appropriations Archives · Roger Blobaum

INSIDE ORGANIC: Controversial Congressional “Oink Oink” Funding Process Is Potential Source of More Organic Program Support (May/June 08)

by Roger Blobaum · Inside Organics · May/June 2008 After doing well in a long campaign to increase support for organic agriculture in the farm bill, organic advocates are looking ahead to USDA implementation of programs with newly mandated funding and the annual push to convince lawmakers who appropriate money annually to do more to…

INSIDE ORGANIC: Organic Farmers Make Gains in Political Access and Support For Organic Appropriations and Farm Bill Organic Initiatives (May 07)

by Roger Blobaum · Inside Organics · May 2007 A series of recent developments strongly suggest that organic farmers and others in the rapidly growing organic sector have gained new political access and support that will enhance their ability to influence both annual organic program funding and the 2007 farm bill process unfolding on Capitol…

INSIDE ORGANIC: Collecting and Reporting Organic Data, Slowed by Setbacks, Is Expected to Get a Strong New Push This Year on Capitol Hill (March 07)

by Roger Blobaum · Inside Organics · March, 2007 A strong push is underway to line up new funding to enable the National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), and other government agencies to collect and report much more organic price, acreage, sales, and other current data. The main effort will press…

INSIDE ORGANIC: Year-End Congressional Appropriations Meltdown Wipes Out Last Chance for 2007 USDA Certification Cost-Share Funding for Midwest Organic Farmers (Jan 07)

by Roger Blobaum · Inside Organics · January, 2007 The program that has provided certification cost-share funding for Midwest organic farmers since 2002 appeared to be on life support when Congress adjourned in early December without taking final action on a long list of unfinished appropriations bills. A continuing resolution to keep the bills alive…