The State of Nevada is planning to cut our local organic certification program. The one remaining certifier for the State of Nevada, Steve Marty, was just notified that his position would be eliminated on June 30, 2009.
The USDA authorizes the State of Nevada to certify farmers as organic.
However, the state must fund the workers to complete the certification process. The program itself is only funded by the Federal Government if the state supports it. Here’s what Nevada consumer should know before allowing the government to eliminate this program, and why this is important to us and our community.
Organic certification is expensive, especially if the certifier must come from out of state. If the Nevada state certification program is eliminated our farmers will have to pay significantly higher fees and will likely experience delays while they wait to receive service from some other state’s program. This would be cost prohibitive for the farmer, increase the amount we pay for organics, and has the potential to drive committed farmers out of business.
Cutting this program will do very little to help the state meet the budget deficit. The program is almost self-sufficient and thus is not a significant line item that would improve the state's budget situation.
Organic certification is a huge marketing advantage for all organic farmers, and Nevada farmers are no exception. Should the government cut this program and make certification essentially unattainable, Nevada farmers who want to grow organically would have no way of differentiating their product from that grown using conventional, chemical based methods. This would reduce the incentive for organic farmers and our access to organic locally grown food.
Organic farmers do more than bring healthy food to our table. They employ practices that protect our environment, but they need organic friendly programs to maintain these practices. Our government should be doing all it can to support and defend our food, health, water, and land.
Local support provides farmers an incentive to grow real food consumed by humans. The government subsidizes and insures commodity crops like corn, wheat, rice, soybean, but farmers who grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit are pretty much on their own. Organic certification is one of the few supports available to the local farmer. They need it and so do we.
Contact your representatives today and tell them to continue to fund the Nevada Department of Agriculture's organic certification program. We are all passionate about food, especially local and organic food. Let’s work together to let our state government representatives know we expect them to act in our support of local food, organic farmers, and a clean environment.
Contact your assembly and senate members now...they'll be making this cut in February. If you'd like to send a paper letter here's one for your use. And, if you'd like to be included in other support initiatives contact Local Food Network.
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