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