Comment now on Organic Exemption from Conventional Commodity Check-off
The USDA has recently published its proposed rule to exempt more organic farmers from paying into conventional commodity check-off programs. The proposed rule would extend the exemption for organic farmers, handlers, marketers and importers to products that are certified “organic” or “100 percent organic” and also to those who produce, process, handle or import both organic and conventional products. 

If you are a certified organic operator who is subject to a conventional commodity research and promotion order or a federal marketing order program, you are encouraged to submit comments to the USDA and let them know this exemption is important to organic agriculture.

The deadline to submit comments is Thursday, January 15, before midnight Eastern time.