Bipartisan legislation makes a permanent program to equip organic farmers and producers to grow their businesses and meet rising demand
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and Representatives Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06) introduced legislation to give organic producers tools to increase capacity, modernize their operations, and expand their businesses to meet growing demand. The Domestic Organic Investment Act would make a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program permanent that helps solve supply chain gaps for the organic market by providing grants to farmers and businesses. While certified organic sales have grown to over $71.4 billion in 2024, domestic organic acreage has not kept pace with demand for organic products.
“Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland, and to keep that legacy, we need to support our farmers and make sure they can meet the demands of families. With the demand for organic foods continuing to skyrocket, we need to make sure that any farmer who wants to grow their business, has the tools and resources to do it,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m working with Democrats and Republicans so more organic farmers can expand their operations, support good paying jobs, and continue to be the beating heart of our rural communities.”
“Maine’s organic agriculture industry continues to grow at a rapid pace with the support of federal investments and strong market demand. However, many organic producers still face challenges in expanding their operations and accessing new markets,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would make permanent the USDA’s Organic Market Development program and help organic food producers in Maine and across the country modernize their operations, expand their capacity, and better compete in today’s global marketplace.”
“I’ve heard directly from Wisconsin’s organic farmers about the challenges they face getting their products to market, and this bill delivers real solutions. By making this program permanent, we’re helping family farmers modernize, expand, and stay competitive in a rapidly growing industry. I am proud to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the people who feed our nation,” said Representative Van Orden.
“Oregon has long been a national leader in organic agriculture, yet too many of our growers still face hurdles when it comes to getting their crops onto grocery store shelves,” said Representative Salinas. “Whether it’s the lack of modern processing facilities, storage capacity, or the technology needed to stay competitive, these gaps stop family farms across Oregon from reaching their full potential. This bill will invest in our organic growers, supporting local jobs, reducing reliance on imports, and ensuring Oregon farmers remain at the forefront of a resilient, innovative organic economy. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their work to support organic farmers in Oregon and across the country.”
The Domestic Organic Investment Act will codify the Organic Market Development Grant program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service. The development program will:
- Increase the capacity of the domestic organic product supply chain for producers, handlers, suppliers, and processors of certified organic products;
- Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems;
- Improve the capacity of eligible entities to comply with applicable regulatory requirements or quality standards required to access markets;
- Expand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of certified organic products to create more and better markets for producers of certified organic products; facilitate market development for domestically produced certified organic products;
- Conduct feasibility studies and market viability assessments to inform organic transition strategies and opportunities;
- Address barriers to entry to organic product certification for historically underserved entities; and
- Support market and promotional activities that help build commercial markets for certified organic products in the United States.
The Domestic Organic Investment Act is endorsed by Organic Valley and the Organic Trade Association.
“We are deeply grateful to the sponsoring lawmakers for introducing this important and timely DOIA legislation,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of Organic Trade Association. “These infrastructure investments will remove long-standing barriers to give organic producers and manufacturers the capacity and resources they need to meet the rapidly growing consumer demand for the benefits of organic.”
“The U.S. organic marketplace is poised for significant growth, but right-sized processing and distribution capacity remains a notable challenge. Over the past year, we’ve seen disruptions in our co-manufacturing network and the loss of fluid dairy processing, underscoring the need for strategic investments. This infrastructure bill is a step toward leveraging more processing capacity, ensuring more organic food reach American families, and delivering greater opportunities for U.S. farmers. The leadership provided by Senators Tammy Baldwin and Susan Collins as well as Representative Derrick Van Orden and Andrea Salinas are greatly appreciated – it is encouraging to see both bipartisan and bicameral support for organic agriculture in America,” said Shawna Nelson, Organic Valley, CEO.
“Among our membership, IFPA has numerous organic fruit and vegetable producers across the nation and the bipartisan legislation brought by Reps. Salinas and Van Orden provides exactly the kind of strategic investment the fresh produce industry needs to strengthen our supply chain. The Domestic Organic Investment Act invests in modern infrastructure, reduces long-standing supply chain bottlenecks, and most importantly, ensures that U.S. producers can meet rising consumer demand while keeping more economic opportunity in our rural communities. We’re proud to champion legislation that supports growers, expands markets, and builds a stronger, more resilient organic supply chain for the future. We are grateful to Senator Baldwin and Collins for their commitment to advancing this bill,” said Cathy Burns, International Fresh Produce Association, CEO.
Full text of the bill is available here.
An online version of this release is available here.
