Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy News: Georgia Farmers Inform Our 2023 Farm Bill Priorities

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services. 

In 2021, the Georgia Organics board of directors passed a Strategic Plan that put the organization on a new path for advocacy, farm policy, and movement building. A new division of Georgia Organics, Farmer Advocacy, was launched in January 2022.  

To better understand the policy priorities of our farmers, Georgia Organics Farmer Advocacy, with input from Listen4Good and the Georgia Organics Advocacy and Programs Committee, launched a survey initiative. Over the spring and early summer of 2022, Georgia Organics distributed a survey to more than 1,000 farmers to determine their highest policy priorities. 

The results of that survey, featuring the input from 128 organic and sustainable farmers, are below. The survey data has also been published as a report (available here) that has been shared with dozens of advocacy partners and Congressional lawmakers. 

Demographic data on the farmers who filled out the survey is also provided at the conclusion of the survey’s results summary below.  

(Note: Funding to support the facilitation of this report was received from The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy efforts have also received funding from Organic Valley and Farm Aid.) 

Rep. Austin Scott, vice chair of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, second from left, with farmer Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farms, Director of Farmer Advocacy Michael Wall, and Legislative Director Zach Roberts. 

Survey Question: Which government functions are most important for your farm’s success? 

The majority of survey participants cited USDA programming on conservation as most important to their farm’s success.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. USDA Programming on conservation, such as the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS); 58.6%

2. USDA Programming on crop insurance and access to capital, such as the Farm Service Agency (FSA); 40.23%

3. Local zoning code and ordinances and code enforcement; 29.89%

4. State regulations and enforcement; 21.84%

5. State licensing; 18.39%

6. National Organic Program (NOP) standards and enforcement; 12.64%

7. Local licensing; 10.34%

8. National Organic Program (NOP) organic transitioning support; 8.05%

Survey Question: Which institutions are most important for your farm’s success? Please select the two most important to your farm. 

The majority of survey participants cited USDA offices and Land Grant universities as the two institutions most important to their farm’s success.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. USDA offices, such as FSA, NRCS; 49.43% 

2. Land Grant universities, because of their research, education, and extension offices; 44.83% 

3. Other farmer services organizations, such as the Southeastern African-American Farmers Organic Network (SAAFON), Global Growers, Food Well Alliance, Southwest Georgia Project, etc.; 36.78% 

4. Advocacy groups that address issues such as climate change, soil health, and racial equity; 35.63% 

5. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA); 33.33% 

Survey Question: Which of the following issues are most important for your farm’s success? 

The majority of survey participants cited healthy soil and access to capital and USDA programs as issues most important to their farm’s success, followed by a tie between conservation programs and land-ownership.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. Healthy soil; 52.87% 

2. Accessing USDA programs; 42.53% 

3. Access to capital; 32.18% 

4. Climate change; 29.89% 

5. (tie) Conservation programs: access and cost share amounts; 28.74% 

6. (tie) Land-ownership; 28.74% 

7. Health insurance costs and access; 25.29% 

8. Racial equity; 18.39% 

9. Building a statewide sustainable ag policy coalition; 13.79% 

10. Succession planning; 8.05% 

11. Access to land zoned for agriculture; 6.9% 

12. Crop insurance and subsidies; 5.75% 

13. Heirs property issues; 4.6% 

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POLICY IMPLICATIONS: What We Gathered from Listening to Georgia Farmers

Based on the feedback provided by our farmers, Georgia Organics recommends the following policy shifts:

• Increase funding and access to the Farm Bill’s Title II: Conservation section. 

• Double the cost-share rates for all soil health-related conservation activities and contracts available in the National Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  

• Invest more deeply in organic research, including the SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program. 

• Provide training and outreach for Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to ensure equitable access to RMA’s crop insurance programs for small-scale and organic producers. 

• Ensure organic integrity and a strong organic marketplace by continuously improving the National Organic Program (NOP). 

• Increase and consolidate the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) organic cost-share reimbursements from two applications capped at $750 to one application capped at $1,500 per farm per year. 

• Make the recently announced Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) a permanent program. 

• Allow the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grant funds to be spent on infrastructure needs, such as seeds, inputs, implements, irrigation, harvest bins, and washing stations. 

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Demographics of Survey Participants

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

Relationship to Farming 

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants identified as farm owners. There was a small tie between those identifying as aspiring farmers and farmer support providers.

1. Farm owner – 77.91%

2. Farm Manager - 22.09% 

3. Farm Worker – 17.44%

4. Community organizer – 13.95%

5. Other – 9.3%

6. Agricultural educator – 6.98%

7. Aspire to own farmland – 5.81%

8. Agricultural researcher – 3.49%

9. Don’t farm but aspire to (tie) – 2.33%

10. Farmer support service (tie) – 2.33%

11. Ag student – 1.16%

Farm and Production Type

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The majority of survey participants claimed their main production to be diversified vegetable crops, along with fruits and eggs.

1. Diversified veg - 78.67% 

2. Fruits – 46.67% 

3. Eggs – 34.67% 

4. Mushrooms – 20% 

5. Goats or other small ruminants for meat – 10.67% 

6. Beef cattle (tie) – 8% 

7. Commodities (tie) – 8% 

8. Chicken for meat – 5.33% 

9. Hogs for meat – 4% 

10. Grains (tie) – 2.67% 

11. Goat milk (tie) – 2.67% 

12. Row crops for livestock feed (tie) – 2.67% 

Acreage 

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The majority of survey participants claimed to farm on somewhere between less than an acre and 20 acres.

1. <1 acre – 19.05% 

2. 1 to 3 – 17.86% 

3. 4 to 10 – 17.86% 

4. 10 to 20 – 14.29% 

5. 30 to 50 – 9.52% 

6. 50 to 100 – 7.14% 

7. 100 to 300 – 7.14% 

8. 300 to 500 – 2.38% 

9. 500 to 1,000 – 3.57% 

10. 1,000 to 2,000 – 1.19% 

Age

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The majority of survey participants identified as ages 35 to 64.

1. 35-44 years – 38.55% 

2. 45-54 – 20.48% 

3. 55-64 – 15.66% 

4. 65-74 – 14.46%% 

5. 25-34 – 7.23% 

6. 17 or younger – 2.41% 

7. 75 or older – 1.20% 

8. 18-24 – none 

Racial Identity

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The majority of survey participants identified as white.

1. White – 65.85%

2. Black or African American – 25.61% * 

3. Asian or Asian American – 6.10%

4. Native American or Alaska Native – 6.10% 

5. Hispanic or Latino/a/x – 4.88% 

6. Middle Eastern or North African – 1.22% 

*In the U.S., Black farmers make up 1.4 percent of the farming community, and in Georgia, 4 percent, according to the USDA Census of Agriculture.  

Gender

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The majority of survey participants identified as men.

1. Man – 57.5% 

2. Woman – 41.25% 

3. Non-Binary – 1.25% 

Future Farmer Engagement  

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The majority of survey participants claimed they were in favor of supporting an advocacy committee and were willing to meet with Georgia-elected officials.

1. Are willing to support an advocacy committee – 40 farmers 

2. Are willing to meet with state-level elected officials – 38 farmers 

3. Are willing to meet with USDA/GDA officials – 35 farmers 

4. Are willing to meet with federal-level elected officials – 29 farmers 

5. Not interested - 22 farmers 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics. 

Farmer Advocacy at Georgia Organics: The Next Commissioner of Agriculture

For the first time in 12 years, Georgians will elect a new commissioner of agriculture this November, with three candidates vying for the position that oversees, regulates, or assists with dozens of crucial aspects of the food and farming system in Georgia. Agriculture is the state’s leading industry, generating $74 billion in economic activity each year.

Recognizing this historic moment, and the lack of attention this important race typically garners, Georgia Organics invited all three candidates to tour a certified organic farm, get to know the organization and the local and organic food movement, and speak with five certified organic farmers.

The Democratic and Republican candidates both accepted this invitation, and agreed to allow Georgia Organics to publish the answers to a series of questions so that our constituents could have a better understanding of their stances on issues important to our growers and members.

Democratic candidate Nakita Hemingway met with us on Oct. 3, 2022, and Republican candidate Tyler Harper met with us on Oct. 7, 2022. The Libertarian candidate David Raudabaugh was invited to answer the same questions on two occasions through a portal on his campaign’s website and has yet to reply. If he does, we will promote his answers as well.

To learn more about Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy work, visit georgiaorganics.org/advocacy.

From left to right, Demetrius Milling, Russell Honderd, Joe Reynolds, Monica Ponce, Nakita Hemingway, and Daryll Bartolome.

From left to right, Russell Honderd, Joe Reynolds, Tyler Harper, Monica Ponce, Judith Winfrey, Georgia Organics President and CEO Alice Rolls, Matthew Agvent, and Demitrius Milling.

To learn more about our Farmer Advocacy work, visit georgiaorganics.org/advocacy and sign up for our email newsletter, The Dirt, for updates at bit.ly/thedirtsignup.

• Tyler Harper (R)

  What do you think is the most important trend in agriculture affecting Georgia farmers right now?

  There are a number of issues currently impacting our industry.

  Agricultural land loss and access to land/capital is a significant issue. We are losing agricultural land every day, and that’s a significant loss to Georgia farmers. Right now, Georgia is projected to lose as much as 800,000 acres of agricultural land by 2040. Protecting Georgia’s Ag land is vitally important to the success of our industry. We also need to find ways to increase access to capital for our new and beginning farmers.

  Input costs & inflation are putting a squeeze on all farmers and not just commodity farmers. I feel it on my own operation every day. This year the USDA forecasts a 5 percent decline in farm revenue, and there’s been a 50 percent decline in farm revenues over the past 20 years. We need to work on a way to get the retail dollars back to the farmer.

  Labor is a significant issue. It’s in the top five if not the number one issue in agriculture today. A viable labor force is vital and that’s a really heavy problem in Georgia.

  What do you think organic farmers in Georgia need from the Department of Agriculture?

  Organic agriculture plays a vital part of agriculture in Georgia. Organic farmers need the same resources any farmer can expect from the department, and that is that we are partner in that farm’s success. It is vital for the department to ensure all of agriculture in Georgia is successful, and organic agriculture is a part of Georgia agriculture. The department can be and should be vitally important partner for Georgia’s organic farmers and groups like the Georgia Organic Peanut Association as they are getting their feet under them.

  The Georgia Development Authority, which is chaired by the commissioner of agriculture, can support organizations like GOPA and Georgia Organics through financing, education, partnerships, and marketing. We can also work with the University System of Georgia and Georgia Technical College System on partnerships for research.

  At the end of the day, I want to be a partner in making sure your operation is as successful as it can be.

  What role if any do you think the GDA should have in dealing with climate change?

  At the end of the day, the climate is always changing and the department can and should do things to allow agriculture be successful with climate change. Farmers have always and still deal with issues and forces outside of their control. Certain crops grow here now that we couldn’t grow before. Satsumas are grown in South Georgia now. It’s neat to see that. As the commissioner of agriculture, we are working to ensure the right resources are available for farmers related to climate change, from a resource and regulatory standpoint, the department can ensure Georgia farmers have access and are allowed to deal with a changing climate.

  Soil health was identified as the number one issue our farmers care about. What does soil health mean to you, and how can the GDA better support farmers who are working towards improved soil health?

  If you don’t take care of the land, the land won’t take care of you. If you don’t have proper soil health, you’ll see declining soil health, declining yields, and declining crop viability. Soil health allows you to grow crops, to grow a product.

  Utilizing organic matter is important on my farm. We utilize peanut hay and chicken manure to improve soil health on my farm. Looking after soil health is ensuring you are taking care of your farm. The department partners with education and research institutions and everyday they are working on soil health at the different research plots across the state. If we are not working on soil health every day as farmers, we won’t be very successful on our farms.

  What’s the most important function or program at the department you want to improve?

  The most important program at the department is the Georgia Grown program and the most important role of the department is ensuring that Georgia’s food supply is safe, reliable, and secure. At the end of the day, the department needs to get resources from the General Assembly to make sure our food supply is safe, secure, and reliable. Having served in the Senate the 10 years, I’ve built strong relationships with bipartisan members of the General Assembly and Governor Kemp, and I’ll be able to make sure the department has the resources necessary to achieve this goal.

  Georgia farmers are more efficient and more productive than they’ve ever been. Yet, hunger and farmer stress are both at all-time highs. What’s the solution for this paradox?

  True. Mental health & farmer stress are significant issues in agriculture in Georgia and across the nation. I know that happens to me sometimes at my farm. University of Georgia held a farmer stress summit earlier this year and they are partnering with County Extension Services to connect farmers with local healthcare providers and nonprofits. We can tap into that extension that is present is every single county in Georgia to get farmers those needed resources.

  On the hunger side, it is also a significant concern. In the legislature I was proud to work with the Governor to create and deliver funding for the Farm To Foodbank Program. Through this program we were able to get $800,000 in the state budget for foodbanks to purchase local produce that was not going to grocery stores. You know, 40 percent of the produce grown in Georgia doesn’t make it to market. So this program allows foodbanks to negotiate a price, buy from farmers, and get produce to the foodbank. Partnerships with foodbanks, religious institutions, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture will help us fight food insecurity and hunger in our state. That’s is really connecting farm to table and that is what the department can do.

• Nakita Hemingway (D)

  What do you think is the most important trend in agriculture affecting Georgia farmers right now?

  In a positive way, I believe 2020 really helped people connect the dots to just how insecure our food system really is, and how vulnerable we are to just supply chain shocks. The way that we respond has been phenomenal. I will admit a lot of people probably never even looked at my face on Facebook, but I've been in all of these gardening groups. I'm the person who they could have sworn was a 70-year-old lady giving everyone advice on how to cultivate tomatoes in your backyard for the first time.

  There is this thirst for knowledge and connectedness around our food and where it comes from and how we can be a part of that, that I believe it's a profound opportunity for us to expand upon that curiosity and grow the next generation of farmers and build out what those support systems look like. You guys, by your own admission, you went to technical colleges to learn this because you didn't want to go through an entire four-year curriculum just to get the essentials in order for you to be efficient in this new love of yours. I don't even consider it a passion or identity or a job because to farm you must love it or be born in it and trapped in it.

  That's one aspect. The negative aspect is the lack of control over the marketplaces and the opportunities in this space. We have policies that on surface they say, "This is essential to protect society, to make sure that marketplace is free, fair, equitable for everyone," but we know it's not equitable for everyone. How do we think differently about the end game goal, which is to get more of Georgia-grown foods on the tables of families and get more money in the pockets of farmers?

  For me, when I'm travelling throughout the state and I'm talking to some of the more rural farmers who don't have as much access as even you guys do, their number one question is, "How are you going to get my foods on the shelves of the grocery stores?" I tell them, "I'm not, but this is what I'm going to do." Reality is you've got to be able to scale to produce in order to get the products on the grocery stores. Then there's that extra layer of, you're selling this wholesale to them at the prices they've determined. There's no negotiating because they have all the power.

  That's now cutting into your profit margins and your end-dollar is smaller. What if we built more farmers' markets? What if we create more digital opportunities for people to know about you and build more agritourism regulations so that you have a tourism component where people are coming to tour your farm, see your operation? You're making more of your money. You're becoming more self-sustaining in your business practice. At the end of the day, that's what you really want.

  Then in about 5 years when the grocery stores are not as profitable, they'll come back and they'll want to renegotiate terms. Guess who has all the power? You do. Then you can negotiate terms that are more favorable for you. That's how we shift the narrative. We can't operate from a space of weakness when we're trying to negotiate deals. We've got to take some bold steps, so we can shift that power structure to where we are winning in the end.

  What do you think organic farmers in Georgia need from the Department of Agriculture?

  Support. When you made that apparent that that need is not there, and it is something that we need to incorporate, it's not just having somebody sit in that seat and champion those ideas, we need a whole educational component behind it.

  I do understand Georgia Organics has their system, but I do believe there's power and redundancy as well. That's what I'm looking at. Then it is how can we build community around this. It can't be so stoic that it's just government and private. There needs to be community support around that so that it's organic in its adaptation.

  What role, if any, do you think the Georgia Department of Agriculture should have in dealing with climate change?

  I think we can do a lot. The sunflowers you're growing, there's sequestering. They can remove heavy metals and toxins out of the soil. If you do the research and you look at Chernobyl, that was one of the two crops they planted. The other was cannabis and hemp to try and remove some of the radiation. I believe it's about education and educating growers on companion planning. I wouldn't say commodity farming doesn't have its value because everything has a value, but I do want to lean in more to how can we add crop rotation or companion planning so that we use less toxins in the soil.

  We do it a lot with our cut flowers, so we know which flowers that we can grow next to each other because they're going to take care of, much like what you guys do with your vegetables, that they're going to take care of each other. There's been a lot of research in the use of chrysanthemum oil and what it can do for pesticides, but also for human beings too, for figure. I believe agriculture can do a lot. There are emerging opportunities in agriculture structure as carbon farming, which is selling carbon credits to corporations by types of farming. We don't have a system for that here in Georgia. It is a new opportunity.

  I definitely want to look into that. Also going back to the Hemp cannabis conversation, let's look at it from beyond where everyone likes to take the conversation into medicinal versus the psychedelic attributes of it. Let's look at it from the environmental aspect of this as well. Then one day I would love to be able to get in zoning codes where you're not tied into the grid, and you can have solar or hydro-powered facilities because I think that's impactful. You can't do that yet in Georgia. As a matter of fact, they just passed a bill, if not this term, last term, where certain parts of South Georgia must be tied into a grid. They don't have an option.

  Soil health was identified as the number one issue our farmers care about. What does soil health mean to you, and how can the GDA better support farmers who are working towards improved soil health?

  There is a direct relationship between the global erosion of topsoil and global warming. Also, when we talk about locally grown agriculture, we don't speak about it from the components, the aspect of climate change. In the cut flower industry in the United States in the 1990s, they created the Andes Free Trade Agreement or Fair Trade Agreement, which incentivize Columbian and cocaine farmers. Columbian and Ecuadorian cocaine farmers to turn their farms into cut flower farms. Because of that all of the cut flower farms disappeared overnight, which is why we import over 80% of our flowers.

  They come mostly from South America, Africa. We get some from Europe, like Holland, different places like that. In this, they did a study and they found that, and by the way, Memorial Day is the day in which people consume the most flowers, not Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. They found in 2019 that we imported 141 million blooms. Now we're importing flowers every single day but 2019 on Valentine's Day, 141 million roses. That was the equivalent of 78,000 cars being on the road for an entire year. We're importing flowers every single day. When we lean into locally grown, that reduces the carbon footprint because we're not importing and exporting as much.

  What's the most important function or program at the department that you want to improve?

  Efficiency. I don't believe the office is running efficiently. There is a lot of waste in terms of dollars and efforts. There is a high churn rate with staffing. It's very difficult for this department to match private dollars in terms of salary and compensation for workers. Veterinarians and our shelters are overrun and they lack resources. The list is long. Pet breeding is a huge issue here in Georgia, and anyone can breed a pet.

  If the Department of Agriculture actually started charging a fee, that's revenue, a licensing fee to breeders, that's revenue for the Department of Agriculture, which means more resources for farmers, more efficiency. It's just those things is finding where we are not running in an efficient way, peeling back those layers. I'm just going to be honest with you, cleaning house because there are a lot of people who are there who have no desire to do what is required of the job and attracting and retaining the best talent. Honestly, it's a very long list of things that need to be done, but it can be done.

  Georgia farmers are more efficient and more productive than they've ever been, yet hunger and farmer stress are both at all-time highs. What's the solution for this paradox?

  The solution is you build out farmer support systems because suicide rates amongst farmers are the highest per profession. You find out where they're losing. For me, it is why is this so high? When I talk to you guys about interest rates or mortgage, that financial, when you're spending so much to run an operation that's making so little, this is a tie to your identity. It's not just a business where you can just say, "Okay, I'm done. I walk away from this."

  Farming is everything for most people who are in it. Having resources for mental health going to be very important. Building community within those communities so that when you're going to the Department of Agriculture, you're not speaking to some stranger. You're speaking to your neighbor or a friend down the street because they work in that department and they live in that community.

  It's also listening. I have my ideas about what I want to change, but it's like the comment you made about, "Well if we bring in cannabis to him, this is going to impact rental rates." Now you're bringing to me the problems you are seeing. Now, this is something new I add to my ever-never-ending list of, "Okay, so this is what we got to work on," and as when you told me we need a branch that focuses on organic farming. "Okay, so now we've added this to the list."

• Additional Resources and Methodology

  Additional Resources

  Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Harper, Hemingway Vie to Bring New Leadership to State’s Ag Dept.

  Tyler Harper’s campaign website

  Nakita Hemingway’s campaign website

  David Raudabaugh’s campaign website

  The Atlanta Press Club’s Ag Commissioner debate video.

  https://youtu.be/B4e4YWEwLU0

  The role of the Georgia Department of Agriculture

  Methodology

  Georgia Organics went to extensive efforts to be as fair and transparent with all candidates as possible.

  Both the Republican and Democratic candidates toured the Love is Love Cooperative Farm in Mansfield, Ga., and met with Georgia Organics President and CEO Alice Rolls to learn more about the state of organic agriculture in Georgia. The candidates also met with the five farm owners and workers at the Love is Love Cooperative Farm.

  Love is Love Cooperative Farm was selected as the host farm because of its relative proximity to Atlanta, which was important to both candidates, and because its ownership structure allowed candidates to meet with five farmers at one location.

  The questions we asked the candidates were compiled by Georgia Organics and expanded upon by the farmers present during the conversations, and former Georgia Organics board chair Joe Reynolds asked the candidates the questions. Hemingway agreed to be recorded during this part of the conversation. Harper did answer all of our questions in the meeting, and allowed us to take notes of his answers, but did not allow us to record the conversation. Georgia Organics sent the notes on Harper’s answers to his campaign staff, and returned them to us for publication with only minor edits.

  Georgia Organics also sent a transcript of Hemingway’s answers to her campaign and allowed them to edit her questions, if desired. Hemingway did not edit her answers.

  The answers shown in this package accurately reflect the conversations between the candidates, the farmers, and Georgia Organics.

Advocacy Efforts Bring Top USDA Officials to Georgia

By Michael Wall

Certified organic farmers in Georgia have been hit with a perfect storm of challenges over the past few months that have made organic certification even harder to achieve and maintain than ever before.

Those challenges include major disruptions to the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) that now force farmers to apply for cost share support twice, through two separate application projects.

The process prior to 2020 reimbursed farmers for 75 percent of their certification costs, up to $750, with only one annual application. In a move that surprised and angered many agricultural leaders in Congress, not to mention farmers themselves the USDA Farm Service Agency reduced the reimbursements to $500 with no public input and little warning to growers.

The FSA change to organic cost share came in the first few months of the Corona-virus outbreak, which was also a time of great marketplace upheaval for restaurants and growers alike. And while this was going on, some certification agencies raised their prices so drastically that many long-time certified organic growers contemplated surrendering their organic certificates.

In February of 2022, Georgia Organics Farmer Advocate Michael Wall was able to share these challenges with USDA Undersecretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jennifer Lester Moffitt in a virtual coffee chat, prompting Moffitt to travel to Crystal Organic Farm in Newborn, Georgia and hear from Georgia Organics farmers first hand.

On March 2, Moffitt visited with Georgia Organics and farmers Russell Brydson (Narrow Way Farm), Celia Barrs (Woodland Gardens), and Nicholas Donck (Crystal Organic Farm) to discuss rising certification costs and easing the barriers to achieving and maintaining organic certification.

During the meeting Moffitt outlined a new USDA initiative that would offer additional support for organic growers, and the conversation ranged from reimbursements and cost shares to certifier customer service, and the lack thereof. Moffitt was also extremely interested in learning more about Georgia Organics’ Accelerator program, 200 Organic Farms work, and the many obstacles organic farmers face in Georgia and the Southeast United States.

Moffitt, who began serving as the undersecretary on Aug. 11, 2021, grew up on and eventually ran a certified organic family walnut farm in California. Mofitt now oversees the division of the USDA that administers the National Organic Program, and many others, including domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products, plant and animal health, genetically engineered organisms regulations, the Animal Welfare Act, and wildlife damage management.

The USDA recently released more details on the organic transitioning program Moffitt alluded to. While more details are needed, the new Organic Transition Initiative appears to be a much-needed commitment from the USDA to level the playing field for farmers seeking to achieve organic certification.

Lastly, the interaction with Moffitt and subsequent USDA actions to support organic agriculture confirm that advocacy efforts, as requested by Georgia Organics’ constituents, are an important part of the organization’s commitment to organic farmer prosperity.

The Organic Certification Cost Share Program will remain one of Georgia Organics’ top advocacy priorities as 2023 Farm Bill discussions heat up. Georgia Organics will continue to push for meaningful advances in the Farm Bill alongside its allies, especially the National Sustainable Coalition, which provided Georgia Organics with a grant to begin its farmer advocacy efforts, and the Organic Trade Association, upon whose Farmer Advisory Council, Climate Change Task Force, and Diversity Council Georgia Organics sits.

G.O. Goes to Washington to Support Organic Farmers

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services.

Georgia Organics Farmer Advocate Michael Wall and Albany organic farmer and Georgia Organics board member Sed Rowe asked federal lawmakers for more institutional support for organic growers on a March trip to Washington, D.C.

During the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week and Advocacy Day, Rowe and Wall met with lawmakers or their staff from the offices of Rev. Sen. Raphael Warnock​, Rep. Nikema Williams​, Rep. Sanford Bishop​, and Sen. Mitch McConnel.

Farmer Sed Rowe and Farmer Advocate Michael Wall with staff members of Rep. Nikema Williams office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The top priorities Rowe and Wall discussed with lawmakers included much-needed improvements to the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which has been diminshed by recent changes enacted by the USDA Farm Service Agency. Also, they asked for the full amount of funding that has already been approved for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), program, the continuous improvement of the National Organic Program, continued funding for the OAO 2501 program and its support of BIPOC growers, and funding for organic research.

Farmer Advocate Michael Wall and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Director Sarah Hackney, who has participated in and presented at numerous Georgia Organics Annual Conferences.

The meetings were either beginning or continuing important relationships that could benefit Georgia Organics’ farm members, especially during upcoming Farm Bill discussions, which have already kicked off with several U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearings.
In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, Rowe was also a panelist during a State Organic Network session and talked about his organic and hemp accomplishments achieved in partnership with Georgia Organics. And, Wall participated in several meetings as a member of OTA’s Farmers Advisory Council, Climate Change Task Force, and Diversity Committee. He also took the time in D.C. to meet with long-time partners at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), which has worked hard for decades to forge the Farm Bill into legislation that puts organic farmers on equal footing with the rest of American agriculture.

To keep up with the Farm Bill and many other critical agriculture bills, sign up to receive NSAC’s weekly newsletters here, and learn more about the Farm Bill here.

Georgia Organics Launches Farmer Advocacy

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services.

As a non-profit, Georgia Organics updates its strategic plan every five years to ensure it remains on track with its mission, values, and farmer-focused programming.

Typically, the board of directors, key constituents, and important partners are interviewed to assess the changing landscape that Georgia Organics operates within, and the needs of the community that Georgia Organics attempts to serve.'

One of the surprising elements that emerged from these discussions in the most recent strategic plan was a strong direction for Georgia Organics to re-launch its advocacy efforts, this time with a singular focus on farmer prosperity.

To that end, and after months of conversations and planning within the Georgia Organics offices, Lauren Cox was promoted to Director of Farmer Services, and Michael Wall moved over to the new position of Director of Farmer Advocacy.
It must be noted that advocacy is not a brand-new effort for Georgia Organics.

Roughly 10 years ago, Georgia Organics had an Advocacy Director, Jennifer Owens, who addressed small-scale poultry processing, early Farm to School efforts, and many other important topics. Also, the Atlanta Local Food Initiative, another Georgia Organics initiative under the leadership of now Director of Programs Suzanne Girdner, also engaged in policy work that gave rise the City of Atlanta’s urban agriculture legislation and later the city’s first Urban Agriculture director position.

Wall and other members of the farmer services team, including Donn Cooper and Tenisio Seanima, and the board of directors, such as farmer Joe Reynolds of Love is Love Farm Collective, have worked on advocacy in the past, especially around the Farm Bill, SARE and NRCS funding, and the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program.

The strategic plan was approved by the Georgia Organics board of directors on Nov. 8, 2021, and includes several key themes that pertain to advocacy, partnerships, and movement building, especially around farmer prosperity, racial justice, and climate change.

For example, one of the plan’s goal states that Georgia Organics work would:
“Grow an influential network of advocates who champion organic and regenerative farmers.”

Other key themes from the Strategic Plan summary related to Farmer Advocacy work:

• Move from program building to movement building. Step fully into our role as a convening and advocacy organization. 

• Foster strong partnerships, and together pursue collective impact strategies.

• Become an integral part of Georgia’s climate change solutions.

A summary of the strategic plan is below.

So far, Georgia Organics Farmer Advocacy work has been based on strong existing partnerships and previous advocacy experience, especially around the Farm Bill with partners such as the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Organic Trade Association. In March, Wall and organic farmer and board member Sed Rowe traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with federal lawmakers about the Farm Bill and the needs of Georgia’s organic farmers.

Georgia Organics and a handful of farmers also been hosted USDA Undersecretary Jennifer Lester Moffitt to discuss much-needed improvements to the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program, and the upcoming Organic Transitioning Initiative, which will have $300 million devoted to support farmers seeking organic certification.

Most importantly, Georgia Organics’ advocacy agenda will be set by its most important constituents: farmers. Over the Spring and early summer of 2022, Georgia Organics distributed a survey to more than 1,000 farmers to determine their highest policy priorities.

That survey will be finalized and analyzed over the coming weeks, and a report will be shared with Georgia Organics’ farmer members and partners.

2022-2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 

Key Themes and Shifts that Emerged from Internal and External Reviews:

• Champion diversity, equity and inclusion internally and externally, working towards becoming an anti-racist organization  

• Move from program building to movement building. Step fully into our role as a convening and advocacy organization.   

• Invest in farmers, especially Black farmers, and local food communities.   

• Refocus core programs by regionalizing/localizing work and centering on farmer prosperity.   

• Foster strong partnerships, and together pursue collective impact strategies. 

• Use the power of storytelling to recruit more advocates and members to the movement.  

• Become an integral part of Georgia’s climate change solutions.   

• Re-envision and reshape The Farmer Fund to increase impact.    

• Expand and diversify revenue streams, including unrestricted revenue and fee-based services.  

• Organize, invest in, and develop staff and board to ensure needed skills, aligning with the organization’s values and capacity to achieve goals.  

• Consider these delivery mechanisms and ways to build the movement: direct services; partnerships; investment; convening and peer-to-peer services; advocacy. 

VISION

All Georgia farmers nurture and heal the land, people, and communities.   

MISSION 

Georgia Organics invests in organic farmers for the health of our communities and the land. 

VALUES

Farmer Prosperity  

We believe that thriving farmers are the catalyst for a transformed world playing the central role in the interdependency between restored soil, thriving people, stronger communities, and healthier environment.   

Soil Health and Environmental Stewardship 

We believe agriculture should use soil-building farming practices, and steward our air, land, and water resources.  

Anti-Racism  

We believe in working intentionally, consistently, and collaboratively to transform our food system, our farming system, and our own organization to one that is anti-racist, multi-cultural, diverse, and just.  

Community & Collective Impact 

We believe in the inherent talents, passions, and wisdom that exist in communities and our partners in the local food movement. We believe working collectively is essential to transforming our food system to be healthy, local and organic. 

Climate Action 

We believe organic farming is a critical solution to sequester carbon in our soil and mitigate the catastrophic impacts of climate change on people and ecosystems.    

Public Health 

We believe that public health begins in the soil where our food is grown and raised and organic farmers are stewards of our health and should be recognized and supported accordingly.