{"id":1178,"date":"2023-09-11T13:17:08","modified":"2024-08-30T02:14:49","slug":"fetterman-braun-introduce-new-bipartisan-bill-to-support-organic-agricultural-research","link":"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/fetterman-braun-introduce-new-bipartisan-bill-to-support-organic-agricultural-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Fetterman, Braun Introduce New Bipartisan Bill to Support Organic Agricultural Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 <\/b><\/span>Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) today introduced the bipartisan\u202fStreamlining Organic Research Act<\/i>. The bill would provide much needed support to the organic farming industry\u201a both through protecting funding for research agencies and universities and ensuring organics research is prioritized at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of our work to negotiate a bipartisan compromise for OREI funding and the resulting bill that will invest in Pennsylvania\u2019s critical organics industry. Our farmers are some of the best in the world, and we have to support them in every way possible,\u201d\u202f<\/b><\/span>said Sen. Fetterman.\u202f\u201cWe\u2019re one of the top organic-producing states, and we need to keep it that way. Earlier this year, our state government invested $1.8 million to help conventional farms transition to organic farming, and I\u2019m going to fight like hell to make sure the federal government\u2019s part in supporting organic research and our small farmers gets there too.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe organic farming industry offers Hoosier farmers the opportunity to explore a new market that is growing quickly in Indiana,\u201d <\/b><\/span>said Sen. Braun. \u201cThis bipartisan bill would support hundreds of organic farms in Indiana and help more Hoosier farmers understand whether organic production makes financial sense for their farms.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The\u202fStreamlining Organic Research Act<\/i>\u202fwill require USDA\u2019s research agencies to better coordinate on organic research and extension, ensuring that the USDA considers organic research priorities in its budget justification to Congress and studies the feasibility of certifying more research land as organic. The bill will also maintain funding for the USDA\u2019s Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), which supplies grants to universities and other research institutions for organics research and has\u202f<\/span>provided<\/span><\/a>\u202f<\/span>nearly<\/span><\/a>\u202f$5 million for organics research at Penn State University alone over the past two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pennsylvania\u2019s organic farms leave a significant economic footprint in the commonwealth. The commonwealth ranks fourth in the nation by number of certified organic farms with over 1,125. In 2021 alone, Pennsylvania farms produced and sold $1.09 billion in organic commodities. Sen. Fetterman\u2019s legislation would protect investments in this booming and growing industry to support efforts to increase production in Pennsylvania and across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Streamlining Organic Research Act<\/i> would:<\/span><\/p>\n