Study on barriers to participation in Department of Agriculture programs faced by certified organic farms and farms interested in transitioning to organic production

(a)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means—(A)Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and(B)Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives.(2)

Certified organic farm

The term certified organic farm has the meaning given the term in section 2103 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6502).(3)

Department

The term Department means the Department of Agriculture.(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.(b)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department, a report on barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production.(c)

Contents

The report required under subsection (b) shall include the following:(1)

Program review

An assessment of barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production, including barriers in programs relating to conservation, credit, disaster assistance, risk management, export promotion, market development, technical assistance, rural development, data collection, procurement, and organic certification cost-share.(2)

Participation data

To the extent practicable, data on application rates, approval rates, denial rates, funding levels, geographic distribution, farm size, production type, and reasons for denial or nonparticipation by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production.(3)

Specific barriers

An assessment of barriers relating to program eligibility, payment rates, ranking criteria, application forms, recordkeeping requirements, crop insurance price elections, disaster assistance valuation, conservation practice standards, certification documentation, supply-chain infrastructure, organic literacy among Department staff, and the availability of organic-specific data.(4)

Staff training and technical assistance

An assessment of the need for organic-specific training, guidance, and technical assistance for Department field staff, including staff of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service, and other relevant agencies and offices.(5)

Administrative actions

A description of administrative actions that the Secretary intends to take to remove barriers identified in the report.(6)

Statutory recommendations

Any recommendations for statutory changes needed to remove barriers identified in the report.(d)

Annual updates

For each of the first 3 years following submission of the report required under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department, an annual update to that report that describes—(1)any progress made to remove barriers identified in that report;(2)any administrative actions completed or underway;(3)any remaining barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production; and(4)any additional recommendations for statutory changes.