Tuesday, May 03, 2011

$$$ for organic, transition farmers

California farmers and ranchers transitioning to organic systems as well as established organic producers now have an opportunity to apply for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative funding to assist their organic efforts. The USDA recently announced another $50 million in funding for the EQIP Organic Initiative, which provides a 75% share of the cost of implementing organic conservation measures to those who qualify - 90% for beginning, limited-resource and socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This is the third year of the Organic Initiative. In 2010, NRCS obligated $24 million nationally...more

If organic producers receive a premium for their product as a result of consumer preference, why subsidize it? And if they don't receive a premium as a result of consumer preference, then why subsidize a product the consumers don't prefer?

This and all other subsidies should be eliminated.

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