward digital invoicing. At this time, partnering with SPS Commerce is optional for vendors—not mandatory. In the future, additional options related to digital invoicing will be communicated to the vendor population. We appreciate our farmers and thank them for their patience as we work to find what’s best—from farm to store to customer.”
—Sofia Angeles – Team Leader, Supplier Enablement at Whole Foods Market
OFA works to make sure farmer voices are the centerpiece of the organic movement. Remember, if you’re not at the table, you are on the menu. Help us set the table to make sure you have a seat.
Please spread the word and let us know if you run into any further issues.
If you have questions about this Whole Foods invoicing issue, or have other concerns regarding your farm business, contact julia@organicfarmersassociation.org, or call our Farmer HelpLine for support (833)724-3834.
Membership Matters
We’re here to help, and we’ll have your back if we know what you need.
National Organic Standards Board Fall 2025 Meeting
The fall meeting of the National Organic Standards Board is coming up, and the public can either give oral or written comments on a variety of subjects before the in-person November 4-6, 2025 meeting in Omaha, NE. Oral comments from organic farmers and supporters will be taken at webinars on October 28 and 30, written comments must be submitted before 11:59pm ET on Oct. 8, 2025.
Numerous items will be voted upon for the National Organic Program to consider for rule-making, and your farmer voice can have a significant impact!
- A proposal to allow synthetic compostable polymers in compost used on organic land is on the work agenda. OFA does not support this proposal, and organic certifiers do not currently allow these “compostable plastics.”
- A proposal for prohibited material residue testing of imported grain feedstuffs is based upon the well-written discussion document from the spring NOSB meeting, and OFA supports this increased scrutiny proposed for imported organic grain.
- Risk-based certification, which addresses the increased certification burden all operations are experiencing, provides guidance to certifiers to modify their compliance oversight for operations that present “less-risk” to organic integrity. OFA is reviewing this proposal.
- Organic seed use and organic labeling proposals also affect what organic farmers will need to change for organic certification.
- New materials that will be discussed for inclusion on the national list are:
- Pear ester as an insect attractant in pest control and chitosan for controlling fungal issues in wine production.
- The NOSB will be discussing modification to the regulation to allow livestock in agroforestry crops, OFA requested this in our public comment.
A list of materials having their five-year sunset review to remain on the National List (and can be found here) and include materials in wide use that will probably remain, and some that may be removed.
OFA will be hosting virtual Farmer Workgroups with organic farmers interested in learning more about the issues, as well as informing the OFA public comment and preparing their own comments.
Meetings will last one hour on Wednesdays at 3pm ET / 2pm CT / 1pm MT / 12pm PT on September 17, 24, and October 1.
Act Now: Comment on USDA’s Reorganization Plans by August 26
The USDA is currently accepting public comments on a comprehensive plan to relocate nearly half of its Washington, D.C. area employees. Coming after the agency has already seen a significant loss of staff, the USDA's reorganization could jeopardize essential research functions and disrupt critical services that all farmers rely on.
This comes after the agency has already seen a significant loss of staff, including about one-third of the National Organic Program (NOP) team.
The integrity of the USDA organic seal is a cornerstone of consumer trust, and it depends on a strong, well-staffed NOP. NOP employees are responsible for overseeing the certification process, fraud prevention, and ensuring fair competition for organic farms and businesses. We are deeply concerned that further staff losses resulting from this reorganization could severely weaken the USDA's ability to safeguard organic integrity.
How to Make Your Voice Heard
The organic market is the fastest-growing sector in the U.S. food market, and NOP staff are essential to sustaining its growth and protecting its standards. We need the organic community to speak out on the USDA's reorganization plans and urge the agency to preserve the staffing and resources necessary for the NOP to do its job effectively.
To help you get started, here are some key points you can use or adapt in your own words.
Tips for Submitting Your Comment
To ensure your message stands out and is not overlooked, please follow these simple tips before you submit your email:
- Personalize Your Message: Edit the first paragraph to introduce yourself and your connection to organic agriculture. This will make your comment more impactful and authentic. We also encourage you to personalize the rest of the text as you see fit.
- Craft a Unique Subject Line: A personalized subject line increases the chance your message will be read.
Here are some example subject lines you can use or adapt:
- As a [Farmer / Consumer / Business Owner], I Urge You to Protect National Organic Program Staff
- As a [Farmer / Consumer / Business Owner], I have Concerns Regarding USDA Reorganization Plans
- Protect the National Organic Program – Pause USDA's Reorganization Plan
- Don't Weaken Organic Integrity – Keep the National Organic Program Strong
- Organic Farms & Businesses Depend on a Strong National Organic Program – Please Pause Reorganization
- USDA Reorganization Could Risk National Organic Program Staffing and Resources
Template Letter:
I am writing to express deep concerns with USDA’s recently announced reorganization plans.
[Introduce yourself — share your name, location, role, and connection to organic agriculture. For example: “I operate a certified organic vegetable farm in [state],” or “I represent a business that sources organic ingredients from farms across the country.” Briefly describe your work and why organic integrity matters to you.]
I have the following concerns with USDA’s recently announced reorganization plans:
- We cannot afford to lose NOP staff and institutional knowledge. NOP staff bring years of specialized expertise in organic regulations, compliance, and enforcement. If this reorganization results in staff departures, we risk losing irreplaceable institutional knowledge that underpins the credibility of the organic label. USDA Organic is a more than $70 billion industry, and the NOP team delivers exceptional value—ensuring marketplace integrity, enforcing rigorous standards, and safeguarding consumer trust with a remarkably small budget relative to the size of the sector. This is one of USDA’s best returns on investment, but training new hires in these complex systems takes years, during which enforcement and policy work can suffer.
- Face-to-face engagement in D.C. is vital. During fly-ins and advocacy days, organic farmers and businesses travel to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with USDA staff. Because organic encompasses every commodity sector, these meetings allow NOP to coordinate with multiple agricultural groups at once. Moving NOP leadership and core staff away from D.C. will make it logistically harder for farmers and stakeholders to meet with the people who enforce and uphold organic standards. Without this in-person access, USDA will be less responsive and less equipped to address the real-world needs of organic farms and businesses.
- Most NOP staff are already field-based. The NOP employees who are currently based in D.C. provide essential coordination, policy, and interagency functions. Further dispersing this already limited D.C. team risks fragmenting communication, slowing decision-making, and weakening oversight at the national level.
- Collaboration with other agencies is essential to protecting organic integrity. NOP’s ability to protect organic integrity depends on close, ongoing partnerships with other federal agencies. One of the most critical collaborations is with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to prevent fraud at ports of entry. This partnership is so important that NOP has a staff member physically embedded within CBP to access sensitive information, such as ship manifests and data on fraudulent actors in international trade, and to coordinate directly with CBP personnel to stop fraudulent organic imports before they enter U.S. markets. Beyond CBP, NOP works closely with other USDA agencies—including the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Risk Management Agency (RMA)—to coordinate with broader USDA programs that support U.S. farms and businesses. Reducing the number of NOP staff in Washington, D.C. would make these interagency connections harder to maintain, undermining both enforcement and farmer access to essential USDA resources.
Beyond organic, this reorganization could also jeopardize USDA’s essential research functions and disrupt critical services that farmers across all sectors rely on.
I urge you to immediately pause implementation of this reorganization plan to ensure that U.S. farms and businesses—including certified organic operations—retain the tools, staffing, and resources they need to thrive.
*Thank you to NOC for sharing these comment materials for farmers and supporters!
Farmers to Advocate for Organic Dairy Policies
Farmers to Advocate for Organic Dairy Policies in Washington D.C.
Farm Bill, Organic Dairy Protections, and Infrastructure to be Discussed
Washington, D.C., July 14, 2025—Organic dairy farmers and representative farmer organizations will gather in Washington, D.C. on July 22, 2025, to meet with legislators to advocate for supportive policies on key issues within the organic dairy farming sector.
The Organic Farmers Association (OFA) is hosting a special Organic Dairy Fly-In to advocate for the inclusion of organic dairy data collection language in one of a number of possible pieces of legislation. OFA hosts an annual Farmer Fly-In each spring to coordinate meetings between farmers and their representatives and senators, as well as USDA and House and Agriculture Committee Staff to discuss critical policy support for organic farmers.
The introduction of the O DAIRY Act (2023) and the Organic Dairy Data Collection Act (2024), and the inclusion of dairy data language in the Farm Bill drafted in 2024 was celebrated by OFA’s members, who have pushed for dairy-focused support from Congress for years. However, with the future of the Farm Bill in question farmers must continue to advocate for these policies to support organic agriculture.
Organic dairy farmers have faced numerous crises in the recent past. Family-owned organic dairy farms support rural communities, fight environmental degradation, and provide a local supply of high quality milk. However, increased market consolidation in processing and a shrinking field of buyers led to family farmers receiving low pay-prices for many years. And recent unpredictability in energy and feed costs has meant that these pay-prices often do not cover the cost of production. Additionally, since 2016, dairy states have been losing family organic dairy farms at an alarming rate. In Vermont, for example, over 35% of organic dairy family farms have folded or left organic.
“Organic farmers are uniquely positioned to inform national policymakers about the real challenges they face on their farms and to help shape effective, grounded solutions for expanding domestic organic agriculture. When farmers come to Washington, D.C., their voices take center stage where decisions are made,” said Policy Director, Lily Hawkins.
In addition to these key priorities, farmers will highlight the urgent need for a new Farm Bill that supports the interests of organic producers as a whole. OFA members will be discussing with legislators why Farm Bill funding isn’t just helpful, it’s essential to growing our food system and domestic food production through innovative practices that boost productivity and preserve natural resources. It’s important we invest in our domestic organic farmers for national food security, rural development, and putting American farmers first in our domestic market.
Anyone looking to get involved or support organic farmers can visit the OFA website and take action: organicfarmersassociation.org/take-action
For more information about the Farm Bill policies OFA and organic farmers are advocating for, visit organicfarmersassociation.org/policy.
OFA organic farmer members can be made available for interviews by contacting OFA Communications Manager Madison Letizia (madison[@]organicfarmersassociation.org).
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About Organic Farmers Association
The Organic Farmers Association (OFA) provides a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic producers. OFA builds and supports a farmer-led national organic farmer movement and national policy platform by developing and advocating policies that benefit organic farmers; strengthening and supporting the capacity of organic farmers and farm organizations; and supporting collaboration and leadership among state, regional and national organic farmer organizations.
Organic Imports Verification Act of 2025 Introduced
Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Support Domestic Organic Farmers
Bill would protect growing organic sector from fraudulent imports
Washington, D.C., April 9, 2025—Groups representing diverse organic stakeholders applaud the introduction of the Organic Imports Verification Act of 2025 (OIVA). Introduced by Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-NE and Sen. Tina Smith, D-MN, the legislation would promote organic integrity and a level playing field for domestic organic producers by requiring the USDA to test high-risk bulk imports of organic feedstuffs for residues of substances that are prohibited in organic production. In addition to adequate funding for core organic programs to meet the needs of the rapidly growing organic sector, they are advocating for the inclusion of OIVA in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Specifically, the bill would do the following:
- Establish Risk-Based Protocol: The USDA Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the “organic agricultural product imports interagency working group,” shall develop and regularly update risk-based protocols for determining the high-risk status of organic feedstuffs.
- Establish an Annual List of High-Risk Organic Feedstuffs: Each year, the USDA Secretary, using the established risk-based protocol, shall create a confidential list of high-risk imported organic feedstuffs that will require additional residue testing that year.
- Establish Parameters for Residue Testing: The USDA Secretary will create residue testing parameters for the established list of high-risk imported organic feedstuffs. Parameters would outline necessary testing frequency, quantity to be tested, the type of testing, who is responsible for the testing, and other necessary parameters.
- Require Annual Testing: Annually, the USDA Secretary will be required to conduct residue testing for each covered organic feedstuff.
- Establish Corrective Action: If required residue testing indicates a prohibited substance over the permitted level for organic, the shipment of that organic feedstuff will be excluded from organic sale.
- Require an Annual Report to Congress: The National Organic Program (NOP) would be required to present an annual report to Congress on the residue testing carried out during the year prior for each high-risk organic feedstuff and imported organic feedstuff shipped in bulk. The report would include information on the frequency of the applicable residue testing, residue testing methods used, testing results, standards used to analyze the test results, and any actions taken due to the residue testing.
In the past 10 years, the U.S. demand for organic products has consistently grown. U.S. farmers have invested in organic transition to meet this demand with increased domestic organic production, yet a large increase of imported organic products also surged to meet U.S. demand. The increased price for organic over conventional commodities and high demand for organic grains has lured some fraudulent players into the marketplace, raising questions about the quantities and organic integrity of some imported organic feedstuffs. Farmers report that fraud has caused significant price fluctuations in recent years, destabilizing the organic grain market for U.S. producers who have invested in the 3-year transition to organic production.
“As a farmer, I urgently call for immediate action to include OIVA in the upcoming Farm Bill,” said Amy Bruch of Cyclone Farms. “The U.S. organic market has been inundated with imported organic feedstuffs from questionable origins, and it is crucial that we act swiftly to ensure integrity and establish that all farmers are playing by the same rules. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Senator Ricketts and his team in developing OIVA, which will play a crucial role in maintaining organic integrity. OIVA will facilitate the necessary testing to confirm compliance and exclude from organic sale fraudulent organic feedstuffs. Its implementation will address the demands of organic producers for a level playing field in the organic grain market, grow domestic organic acres, and enhance consumer confidence in the organic seal. OIVA represents a victory for American organic producers and consumers!”
“Fraudulent organic imports hurt American farmers and degrade consumer trust. This must stop,” said Sen. Ricketts. “By enhancing oversight and enforcing stricter controls, we can better safeguard U.S. organic farmers and maintain consumer trust in organic products. This bipartisan legislation levels the playing field for our domestic organic producers.”
“Many Americans pay a premium for organic food at the grocery store. And many farmers invest a lot of sweat equity and financial equity to sell certified organic products in the marketplace,” Sen. Smith commented. “However, despite USDA’s best efforts, products being imported to this country are often deemed organic when they are not. This hurts both consumers and farmers. Our bill will help ensure that items labeled organic are indeed organic. This protects consumers and farmers.”
While import fraud can appear across commodities in the organic sector, imported organic feedstuff commodities (like whole soybeans, soybean meal, corn, cracked corn, rape, rape meal, whole sunflowers, hulled sunflowers, sunflower oil, and sunflower meal) enter the U.S. market through high-risk (complex and opaque) supply chains. This bill would build off of the recently finalized Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule and provide the USDA with an additional tool to crack down on fraud.
“Preventing fraud is consistently a top priority of organic producers. Organic is the fastest growing sector of U.S. agriculture and the U.S. leads the world in organic food sales at nearly $70 billion annually. OFA applauds this initiative to protect the integrity of the U.S. market for organic grain. By testing imported organic feedstuffs for prohibited chemicals, and excluding from the organic supply chain those which fail testing, this bill will level the playing field for domestic organic farmers and will strengthen consumer confidence in the integrity of the USDA organic seal,” said Pryor Garnett of Garnetts Red Prairie Farm, President of the Organic Farmers Association.”
“While Strengthening Organic Enforcement will continue to have a positive impact on mitigating fraud, the import of bulk feedstuffs remains a high-risk activity for organic integrity and warrants increased scrutiny. Periodic residue testing is an additional incremental step. This bill would level the playing for organic handlers and producers who are already acting with integrity,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association.
Nearly 700 organic farmers, organizations, and consumers have signed a letter in support of the legislation. Endorsers include the National Organic Coalition, the Organic Farmers Association, the Organic Trade Association, and organic grain farmers Amy Bruch (NE) and Nate Powell-Palm (MT).
“A fair marketplace is essential for organic farmers to thrive,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director at the National Organic Coalition. “We are grateful to Senator Ricketts and Senator Smith for their leadership in listening to the needs of organic grain producers and introducing legislation to help address fraud using a risk-based approach. NOC urges legislators to include this legislation in the Farm Bill, along with adequate Farm Bill funding for core organic programs to provide more opportunities for the growing organic sector.”
Organic standards rely on verification at every step of the on-farm production and manufacturing processes to ensure compliance and organic integrity. The standards also require periodic residue testing as a secondary confirmation of organic integrity. U.S. producers have invested time and money into organic transition and production and deserve to operate in a stable and equitable marketplace. Residue testing of imported organic commodities will further secure organic consumers’ trust in organic integrity, an essential pillar to market success.
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About Organic Farmers Association
The Organic Farmers Association (OFA) provides a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic producers. OFA builds and supports a farmer-led national organic farmer movement and national policy platform by developing and advocating policies that benefit organic farmers; strengthening and supporting the capacity of organic farmers and farm organizations; and supporting collaboration and leadership among state, regional and national organic farmer organizations.
OFA organic farmer members can be made available for interviews by contacting OFA Communications Manager Madison Letizia (madison[@]organicfarmersassociation.org).
Organic Farmers to Advocate for Policy Needs in D.C.
Organic Farmers to Advocate for Policy Needs in Washington D.C.
Next Farm Bill, USDA funding freezes, and import fraud are key priorities
Washington, D.C., February 20, 2025—Organic farmer members, organic organizations and staff of the Organic Farmers Association (OFA) will be in the nation’s capital March 4, 2025, to meet with legislators, House and Senate Agriculture Committee staff, and representatives from the USDA to advocate for supportive policies on key issues within the organic farming sector.
During OFA’s annual Farmer Fly-In, organic farmers will advocate for organic market development to meet consumer demand and USDA programs that support farmer-investment in their businesses and land with risk management support.
Other key policy areas being advocated for include:
- The prevention of organic import fraud and stabilization of organic market prices
- Honoring existing government contracts made to farmers and making USDA programs work for not only for conventional producers but also diversified organic farmers
- Investing in organic to promote conservation, build on-farm resilience, and promote farm viability
- Enabling more domestic producers to take advantage of the organic market through strategic marketplace and technical assistance investments
- Investing in organic research to inform conservation practices for all farmers including adaptation to extreme weather
“Farmers are best suited to educate our national decision-makers about the challenges they face on the farm and are essential for crafting practical solutions to grow domestic organic farming. Bringing organic farmers to Washington, D.C. puts their voices front and center,” said Executive Director Kate Mendenhall.
In addition to these policies, farmers will highlight the urgent need for a new Farm Bill that supports the interests of organic producers. The current bill has been extended twice and the most recent extension neglected to include three critical organic programs that support farmers:
- The Organic Certification Cost Share Program, which can alleviate some of the mandatory, but expensive costs of certification for farmers and that without many farmers may have to abandon their certification;
- The Organic Data Initiative, which collects essential data to support organic; and
- The Organic Certification Trade and Tracking Program, which helps enforce regulations and prevent import fraud.
OFA members will be discussing with legislators why Farm Bill funding isn’t just helpful, it’s essential to growing our food system and domestic food production through innovative practices that boost productivity and preserve natural resources. It’s important we invest in our domestic organic farmers for national food security, rural development, and putting American farmers first in our domestic market.
Organic farmers face numerous hurdles in the course of running their businesses including the cost of organic certification, extreme weather, how to insure their organic crops, and the need for more food system infrastructure. OFA members aim to address these challenges and more during the Farmer Fly-In by building relationships with their legislators to craft policies that will ensure a better future for our country’s food system. This is the 8th annual Farmer Fly-In hosted by OFA. This year 31 farmer members from 14 states will be attending.
Anyone looking to get involved or support organic farmers can visit the OFA website and take action: organicfarmersassociation.org/take-action
For more information about the Farm Bill policies OFA and organic farmers are advocating for, visit organicfarmersassociation.org/policy.
OFA organic farmer members can be made available for interviews by contacting OFA Communications Manager Madison Letizia (madison[@]organicfarmersassociation.org).
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About Organic Farmers Association
The Organic Farmers Association (OFA) provides a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic producers. OFA builds and supports a farmer-led national organic farmer movement and national policy platform by developing and advocating policies that benefit organic farmers; strengthening and supporting the capacity of organic farmers and farm organizations; and supporting collaboration and leadership among state, regional and national organic farmer organizations.
OFA's Letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins
On Thursday, February 20, Organic Farmers Association sent a letter to newly confirmed Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins welcoming her to the agency, urging her to restart paused payments to farmers and the organizations that support them, and providing a briefing on issues of top-line importance to organic farmers.
OFA asked that Rollins:
- Provide Strong Organic Integrity Enforcement to Ensure Stable Markets for U.S. Farmers:
- Provide Thorough Oversight and Accreditation of certifying agencies to ensure consistent interpretation of the organic regulations.
- Ensure existing USDA programs are functional for organic farmers
Take Action:
Call 1-833-ONE-USDA to express your concern and share your story if you have been impacted by funding disruptions.
Introduce yourself: My name is ____. I live/farm in (city, state).
Farmers and the organizations that support them are relying on grants and loans promised through signed contracts for programs such as the Organic Market Development Grant Program, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), and others. If that funding is not delivered, they will face economic harm possibly including bankruptcy or loss of their family businesses.
Share how you’ve been impacted by disruptions in USDA funding.
Thank Secretary Rollins for restarting some NRCS funding programs, and urge her to unpause all federal funding promised to farmers and the organizations that support them.
Organic Mushroom and Pet Food Final Rule
On December 23, 2024, the final rule for organic mushroom and organic pet food production was printed in the Federal Register. This rule will be fully implemented on February 22, 2027.
The rule requires that all mushroom spawn and mushroom substrate that has not been composted be organic, unless a functionally equivalent organic material is not commercially available. This includes any agricultural substrate materials that are pasteurized or sterilized. There are specific requirements for documenting the function of the non-organic material used, and proof that other organic materials do not provide that same function. The definition of compost used in mushroom production specifies that it comes from plant and animal materials and must be maintained at 131 degrees F for three days. There are no turning requirements. This compost aspect could be revisited based upon the NOSB and their possible recommendations for changes to the compost definition and the types of feedstocks can be included (such as biodegradable plastics). Wood products cannot have been treated with prohibited substances after they were harvested.
This rule did not provide for fungi to have its own scope, and determined that even though mushrooms are a different kingdom than plants, mushrooms could still be certified organic under the crop scope and do not need to meet all crop production requirements.
Pets are now clearly defined, and the making of organic pet food must meet all current food processing requirements in the rule. Taurine was added to the National List as an approved ingredient in pet food.
Powering Change: OFA Launches Match Campaign with Bluestone Life
At the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), we believe in the power of people to create lasting change, and this week we’re thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity to amplify that power. Thanks to the generosity of our matching sponsor, Bluestone Life, every dollar you donate on Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2024) up to $5,000 will have twice the impact on building a stronger, healthier organic farming system.
Meet Bluestone: Life Insurance for Family, Community, and Planet
Bluestone Life isn’t just a sponsor, their business is built to support high-impact nonprofits like OFA. Bluestone and OFA are energized by the opportunity to align daily decisions, from the food we eat to our financial decisions, to strengthen our communities and safeguard our planet. Bluestone exemplifies the belief that our daily decisions create ripple effects of positive change.
A Shared Vision
The heart of OFA lies in its members—farmers, supporters, and organizations—whose voices drive policy changes that improve the health of our environment, communities, and food system. Together, we’re working toward a future where organic farmers are empowered and supported, and organic policies are prioritized in the Farm Bill for the benefit of all.
OFA and Bluestone share a belief in the transformative power of grassroots efforts. Whether it’s farmers advocating in Washington D.C., consumers making conscious decisions, or donors supporting organizations with shared goals, each action is a building block for a stronger, more resilient world.
How Can You Support This Movement
On December 3, 2024—Giving Tuesday—Bluestone will match every dollar donated up to $5,000. That means a $50 gift becomes $100 or a $250 contribution becomes $500. This is an easy way for you to help OFA reach our $5,000 goal for Giving Tuesday.
Your donation fuels OFA’s work to support farmers, shape policy, and grow the organic farming movement for a healthier future. With a new administration we expect work on the Farm Bill to happen right away in 2025. Help us reach our $5,000 goal and jumpstart our 2025 policy priorities to make sure organic is included and prioritized!
What We Can Achieve Together
By doubling your support on Giving Tuesday, OFA will be able to:
- Bring farmers to Washington, D.C. for critical advocacy through our annual Fly-In
- Push forward Farm Bill marker bills that prioritize organic farming
- Provide resources and support to farmers nationwide to strengthen their voices and their farms
By donating to OFA, you’re standing up for a healthier environment, stronger communities, and a robust organic farming system. Your contribution powers the work that bolsters farmers and shapes the policies that will grow our movement in 2025 and beyond.
This is your chance to make a difference. Every dollar you give on Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $5,000 by Bluestone Life, doubling your power to fuel our mission.
Donate to support OFA’s work in 2025 and be that one ripple that creates change for a stronger, farmer-driven organic food system.
Together, we’ll make a lasting impact. Thank you for your support!
Would you prefer to mail in your donation? Please make a check payable to Organic Farmers Association and mail to PO Box 709 Spirit Lake, IA 51360. Questions? Reach out at 202-643-5363 or info@OrganicFarmersAssociation.org.