• General,  Organic

    Amplifying Farmers’ Voices in DC

    Abundant cherry blossoms greeted our team in Washington last week. They arrived just in time for peak bloom. The weather was kind, and people from all over were out and about enjoying the brightly pungent ambassadors of spring. After a tumultuous few months, the vibrant trees offered a welcome bit of beauty and proudly declared a timely reminder of new beginnings.

    Milo and Lauren, OEFFA’s policy director and grassroots policy organizer, went to the annual National Organic Coalition (NOC) fly-in. Our team was joined by farmers Bridget Burgess of Hirzel Farms and Charlie Eselgroth of Buckskin Valley Farms. In just a few days, the NOC delegation had Hill meetings with over 60 congressional offices and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials.

  • General,  Marketplace Equity,  Organic

    Farm Action Agriculture Consolidation Data Hub

    Farm Action president Angela Huffman in a blue shirt against a brown backdrop

    Guest post featuring Angela Huffman of Farm Action. Originally published in the Winter 2025 OEFFA Newsletter.

    A key priority for the OEFFA Policy team is addressing consolidation in food systems and advocating for policies that support small and mid-sized farming operations. We are digging into a new report and data hub published by the advocacy group Farm Action, which reveals that just three dozen corporations now control almost every industry involved in growing, processing, and distributing food in America.

    We discussed the findings with Farm Action president Angela Huffman, who is a long-time OEFFA member and a graduate of OSU’s College of Public Affairs. Huffman also raises registered Katahdin sheep on her family’s 200-year-old farm in northwest Ohio.

  • General,  Organic,  Take Action

    What is Going On with Organic Cost Share?

    We reported in our most recent farm bill update that “orphan programs” of the farm bill did not receive additional funding with the most recent farm bill extension (ending September 30, 2025). Orphan programs are those that do not have “baseline,” or permanent, funding in a farm bill. So, their funding does not automatically renew when a farm bill is extended unless they have additional funding written into the extension. One of those programs without permanent funding is very important to our community, organic cost share. 

  • Farm Bill,  Organic,  Soil Health

    Celebrating Earth Day with Representative Max Miller

    Written in collaboration with the Organic Farmers Association.

    An Ohio Congressman pictured with Ohio farmers and their families.

    There are few more impactful ways to celebrate Earth Day than by inviting a Congressperson to see some of Ohio’s organic farms! It was an honor learning from farmers at Woodlyn Acres Farm in Dalton, Ohio, and County Line Family Farm in Wadsworth, Ohio with Representative Max Miller (OH-7).

    The Organic Farm Day was planned in partnership with the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) and the Organic Farmers Association (OFA).

  • General,  Organic

    Amplifying Farmers’ Needs at the 2024 NOC Fly-In

    Ohio farmers in front of the Capitol Building

    Last month, Milo and Nicole on our federal policy team were in DC for the National Organic Coalition (NOC) fly-in. NOC is an alliance of organizations across the country that advocate for organic farmer and consumer needs. During the fly-in, we focused on the following priorities:

    • Supporting the Organic Certification Cost Share Program and producers transitioning to organic
    • Addressing regulatory USDA bottlenecks
    • Advancing equity within agricultural programs and policies
    • Solving the organic dairy crisis
    • Supporting organic research
    • Advancing conservation practices and programs
  • Climate Change,  Conservation,  Organic

    New Year, New Organic Rules

    a sign in front of a farm that reads "do not spray - organic"

    Welcome to 2024! To help us ring in the new year, we wanted to highlight some recent changes to the USDA organic standards and share what’s on the horizon. There have been some notable updates to the standards, some of which will go into effect in 2024. While we still have significant room for improvement, these updates help to strengthen the USDA organic label and foster more consumer trust.  

  • Climate Change,  Conservation,  Farm Bill,  General,  Organic

    Historic Amount of Funding Available for Conservation

    A pile of 100-dollar bills

    Because of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 2018 Farm Bill, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has nearly $5 billion in funding for conservation practices in 2024. Agricultural producers and forest landowners are encouraged to apply now to receive support for participation in voluntary conservation programs and the adoption of climate-smart practices.

    Well suited for a wide variety of producers—including organic and urban producers—USDA is now accepting applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).

  • Farm Bill,  Marketplace Equity,  Organic

    The Organic Cost Share Program—and its Uncertain Future

    The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) provides cost-share assistance to organic producers and handlers. This partial reimbursement of certification fees is critical for attracting new farmers to organic—and encouraging the continued certification of existing operations. Currently, eligible producers and handlers can receive a reimbursement of 75 percent (up to $750) of their certification costs.

    Organic cost share incentivizes participation in voluntary practices that protect our natural resources, build farm resilience, and help to meet the growing demand for organic products. Most importantly, this funding is relied upon by many farmers to support their businesses and provide the organic crops they are so proud of.

  • Climate Change,  Conservation,  Farm Bill,  Marketplace Equity,  Organic,  Soil Health

    Holistic Needs to Address in the 2023 Farm Bill

    Marbleseed logo

    This post was written by OEFFA Grassroots Policy Organizer, Nicole Wolcott, and originally appeared on the Marbleseed blog.

    A sustainable and resilient agriculture system is built from the ground up: from the grassroots. Our food system has a foundation in the soil, the very base of the earth. Keeping with this theme, our support building, education, and advocacy must be centralized in our communities.

    The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) has done deep work to cultivate a narrative that is centered in this thinking.