Association wants federal check-off program for organic products

Got organic?

An association representing organic farmers and retailers has officially petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow the industry to implement the same program that raised funds for the famous "Got Milk?" PR campaign.

The Organic Trade Association announced Wednesday it is seeking permission to establish a federal check-off program for organic foods, titled GRO Organic. The program would raise roughly $30 million a year for market research and promotion by charging fees that would be paid by organic farmers, handlers and processors.

Similar programs have already been established for other commodities, such as milk, pork and beef products.

"Organic production in this country is not keeping pace with the robust demand," OTA Executive Director Laura Batcha said. "An organic check-off program would give organic stakeholders the opportunity to collectively invest in research, build domestic supply and communicate the value of the organic brand to advance the entire industry to a new level."

Commodity check-off programs have been controversial because of their mandatory fees. OTA said it has studied those programs and has designed its own to avoid mistakes. For example, fees would be optional for farmers and handlers with gross revenues below $250,000. http://bit.ly/1K876Lw

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