OSA’s Advocacy Director Cathleen McCluskey and Executive Director Laura Lewis took our Lead With Seed campaign to Washington, D.C., last week as part of the National Organic Coalition (NOC) fly-in. Our fellow coalition members from across the U.S. and organic sector came together to discuss organic priorities with Members of Congress and the USDA on Capitol Hill. We urged Members to pass a Farm Bill that Leads With Seed by including policies that have impactful and equitable solutions that support agricultural resiliency, a healthier planet, and more choice for growers.
Our fly-in team started the day off by meeting with two huge champions of organic agriculture Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Senator Peter Welsh (VT) before taking on 50+ meetings with Members across the Hill. The OSA team met with Senator Baldwin (WI), another champion of organic agriculture, to discuss her Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act which supports public cultivar development. We also met with Congressman Pocan’s (WI-02) staff to discuss their ongoing support of organic and commitment to creating fair markets for farmers in Wisconsin, and staff from Senator Cantwell (WA) and Congressman Larsen (WA-02) offices to share organic priorities that support Washington farmers. The National Organic Coalition group wrapped up the week by meeting with USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt, to share our organic priorities and applaud the Agency’s work addressing consolidation and intellectual property issues in seed.
We invite you to join us in participatory action in asking Congress to Lead with Seed in the 2023 Farm Bill.
