2018 Farm Bill Analysis
Mark Rokala，政策总监
2018年4月18日

OVERVIEW OF THIS STAGE OF THE FARM BILL PROCESS
重新授权USDA的有机计划的立法过程是马拉松，而不是冲刺。这次马拉松比一年半开始，终点线是一个移动的目标。最终产品可能是今年夏天或直到明年。

Organic Farmers Association’s goal is to include our legislative priorities in the bill that will pass the finish line. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Conaway’s (R-TX) proposal includes some of Organic Farmers Association’s priorities; however, the path to his proposal getting 218 votes to pass the House of Representatives is not clear.

2018年农场账单的道路上有几个障碍。

  1. History is not on the side of Chairman Conaway as Congress has not passed a farm bill in an election year in modern history. As you know, 2018 is an election year.
  1. The divisive nature of Congress is breaking the usual bipartisan nature of the Agriculture Committee, as the Majority released a Republican only version of the farm bill that did not include Minority (Democratic) language. Historically, both parties of the Agriculture Committee have worked together to agree on the farm bill draft before it is released to Committee members.
  1. Congress’ partisan nature will cause cracks in the loose knit coalition of agricultural, conservation, rural develop, nutrition, and other groups that have historical worked with past chairmen to pass the legislation on the floor.
  1. The补充营养援助计划(折断), the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net, is the main point of contention for this farm bill within the House. Fifty members of Chairman Conaway’s caucus want more extensive SNAP reforms and those same fifty members tend not to vote for farm bill programs. To gain the needed Republican votes, the Chairman will need to make even more conservative reforms to SNAP; or he will need to reverse the SNAP reforms to gain Democratic support. The bill’s SNAP reforms will also create significant difficulties for the Chairman when the bill is conferenced with the Senate. Both the Chair and the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee have agreed not to include SNAP changes in their proposal, and both have said and agree that the Senate does not have the votes to pass the House-proposed SNAP changes.

The current farm bill expires the end of September 2018. Closer to the deadline, Chairman Conaway will have to determine if he can pass his proposal before programs expire or he will need to extend current farm programs. Congress does not want the farm bill to expire as farm policy would return to the policies of the 1930s.

Conaway主席的决定可能对计划有机农民利用有机研究产生重大影响。三十九个“孤儿”计划缺乏基准资金，如果目前的农用账单延长，则不会被资助。

This Fall’s election adds significant intrigue to the farm bill writing process.

如果共和党人保持控制大会，董事长兼董事长很可能会继续担任主席;但是，如果民主党人认为，彼得森董事长将成为农业委员会主席，并可能在明年开启这一整个过程。

As with most legislation, Congress is designing the marathon trek on the fly and will be looking for a finish line. OFA wants to be part of the process that reaches the finish line with as many as our ldsports乐动体育 incorporated into the best bill possible for our members.

ANALYSIS OF THE HOUSE MAJORITY FARM BILL VERSION & ORGANIC FARMERS ASSOC. PRIORITIES
Organic Farmers Association identified several farm bill priorities. These are our top four:

  1. 保持有机系统的完整性（进口完整性，乳制品和牧场执法）;
  2. 资助有机认证成本份额;
  3. funding the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) at $50 million; and
  4. 保护国家有机食品标准委员会(NOSB).

以下是对房屋大多数农业法案对我们优先事项的回应的简要审查：

ORGANIC INTEGRITY
总体上大部分组成部分的有机农民和消费者保护法案在草案中实施了改善NOP监督和权力，以实施有机诚信：

  • Improvements to NOP investigations
    • 在调查期间，允许与国家和联邦雇员共享机密商业信息;
    • 允许秘书进入海关和边境保护数据;
    • 在高风险领域，需要生产者和处理程序有机计划的其他信息;
    • limit the type of operation exclude from certification;
    • submit an annual report on all domestic and overseas investigations and compliance action taken.
  • Changes to the international trade technology system
    • Modernize trade and transition certificates to ensure full traceability.
    • 为该系统提供500万美元的一次性资金。
  • 允许有机生产和市场数据举措获得商品信用公司基金。

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST SHARE
农场法案草案没有为有机认证成本股计划提供任何资金。在农场账单中定义和建立计划的语言仍然存在，但该计划不被资助。有机农民协会和我们的农场成员强烈重视该计划，我们觉得有必要为其提供资金。参议院账单可能是我们需要恢复计划资助的地方。

有机研究
有机农民协会支持有机研究法案，该法案要求为Orei计划提供5000万美元，从目前的2000万美元增加有机研究。

众议院农场账单将有机研究资金增加至3000万美元。仍然有所增加，但少于有机社区根据需要建立。乐动体育app下载

国家有机标准委员会
Organic Farmers Association strongly opposes any efforts that seek to dilute the authority and role of the NOSBin the overall standard-setting process, and opposes statutory changes to the delicate balance of stakeholder slot allocations for the Board membership.

房屋立法草案包括对NOSB的以下变更：

  • 允许每年在国外进行认证代理人以证明农场或处理业务;
  • 为有机农业和处理的国家批准和禁止物质列表提供加急程序;
  • 允许有机农业运营，有机处理操作和零售操作才能在NOSB上使用。

Organic Farmers Association staff will continue to work with Congress as its works on re-authorizing farm legislation.