Tri Cities Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 20, 2023, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Strengthening Organic Agricultural Research (SOAR) Act of 2023 alongside Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). This legislation increases funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) flagship organic research program and supports applied research projects that solve critical problems and help farmers become more productive, efficient, and profitable.

“Central Washington farmers are constantly innovating so they can provide their organic products to the world,” said Rep. Newhouse. “To continue to grow and prosper, it’s important they have the necessary resources to remain competitive. I am proud to introduce the Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research (SOAR) Act to ensure our farmers gain access to critical research programs that will help the organic industry meet the growing demand.”

“Research plays a critical role in helping our farmers increase productivity and prevent loss. Additional research in organics is urgently needed as producers work to meet the growing demand for organics,” said Rep. Pingree. “The Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research Act would help ensure producers are equipped to tap into the full potential of the growing organic market. By increasing funding to reflect the industry’s growth and changing needs, this bipartisan bill will help maintain the organic industry’s momentum—benefiting our farmers, rural economies, and the environment.”

“The dynamic and growing organic market, driven by producers in California’s 19th Congressional District, depends on new innovation to meet the growing demand in our country,” said Rep. Panetta. “The Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research (SOAR) Act expands federal organic research to empower organic producers with the latest tools, soil health and pest management, and other practices needed to remain competitive and successful. These breakthroughs are essential to continuing to foster the economic opportunity organic farms provide and increasing the accessibility of organic food for families across our country.”

“We at OFRF are excited to see the investments made into actionable, high-impact research funded by NIFA for organic producers,” said Brise Tencer, Executive Director of Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF). “The policies in the SOAR Act provide research tools to farmers, but also market signals to early career researchers that organic agriculture research is a valued and important area of study, them to pursue organic agriculture research projects and expertise.”

Full text of the bill can be found here.

Background:

The Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research (SOAR) Act will:

• Reauthorize the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) and increase funding through the life of the Farm Bill.
• Authorize competitive grant program for ORG transition, encourage partnerships with land grant universities for transition, and authorize appropriations for the grants.
• Require USDA-ERS to give Congress and the agricultural industry better organic production and market data, and authorize additional appropriations for the Organic Production and Market Data Initiatives (ODI).

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Issues: Agriculture

Original source can be found here.