Organic Farmers Association’s cover photo
Organic Farmers Association

Organic Farmers Association

Farming, Ranching, Forestry

Spirit Lake, IA 1,144 followers

We represent a strong unified voice for domestic certified organic farmers at the national level.

About us

Organic Farmers Association works to provide a strong and unified national voice for domestic certified organic producers. We strive to build and support a farmer-led national organic farmer movement and national policy platform by: Developing and advocating policies that benefit organic farmers; strengthening and supporting the capacity of organic farmers and farm organizations; supporting collaboration and leadership among state, regional and national organic farmer organizations; and collaborating with other organic organizations OFA is farmer-led and controlled, making sure that farmers drive the organization’s policy positions and provide an authentic voice for organic farmers in Washington, D.C. OFA envisions a future where organic agriculture is the basis of a viable U.S. food and agricultural policy and production system. Since our founding in 2016, OFA has developed a strong policy platform that captures the policy priorities of organic farmers. Our annual grassroots policy development process keeps our policy work current and focused on what farmers need most. To learn more about our work, please visit: https://organicfarmersassociation.org/policy/

Website
www.organicfarmersassociation.org
Industry
Farming, Ranching, Forestry
Company size
2-10 employees
Headquarters
Spirit Lake, IA
Type
Nonprofit
Founded
2016
Specialties
policy, advocacy, farmer empowerment, organic farming, organic farmers, national farm policy, organic agriculture, organic produce, organic grain, organic dairy, organic meat, grassroot policy development, and national food system

Locations

Employees at Organic Farmers Association

Updates

  • We're looking for leaders! Nominations for the 2026-2028 OFA leadership cohort are open. OFA's Governing Council (Board) and Policy Committee are the voices of farmers at the forefront of our advocacy work, and it's a great opportunity to make an impact on the future of organic. We are particularly looking for farmers to fill open seats in the Northeast, Midwest, and North Central regions (Governing Council). If you are interested in running for an OFA Leadership position, learn more and apply today! Nominations must be submitted by September 28, 2025. https://lnkd.in/eCmtjdwH

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  • OFA members! 📣 Your July e-news is in your inbox and includes this policy news and more: 💰 Budget Reconciliation process continues 📈 Work on FY 2026 moving forward 🐄 Organic Dairy Bill Reintroduced https://lnkd.in/exZ45DfB --- Not an OFA member? Learn more about membership and its benefits and sign up online today for a fee that fits your budget! https://lnkd.in/gUF-rZmE #FarmBill #OrganicFarmers #OrganicDairy #CostShare

  • This month, we have an exciting win to share in response to our farmer outreach last fall to organic grain farmers who had received clawback letters, requiring them to return money they had received for grain delivered. The state of Iowa passed legislation extending claims to the grain indemnity fund to allow for clawback/preference payments. 👏 (https://lnkd.in/eCgSasCw) 🚨CRITICAL DEADLINE: For repayment of losses incurred prior to July 1, 2025, claims must be filed by August 29, 2025, through the Grain Warehouse Bureau of the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship website. Read more: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eWk6V9aX

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  • OFA's June Organic Voice issue was dedicated to exploring animal health, including the current state of avian flu in organic. On page 20, guest writer Ed Maltby of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance shared an update on the state of N5N1 in mammals, including current actions on and statuses of the disease. And on page 22, learn how Cameron Molberg at Greener Pastures Chicken in Elgin, Texas is tackling the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Read more: https://lnkd.in/egFtqmvp -- If you'd like to receive OFA's quarterly magazine with news and stories for and by organic farmers and supporters, subscribe to our mailing list: https://lnkd.in/epC3KcHj (We'll only email you about important action alerts, ways you can support organic, and when The Organic Voice is released!) #BirdFlu #organicfarms #dairyfarmers #pastureraised #organic

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  • Did you catch OFA's Kate Mendenhall on the Real Organic Project's podcast? Kate and Linley Dixon talk about the urgent fight to preserve organic integrity. From fighting greenwashing and corporate lobbying to ensuring farmer voices are heard in Washington, Kate shares how OFA is working to keep organic standards aligned with soil health, transparency, and real values. 🎧 Listen (or watch) episode 227 now: https://lnkd.in/eWgmMjMf #FarmBill #OrganicAgriculture #OrganicIntegrity #Organic #OrganicFarmers

  • Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Congressman Tony Wied (R-Wisc.), and Congressman Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to support organic dairy farmers. The Organic Dairy Data Collection Act would enhance data collection at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to better understand the costs associated with producing organic milk. 👏 “Family run organic dairy farms provide healthy food and environmental stewardship to rural communities across the country. The Organic Dairy Data Collection Act can provide valuable data collection to inform future support for an industry facing economic crisis,” said Kate Mendenhall, Executive Director of Organic Farmers Association. https://lnkd.in/ebaJBN6a --- OFA Legislative Priority 👉 EXISTING USDA PROGRAMS SHOULD WORK FOR ORGANIC Farmers who have invested in the transition to organic certification need the same USDA services and programs that conventional producers depend on. Yet details of those program requirements often make them difficult to access or useless to organic producers. 🗝 Key Congressional Action: Provide improved data collection to better understand and address the challenges organic dairies face so that USDA can ensure effective relief programs and develop a functioning safety net for domestic organic dairy producers similar to programs designed for conventional dairy. 👀 See all of OFA's current legislative priorities and current policy positions here: https://lnkd.in/e7GthKUk

  • In March, Congress passed a new continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government, averting a potential shutdown. 👉 With the CR in place, legislators are starting to again work on Farm Bill marker bills. Marker bills are not intended to pass on their own but are a vehicle to introduce ideas and build support for policies in hopes that they will be included in the next Farm Bill. 💪 OFA supported a number of marker bills introduced in 2024, but those will have to be reintroduced for the current Congress since the makeup of both chambers changed after the 2024 elections. In addition to reintroduced bills, we expect to review some new marker bills as well. Follow organic marker bill updates with OFA’s Farm Bill Marker Bill Tracker for the 119th Congress, and review what was introduced by the 118th Congress. https://lnkd.in/ewpF4Sdz #FarmBill #OrganicFarmers #OrganicFarming #Organic #AgPolicy

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  • Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) poses a major threat to organic poultry farms, with over 2.3 million organic birds affected since late 2023. The virus spreads quickly and requires rapid detection, reporting, and strict biosecurity. 🦃 Read how organic producers can protect their flocks and respond to outbreaks while maintaining certification on page 12 of OFA's June Organic Voice. 🐄 And read the companion article about about H5N1 in Mammals on page 20. https://lnkd.in/g9Caumz6 ✉️ If you'd like to receive OFA's quarterly magazine with news and stories for and by organic farmers and supporters, subscribe to our mailing list: https://lnkd.in/epC3KcHj (We'll only email you about important action alerts, ways you can support organic, and when The Organic Voice is released!)

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  • OFA's new organic education calendar is full of virtual and in-person events for July! Here's a preview of what you'll find on the calendar: 📌 Gather & Grow Tour: Growing a School Garden - 7/10 📌 Sustainable Groundwater Panel – Center for Land Based Learning’s 📌 Speaker Series - 7/16 📌 Organics in the Ozarks - 7/17 📌 Policy and Pints - 7/17 📌 Transitioning to Organic Berry Farm Tour - 7/19 📌 Kneading Conference - 7/23 📌 Ecological Landscaping & Soil Health - 7/25 Explore more events: https://lnkd.in/e2WiA3HP If you're looking to gain more professional development, grow your organic knowledge, and connect with the organic farming community, browse OFA's new National Organic Farmer Education Network event calendar—your go-to resource for upcoming educational webinars, field days, conferences, workshops, and more. Get started: 🌱 Browse all upcoming events or use the search filters to narrow results by keyword, event category, production type, region, or event format 🗓️ Click on individual events to view the full details and visit the host organization’s website ✉️ Subscribe to receive customized email alerts for new events based on your chosen topics, keywords, or regions so you never miss an opportunity Whether you're just getting started in organic farming or looking to deepen your expertise, you’ll find events tailored to your needs and interests offered by trusted organizations around the country. 👉 Start exploring today: https://lnkd.in/e2WiA3HP

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