Washington, DC—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) is awarding $9.75 million to 10 projects through its Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program. The funded projects will support the development and expansion of new and existing organic markets to increase the consumption of domestic organic agricultural products, USDA explained. A full list of awarded projects is available on the OMDG webpage.
“USDA is excited to announce the first round of funding awarded through the Organic Market Development Grant program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The recipients of this funding will be spearheading unprecedented efforts to expand and open new revenue streams for the nation’s organic industry, building more value-added agricultural opportunities for farmers across rural America.”
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) issued a release stating its pleasure with the move, noting that the awards will help innovative and diverse projects across the country to grow organic markets and increase consumer awareness of organic. "We extend special recognition to two of our members for their awards: California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and their work to improve and expand markets for small and underserved organic farmers by linking them directly with organic buyers, and the Oregon Organic Coalition and their work with partners to develop the specialty/craft food and farm-to-school markets for organic producers in Oregon and Washington. The Organic Market Development Grant program is a key element of USDA’s historic Organic Transition Initiative, the department’s $300 million program announced in 2022 to promote organic agriculture through technical transition assistance, direct farmer assistance, and support for organic market development. This program will strengthen the organic supply chain and expand organic processing capacity to create new paths to market for climate-smart organic farmers and improve consumer access to organic foods and products."
Continuing Resolution to fund USDA
In other news, OTA commended Congress for passing the latest continuing resolution bill, which authorizes funding to enable USDA to continue operating. OTA stressed that keeping USDA open and running is vital for farmers and other OTA business members. "The programs that farmers depend on for their operations stop when USDA funding stops. Enforcement stops when funding stops. All businesses need stability and consistency from the federal government. We need Congress to find a long-term budget agreement to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted functioning of our government and to turn its focus to the future farm bill."
