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contact04/20/13 - 7 States Running Out Of Water
The United States is in the midst of one of the biggest droughts in recent memory. At last count, over half of the lower 48 states had abnormally dry conditions and are suffering from at least moderate drought.
04/15/13 - OFARM supports NODPA's position on a proposed mandatory organic checkoff
An Organic Check-Off Program – The Complete Picture
OFARM supports NODPA's position on a proposed mandatory organic checkoff
04/10/13 - Monsanto Hitches a Ride on Must-Pass Budget Bill
12/26/12 - Secret Farm Bill Threatens 'Environmental Cliff.'
12/10/12 - FLAG urgues U.S. Supreme Court to Overturn Harmful Minnesota Supreme Court Rulling on Pesticide Drift.
11/09/12 - Organic Farmers Must Tell the Real Organic Story
11/07/12 - Corporate Millions, Deceptive Ads Only Narrowly Shut Down Prop 37; Movement for GE Food Labeling Stronger Than Ever
11/06/12 - Food safety and GMO's
11/05/12 - Why we should stick with organic food
11/02/12 - The Economic Cost of Food Monopolies
10/11/12 - Why Glophosate Should be Banned
Why Glophosate Should be Banned
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Why_Glyphosate_Should_be_Banned.php
10/09/12 - Can this entire country go organic?
10/09/12 - Pesticide use proliferating with GMO crops
09/18//12 - Stanford Research on Organics
08/26/12 - Monsanto, DuPont Spend Millions.
Monsanto, DuPont Spend Millions to Defeat California Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Initiative
08/16/12 - Challenging House Farm Bill Biotech Riders
08/16/12 - Walmart to sell genetically modified sweet corn
07/24/12 - Upcoming events from OSA
07/20/12 - Corn crop worse may be worse than thought
07/20/12 - Happy To Be Organic
Happy To Be Organic from NFOrganics.
NFOrganics is a member of OFARM.
07/16/12 - Proposal to implement an Organic Research and Promotion Program
Proposal to implement an Organic Research and Promotion Program
http://www.nodpa.com/07_16_12_House%20sign%20on%20letter%206%2028%2012.pdf
07/16/12 - Organic Trade Association (OTA)
Organic Trade Association (OTA)
07/11/12 - Are Biotech Companies about to get immunity from Federal Law?
Title: Are Biotech Companies about to get immunity from Federal Law?
http://www.alternet.org/news/156195
07/11/12 - "Has organic been 'Oversized'?
Title: "Has organic been 'Oversized'?
05/18/12 - NODPA Position on OTA Check Off
05/18/12 - Position Statement on a proposed “Organic Research and Promotion Order”
Position Statement on a proposed “Organic Research and Promotion Order”
The Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing, (OFARM Inc.) a Minnesota incorporated cooperative marketing-agency-in-common, represents organic grain and livestock producers in 18 states. These producers are currently being assessed check off for existing conventional commodity promotion programs and also some who get refunds under the current system for organic. While the opportunity to funnel these funds into an ‘Organic Research and Promotion Order’ would appear admirable on the surface, a significant number of producers appear to be united in their concerns for such an order.
In conversations with our member producers we find them generally and adamantly opposed to extending authority or steps that would ultimately lead to a federal, Secretary of Agriculture or other USDA entity mandated, ‘Organic Research and Promotion Order’.
Organic farmers do not trust existing commodity research and promotion programs. They find them to be rife with questionable initiatives, abuses, and sometimes inappropriate use of funds, without proper input, supervision and oversight (See note 1). A federally mandated ‘Organic Research and Promotion Order’ would very likely be modeled after existing commodity research and promotion orders where they perceive little, if any, real input or control as to how the funds such an order would mandate are used.
Existing check off programs have not been shown to keep family farm producers (organic or conventional) in business. They continue to see declining farm numbers and increasing concentration in agriculture, including organic, while these commodity research and promotion programs are in effect. They rightfully perceive that a significant share of the research and promotion money has been used for projects that have ultimately enhanced this continuing trend (See note 2 and 3).
‘Got Milk?’ - ‘The Incredible Edible Egg’ – “Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner’ and ‘Pork, The Other White Meat’, to name a few, may be nice sounding promotional terms but producers legitimately ask “Who got the benefit they may have created”? The old saw of “return on investment” is often hauled out to justify these programs. Return on investment for promotion does not directly equate to an adequate return on investment of a producer’s farming operation.
Existing opportunities to ‘opt out’ of these programs are cumbersome and confusing. Our producers would fully support the opportunity to be exempt from current orders by proof of organic certification for the organic product in question.
These are the concerns our growers are raising and this is the general opinion that we hear from growers. They prefer to be able to support the many and various research and promotion efforts, with their resources of both money and cooperation, in projects that are initiated by collective groups that represent their best interest. Grower research requirements to produce organic crops and livestock of the quality demanded by consumers and the industry are in many cases different than for other sectors. They point to many successful local and regional initiatives, (i.e. SARE) and feel that a federally mandated program is a move away from their ability to assure a return on their investment. They believe local and regional initiatives, as opposed to a mandated federal program, is good for them and for the entire organic stakeholder community; growers to consumers included.
For more information contact: Oren Holle, OFARM president (Tel. 785.337.2442) or John Bobbe, OFARM executive director (Tel. 920-825-1369).
Notes:
- As noted in Alan Guebert's columns, the beef check off has been a total failure in helping farmers as well as oversight problems with misspent funds (MN Agrinews Feb. 23, 2012 and April 12, 2012).
2. Between 1992 and 2004, U.S. farms with hogs declined from over 240,000 to fewer than 70,000. Currently 20 pork entities produce 50 percent of all the hogs in the U.S. Very few independent hog producers remain in business and are subject to the whims of the integrated meatpackers. The pork checkoff will generate $72 million in 2012. (Source: USDA)
3. The wheat checkoff was designed to increase wheat exports. Current wheat exports are in fact below the 10-year average with the wheat check off having been in place since 1980. (2011/2012 crop year exports are projected to be 27.9 million metric tonnes vs. the 10 year average of 28.3 million metric tonnes.) (Source: Wheat Growers Association)
05/18//12 - Link Between Pesticide Exposure and Brain Changes
Prenatal exposure to pesticide harms kids' brain, reveals study.
http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-pesticide-exposure-and-brain-changes-100741-1.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+allhealthnews+%28Medindia+Health+News%29
05/17/12 - Meet a pesticide even conventional vegetable farmers fear
A new coalition is trying to throw sand in the gears of industrial agriculture’s chemical treadmill. And this one just may have what it takes to slow it down. I’m referring to the fight over USDA approval for Dow AgroScience’s new genetically modified corn seeds (brand name “Enlist”), which are resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D.
03/12/12 GE Foods at a Glance: Just Label It's New Infographic
We know we've struck a cord with the Just Label It campaign, as Americans are responding in record-breaking numbers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-starkman/ge-foods-at-a-glance-just_b_1331569.html?ref=food
03/12/12 Insect Experts Issue 'Urgent' Warning On Using Biotech Seeds
For America's agricultural biotech companies, the corn rootworm is threatening to turn into their worst nightmare.
03/04/12 Wisconsin boasts the second largest number of organic farms in the U.S.
Wisconsin boasts the second largest number of organic farms in the U.S., ranks first among the states for the number of organic dairy and beef farms, and is third in the nation for organic vegetable farms. Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2012 Status Report provides a wealth of information on the opportunities and challenges facing Wisconsin’s organic farms and processors.
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/crops-and-livestock/organic-agriculture-in-wisconsin-2012-status-report/
Download the full report:
Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2012 Status Report (low-resolution PDF; 2.5 MB)
02/24/12 "Organic, The Real Natural."
OFARM's campaign, "Organic, The Real Natural" to maintain organic integrity.
Download a poster to share with those who support organics.
See other articles in this section about the issues with GMO
crops and foods versus the values and benefits of organic crop
and livestock production.
02/14/12 Monsanto Guilty
02/14//12 Going Hog Wild: Weaning Antibiotic-Resistant Bugs Out Of Pork
02/07/12 8 Ways Monsanto Fails at Sustainable Agriculture:
02/06/12 Monsanto’s new seeds could be a tech dead end
02/06/12 Organic federation seen as a strategy for family farm survival, regional competitiveness
OFARM "Organic federation seen as a strategy for family farm survival, regional competitiveness"
Below is a link to the USDA website with the article.
The entire article is devoted to OFARM as a strategy for family farm survival. The Guptil/Welsh study referred to is the other piece to the study done by Dick Levins about OFARM.
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/openmag.htm Click on the January/February 2012 issue
02/06/12 Monsanto’s Infertility-Linked Roundup Discovered in All Urine Samples Tested
02/05/12 Gloves Come Off in Genetically Engineered Food Fight
02/04/12 "Which milk tastes better, conventional or organic?"
Monsanto Defeated by Roundup Resistant Weeds
Monsanto Defeated by Roundup Resistant Weeds
An explosion of glyphosate resistant weeds forces Monsanto to run away from
farmers’ rising weed control costs Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji
Monsanto is surrendering to glyphosate resistant weeds [1], according to a new
briefing by UK based GM freeze. They are spreading at ‘exponential’ rates in US
farms and are increasingly documented in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
Europe and South Africa.
While Monsanto grandly claims that its GM technologies help the environment by
reducing pesticide use, resistant weeds springing up across the world paints a
different picture. Glyphosate resistance has developed as the result of large-
scale use of their pesticides. Glyphosate is the active ingredient of Monsanto’s
world best-selling herbicide, Roundup.
Read the rest of this report here
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Monsanto_defeated_by_herbicide_resistant_superweeds.php
Read other reports on GM agriculture here
"The very real danger of genetically modified foods"
"The very real danger of genetically modified foods"
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-very-real-danger-of-genetically-modified-foods/251051/#.TwtOTLqrdxA.facebook
01/15/12 - Rootworm resistance to GMO corn
Rootworm resistance to GMO corn
http://news.yahoo.com/bugs-may-resistant-genetically-modified-corn-213322828.html
01/15/12 - Monsantos GMO corn linked to liver failure
Monsantos GMO corn linked to liver failure
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/monsantos-gmo-corn-linked_n_420365.html
01/15/12 - Food Trends for 2012-Organic becomes the Norm
Food Trends for 2012-Organic becomes the Norm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-stout/food-trends-2012_b_1183637.html?ref=food
09/27/11 - OFARM Position Statement on organic commodity futures trading
09/27/11 - Organic Commodity Futures Trading Is a Step Backwards
03/10/10 - Organic Dairy Producers
01/26/10 - OFARM Files Comments With USDA in Opposition to GE Alfalfa
01/29/09 - NFO News Release
04/28/07 - NFU Urges Dairy Price Investigation
For Immediate Release: April 13, 2007
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191
WASHINGTON (April 13, 2007) – National Farmers Union requested USDA Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong conduct an investigation into potential misreporting practices of non-fat dry milk (NFDM). In a letter to Inspector Fong, NFU President Tom Buis said the prices reported by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) have consistently been below actual prices in the marketplace, resulting in lower prices for dairy producers.
“I urge your office to immediately investigate potential misreporting and review milk pricing programs to ensure all dairy prices are accurately and fairly reported,” Buis said in the letter.
NASS has been reporting NFDM prices below the market price for nearly eight months. Buis said that this is very troubling because USDA uses NASS data to calculate prices for dairy commodities. Farmers, therefore, receive less than the fair market value for their milk. Today, USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service revised the NASS weekly NFDM survey prices for the three final weeks of March 2007, a signal the department recognizes a problem exists.
“Since this misreporting began, dairy farmers have lost hundreds of millions of dollars,” Buis said. “America’s dairy producers should not be held economically liable for the department’s improper administration of its programs.”
National Farmers Union is urging USDA to take action and immediately review price reporting procedures and milk pricing programs and, if dairy prices have been understated, work to ensure that dairy farmers are compensated for lost revenue.
04/13/07 - OFARM Position on Public Price Reporting of Organic Crops and Livestock
April 13th 2007
OFARM Position on Public Price Reporting of Organic Crops and Livestock:
Recently the USDA through its Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) began reporting organic crop prices.
After lengthy discussions with AMS representatives, the OFARM Board of Directors has adopted the following position: “These price reports may not reflect the day to day actual marketing taking place within the OFARM structure.” They also do not reflect sustainable prices organic producers need to receive to meet their cost of production plus a reasonable profit.
Your OFARM member organization marketers do not rely on these reported prices in any way for negotiating the best possible sale of your grains and livestock.
One of the best ways for you to be able to extract the dollars you want and need from the marketplace has been shown to be through group and network marketing through the OFARM member organizations.
The USDA and other institutions may ask you to volunteer information for their price reporting. Whether you report your price and contract information to a government agency or institution is at your discretion.
April 3, 2007 Adopted by the OFARM Board of Directors
