Newhouse Fights for Best Practices in the Organic Agricultural Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards (CIAO) Act, which would modernize the process for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to respond to changes in organic and better align organic standards authored by the agency with industry best practices and consumer demands.

“Our agricultural sector is constantly evolving, and in order to keep progress moving forward, we must keep up with best-in-practice standards,” said Rep. Newhouse. “As a third-generation farmer, I understand how crucial it is to ensure transparency in our organics process—for both producers and consumers—and it's imperative that we provide our growers certainty. This is how we spark further innovation and improvement within the organic industry."

“Central Valley farmers are the ones who feed the world, with many voluntarily providing high-quality organic products that are held to a significantly higher standard than other agricultural commodities. It is critical that these farmers, producers, and growers are not held back from bringing their goods to market by bureaucratic red tape and outdated regulations,” said Rep. Valadao. “This bipartisan bill will ensure organic standards from USDA are accurate, transparent, and responsive to the latest science. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to improve and grow our organic agriculture sector.”  

“As the organic market continues to expand, producers need clear and reliable information on changing standards and regulations,” said Rep. Panetta. “This bipartisan legislation empowers farmers by setting clear priorities for organic standards and instituting a predictable process for stakeholder input. As California’s 19^th Congressional District leads the country in organic farming, I’ll continue working to promote and perpetuate this innovative industry.”

“The number one industry in my district is agriculture, and the farms in my region put delicious food on shelves and on dinner tables all over the United States. It’s critical that when families go to their local store for food marketed as organic, they know and trust the standards that our growers are meeting, and that red tape isn’t preventing organic growers from getting their goods to market," said Rep. Carbajal

“For far too long, organic producers have been waiting for the Department of Agriculture to move forward with numerous consensus recommendations to improve organic standards and protect the integrity of the organic label,” said Rep. Pingree. “As an organic farmer and Co-Chair of the House Organic Caucus, I am proud to support this bill to hold the USDA accountable so we can continue to move the National Organic Program forward.”

“Ensuring continuous improvement for organic is our highest priority in the 2023 Farm Bill, and this legislation goes far to address that objective,” said Tom Chapman, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “I wish to express our sincere thanks to Representatives Newhouse, Panetta, Carbajal, Valadao and Pingree for their leadership and for working with a broad coalition of farmers, industry, environmental and other organizations to ensure organic continues to be a dynamic opportunity for growth and able to meet the future needs and desires of both producers and consumers.”

"Technology and production methods have changed a lot since the national organic standards were created over 20 years ago, and domestic farmers need relevant organic standards to compete in the growing organic marketplace. Organic Farmers Association supports the CIAO bill for streamlining rulemaking to keep organic regulations relevant," says Kate Mendenhall, Executive Director of the Organic Farmers Association.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

The Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards (CIAO) Act will:

• Require the USDA to request public input on recommended changes to organic standards at least once every five years and establishes a five-year working period for the USDA, in consultation with the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), to implement the recommendations.
• Ensure the USDA and NOSB considers the best available information – including environmental and ecological data, consumer and market data, organic production and handling practices, organic research, and scientific data – when implementing the recommended changes.

Background:

Organic agriculture became increasingly popular in the early 1900’s but it wasn’t until the 1990 farm bill which included the Organic Foods Production Act that a certification program and national organic standards were established. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program is a voluntary regulatory program for farmers and businesses who choose to meet a strict federal standard and market their products under the USDA organic seal, which bolsters consumer confidence in the legitimacy of organic products.

Since the first nationwide organic standards were officially established in 2000, the strict and comprehensive network of federal requirements and regulations that monitor and check the organic industry – from the farm gate to the dinner plate – have been driven by stakeholders throughout the supply chain and organic community. This unique private-public partnership has made the organic regulatory system the gold standard for food and agricultural systems around the world. In fact, the organic sector has thrived, growing to more than a $67 billion U.S market, with the USDA Organic seal recognized as one of the most trusted consumer labels in the marketplace.

To maintain this exponential growth, organic standards need to be responsive to changes in scientific information, environmental and ecological data, as well as consumer demands. However, in the last several years, the federal regulatory apparatus has fallen behind, slowing innovation and continuous improvement within the industry. 

CIAO sets forth the pathway to bring federal regulations up to speed with the evolving organic industry and is critical to keep the organic sector growing.

CIAO was originally introduced in the 117^th Congress.

The Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act is endorsed by the Organic Trade Association, Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, Organic Farmers Association, National Organic Coalition, and Organic Produce Association.

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