National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

Help Educate Congress about Organic Agriculture:
Urge Your Representative to Join the Organic Caucus

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Why the Organic Caucus?
The Organic Caucus is a bipartisan association of congressional members dedicated to enhancing availability and understanding of information related to the production and processing of organic agricultural products. The caucus serves public interest by promoting sound policies and funding to advance organic production and marketing.

How to Contact your Representative
To find out if your representative is on the Organic Caucus go to http://www.ofrf.org/policy/OrganicCaucusInfo/organiccaucus.html. If not, get their office number by calling the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224- 3121 and asking for your representative by name.

Once your call is transferred, ask for the Legislative Assistant handling agriculture.

What to Say

Introduce yourself. Briefly tell them who you are, where you are from, and what your interest in organic is (particularly if it relates to your business or farm).
Tell them you'd like your representative to be on the Organic Caucus because:
- The organic food industry, with an average annual growth rate of 20% a year, continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors in agriculture. Various estimates state that US retail sales in 2002 totaled between $8.5 and $12 billion.
- As of October 2002, the United States has new national organic standards in effect. In spite of rapid growth, organic agriculture priorities are not sufficiently reflected in the current government's research agenda or fiscal commitments.
- Because of its ability to minimize impacts on soil, air and water quality, organic agriculture provides a unique opportunity to increase sustainable business practices, protect the environment, and preserve natural resources.
- By joining the Organic Caucus they will receive timely information on relevant policy issues and will be in a position to support organic businesses in their district.
Invite them to visit your organic farm, research project, or business the next time they are in the district.
Suggest they contact the Organic Farming Research Foundation at (831) 426-6606 to find out how many organic growers are in their district.
Have them contact one of the co-Chairs of the Organic Caucus to join the Caucus or just find out more about it:

Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)	Darin.Schroeder@mail.house.gov / (202) 225-5506
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)	Jeri.Finke@mail.house.gov / (202) 225-5311

After making the call, contact Brise Tencer at the Organic Farming Research Foundation at (831) 426-6606 to let us know they have been contacted and what their level of interest is.

For more information on the Organic Caucus, contact Brise Tencer at 831- 426-6606, brise@ofrf.org