House Committee Passes Organic Food Bill Amendment

The AP (5/18, Jalonick) reports that that tension over organic and traditional food-industry groups “boiled over” last week “during a late-night House Agriculture Committee debate on farm legislation” after Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), a “former organic farmer, offered an amendment to make it easier for organic companies to organize industry-wide promotional campaigns,” prompting a “swift backlash from some farm-state Republicans.”

For example, Rep. Mike Conaway (TX) “took issue with part of the amendment that would allow the organic producers to opt out of other commodity campaigns, an option that isn't given to conventional producers.”

In contrast, Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO), “who owns a farm equipment business and a non-organic corn and soybean farm, said she supported the amendment not only because helping organics is good for agriculture but because many of her constituents eat organic foods.” Still, the committee adopted the amendment, with a 29-17 vote; and eight of the 29 favorable votes came from Republicans.