National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

photo by Cynthia Vagnetti

Participate in The National Organic Action Plan Meetings.

See the flyer below, and for more information, contact Annette Higby,

[download formatted PDF version]

JOIN US IN A SERIES OF NATIONAL DIALOGUE MEETINGS :

Savannah, Georgia, April 5, 2008
Contact Liana Hoodes ( )

A NATIONAL ORGANIC ACTION PLAN :
WHAT WILL ORGANIC LOOK LIKE
IN THE NEXT 10-20 YEARS?

SPONSORED BY:
RURAL ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL ORGANIC COALITION

Join Us In One of A Series Of Dialogues Around The Country That Will Examine National And Federal Priorities For Organic Agriculture – Organic agriculture in this country has a future beyond a Federal program – help to map it out and stay on course. Collaborate with organic advocates around the U.S. to initiate a dialogue to develop a National Organic Action Plan and a National Summit on Organic Food and Agriculture in 2007/2008. Such a plan is necessary to realize the fullest potential of organic and to ensure that the farmers, the public and the progressive organic businesses can help to strategically shape our future.

DAY ONE:

What is working with organic now, and are there proble ms now?, if so, name them * (Session goal is to create very specific list of what is working and current problems).
Overview of Farm Bill and other Federal Proposals
Which problems are addressed by these proposals?
Which ones remain unresolved?

DAY TWO

Organic transition program – How best to do this and how best to reward existing farmers while transitioning needed farmer recruits?
Overview of setting National and State growth goals for organic
What should the goals be?
Farmer Political Action Organi zing – Lessons learned from past and present attempts
What are the best ways to strengthen farmer and consumer organic voices?
Where are we now? Looking Towards the Future
Are there alternatives to the WalMarting of organic? What do they look like?
Can alternative distribution systems re -invigorate organic, local, and other labels?
Next steps and time-line for on-going discussions — Summary statements and Meeting evaluations

More details and preparation materials will be provided to all pre -registered attendees.

NATIONAL ORGANIC ACTION PLAN

After years of reacting to the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act, and USDA’s National Organic Program, it is time for the entire organic community – farmers, consumers, farm workers, trade, urban and rural groups – to take a step forward, and begin to develop a vision for the future of Organic. Several groups have come together to listen to the broad organic community regarding the scope of such National Organic Action Plan that looks towards the long view – 10 to 20 years in the future. The scope and vision could include both governmental and non - governmental goals as to where organic should go, and how to get there, from 2008 Farm Bill priorities for Organic, to acreage and sales goals for the future, as well as incorporating quantitative and qualitative measures for a long list of societal benefits provided by organic.

This presentation will look for full audience participation in outlining your interests, visions, and concerns for the fut ure of organic, as well as for how it should be mapped in a comprehensive National Plan.

“Organic’ is not merely a label, a variable seal of approval at the end of the processing chain. It means a way of raising crops and livestock that is better for the soil, the animals, the farmers, and the consumers themselves —a radical change, in other words, from conventional agriculture. Unless consumers can be certain that those standards are strictly upheld, ‘organic’ will become meaningless.” [“An Organic Drift,” New York Times, November 4, 2005]

For more information contact: Annette Higby, or Michael Sligh, RAFI, 919-929-7099;