Organic Report Fall 2021 - Flipbook - Page 7
coalition-building, the Organic Trade Association, with funding
provided by Organic Valley and the Organically Grown
Company, is creating a new State Organic Advocacy Network.
Planned to be officially launched in fall 2021, a high-level steering
committee has been formed to guide the set-up of the network.
“The network’s purpose is to share information and thought
leadership from other states,” said Batcha. “We are putting
together a network of state-level organic organizations and
advocates in which they can pool information, share valuable
lessons learned from local programs and coalesce around
certain issues. No other national network exists with a focus on
state-level advocacy and exchange between states where the
goals of supporting organic food and farming will be shared by
all participants.”
A steering committee of organic
champions with lots to share
Members of the steering committee
reflect the huge diversity and wide swath
of organic farmers and operations across
the nation, and the broad array of
organic initiatives that are underway in
various regions. They have all led
successful state advocacy programs for
organic, and they all have hard-won
victories and lessons-learned to share.
essential to develop the kind of on-the-ground support that
organic farmers and businesses need to succeed and grow.
“At the state level, OGC’s work is focused on developing
the necessary infrastructure and knowledge needed to see
organic thrive. OGC’s advocacy work aims to ensure ongoing
investments in federal organic research programs as well as
regional investments in organic extension. Research and
extension are critical components to ensuring the viability of
our organic farms as well as further transition,” he explains.
Working with other Oregon organic associations, OGC
was successful in encouraging the state legislature to get two
full-time organic extension agent positions at Oregon State
University secured in 2019, and there are currently bills
pending to fund a “cluster hire” of five more organic
extension agents, and to create two new positions at the
The Oregon contingent
Oregon has long been one of the
nation’s leading organic producing
states, and it’s in large part due to a
group of actively engaged organic
champions in the state. Three of them
are represented on the steering
committee for the new advocacy
network.
David Lively is one of the founders of
the Oregon-based Organically Grown
Organic Valley staff veterinarian Dr. Guy Jordaski helps farmers care for
Company (OGC). Lively, who studied
organically raised animals in Wisconsin. Workshops on organic animal care
social work in college and says he’s
sponsored by Organic Valley and the state of Wisconsin drew 90 vets from
always wanted to change the world, has
three states. Photo: Organic Valley.
made a good start at it through the
organic produce wholesale company he
founded with his brother and other visionaries back in the late Oregon Department of Agriculture: an Organic Special
1970s.
Assistant to the Director and a Soil Health Specialist.
Lively continues to push the organic needle forward. He’s
helped found a number of groups throughout the years to
Steering committee member Chris Schreiner, executive
strengthen the organic voice and expand organic agriculture
director at Oregon Tilth, has been working to advance
in Oregon, and to build relations with state policymakers and
organic agriculture for more than 20 years. As one of the
other organic businesses.
nation’s oldest and biggest organic certifiers, Oregon Tilth
“Over the years, we’ve partnered closely to launch the
works with a diverse mix of over 2,200 clients throughout the
Sustainable Food Trade Association, the Organic Produce
U.S. and Mexico,
Wholesalers Coalition, and Organicology. These close
Schreiner stresses the need for relationships and
partnerships have served as the foundation for advocacy
collaboration in advancing organic: “We can accomplish more
strategy and engagement with our elected officials,” says
together than we can alone. All our most successful programs
Lively.
and services are founded on building good relationships…The
Lively feels that activity at the state level is absolutely
other part is connecting clients with educational resources and
Organic Report • Fall 2021
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