LA FARGE, Wis. – Inflation threatens farmers across the U.S. as the farm crisis deepens with small family farms facing feed price shocks and consolidation pressures.
Organic Valley, working within the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and with other friends in the organic sector, recently elevated the dire situation organic livestock farmers face with USDA and Senate and House Appropriations and Agriculture Committee leadership urging action to support farmers. USDA responded by announcing up to $100 million for the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program, an effort that will help small organic family farms by covering a portion of milk marketing costs for 2023.
“USDA and Congress were right in recognizing the unique challenges facing organic dairy farmers. We need all efforts to try and stem farm exits,” said Adam Warthesen, Organic Valley director of government and industry affairs and OTA board member. “The USDA’s creation of a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) is a welcome relief and the resources can’t come soon enough.”
Organic Valley is dedicated to supporting small organic family farms across the rural landscape amidst inflationary and climatic pressures. The cooperative has been unwavering in its mission and has made it a priority to welcome 84 farms in 2022, many of which were dropped by other companies in the dairy industry.
“Our mission is more critical than ever as we see small family farms losing their market with little notice and facing inflationary pressures that make it harder for them to survive,” said Travis Forgues, Organic Valley executive vice president of membership. “If you care about family farms, we need people to join us, support Organic Valley products in the marketplace, and put their milk money where their values are. We’re committed to reversing the trend of farming consolidation by providing an organic marketplace for small family farmers. We’re also working to increase aid to small organic family farms, calling on Congress and leadership across the country to take action.”
The cooperative plans to continue its unwavering efforts to save small organic family farms and will update the public throughout the year.
About Organic Valley
Organic Valley is the leading organic farmer-owned cooperative on a mission to save, serve and safeguard small organic family farms. The brand’s products are ethically sourced, which we define as food raised on organic farms where families manage the daily care for the animals and the earth while living up to the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program as well as our cooperative’s own high standards and practices designed to promote the principles of organic agriculture, including respect for the dignity and interdependence of human, animal, plant, soil and global life. Founded in 1988, today the cooperative is owned by more than 1,700 organic family farms. Visit ov.coop for more information. Organic Valley is also @OrganicValley on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok and Twitter.
