Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy News: Georgia Farmers Inform Our 2023 Farm Bill Priorities

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy and previous Director of Farmer Services. 

In 2021, the Georgia Organics board of directors passed a Strategic Plan that put the organization on a new path for advocacy, farm policy, and movement building. A new division of Georgia Organics, Farmer Advocacy, was launched in January 2022.  

To better understand the policy priorities of our farmers, Georgia Organics Farmer Advocacy, with input from Listen4Good and the Georgia Organics Advocacy and Programs Committee, launched a survey initiative. Over the spring and early summer of 2022, Georgia Organics distributed a survey to more than 1,000 farmers to determine their highest policy priorities. 

The results of that survey, featuring the input from 128 organic and sustainable farmers, are below. The survey data has also been published as a report (available here) that has been shared with dozens of advocacy partners and Congressional lawmakers. 

Demographic data on the farmers who filled out the survey is also provided at the conclusion of the survey’s results summary below.  

(Note: Funding to support the facilitation of this report was received from The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Georgia Organics’ Farmer Advocacy efforts have also received funding from Organic Valley and Farm Aid.) 

Rep. Austin Scott, vice chair of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, second from left, with farmer Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farms, Director of Farmer Advocacy Michael Wall, and Legislative Director Zach Roberts. 

Survey Question: Which government functions are most important for your farm’s success? 

The majority of survey participants cited USDA programming on conservation as most important to their farm’s success.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. USDA Programming on conservation, such as the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS); 58.6%

2. USDA Programming on crop insurance and access to capital, such as the Farm Service Agency (FSA); 40.23%

3. Local zoning code and ordinances and code enforcement; 29.89%

4. State regulations and enforcement; 21.84%

5. State licensing; 18.39%

6. National Organic Program (NOP) standards and enforcement; 12.64%

7. Local licensing; 10.34%

8. National Organic Program (NOP) organic transitioning support; 8.05%

Survey Question: Which institutions are most important for your farm’s success? Please select the two most important to your farm. 

The majority of survey participants cited USDA offices and Land Grant universities as the two institutions most important to their farm’s success.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. USDA offices, such as FSA, NRCS; 49.43% 

2. Land Grant universities, because of their research, education, and extension offices; 44.83% 

3. Other farmer services organizations, such as the Southeastern African-American Farmers Organic Network (SAAFON), Global Growers, Food Well Alliance, Southwest Georgia Project, etc.; 36.78% 

4. Advocacy groups that address issues such as climate change, soil health, and racial equity; 35.63% 

5. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA); 33.33% 

Survey Question: Which of the following issues are most important for your farm’s success? 

The majority of survey participants cited healthy soil and access to capital and USDA programs as issues most important to their farm’s success, followed by a tie between conservation programs and land-ownership.

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

1. Healthy soil; 52.87% 

2. Accessing USDA programs; 42.53% 

3. Access to capital; 32.18% 

4. Climate change; 29.89% 

5. (tie) Conservation programs: access and cost share amounts; 28.74% 

6. (tie) Land-ownership; 28.74% 

7. Health insurance costs and access; 25.29% 

8. Racial equity; 18.39% 

9. Building a statewide sustainable ag policy coalition; 13.79% 

10. Succession planning; 8.05% 

11. Access to land zoned for agriculture; 6.9% 

12. Crop insurance and subsidies; 5.75% 

13. Heirs property issues; 4.6% 

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POLICY IMPLICATIONS: What We Gathered from Listening to Georgia Farmers

Based on the feedback provided by our farmers, Georgia Organics recommends the following policy shifts:

• Increase funding and access to the Farm Bill’s Title II: Conservation section. 

• Double the cost-share rates for all soil health-related conservation activities and contracts available in the National Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  

• Invest more deeply in organic research, including the SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program. 

• Provide training and outreach for Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to ensure equitable access to RMA’s crop insurance programs for small-scale and organic producers. 

• Ensure organic integrity and a strong organic marketplace by continuously improving the National Organic Program (NOP). 

• Increase and consolidate the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) organic cost-share reimbursements from two applications capped at $750 to one application capped at $1,500 per farm per year. 

• Make the recently announced Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) a permanent program. 

• Allow the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grant funds to be spent on infrastructure needs, such as seeds, inputs, implements, irrigation, harvest bins, and washing stations. 

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Demographics of Survey Participants

The following statistics reflect the total survey participant responses, ranked by highest to lowest percentages:

Relationship to Farming 

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants identified as farm owners. There was a small tie between those identifying as aspiring farmers and farmer support providers.

1. Farm owner – 77.91%

2. Farm Manager - 22.09% 

3. Farm Worker – 17.44%

4. Community organizer – 13.95%

5. Other – 9.3%

6. Agricultural educator – 6.98%

7. Aspire to own farmland – 5.81%

8. Agricultural researcher – 3.49%

9. Don’t farm but aspire to (tie) – 2.33%

10. Farmer support service (tie) – 2.33%

11. Ag student – 1.16%

Farm and Production Type

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The majority of survey participants claimed their main production to be diversified vegetable crops, along with fruits and eggs.

1. Diversified veg - 78.67% 

2. Fruits – 46.67% 

3. Eggs – 34.67% 

4. Mushrooms – 20% 

5. Goats or other small ruminants for meat – 10.67% 

6. Beef cattle (tie) – 8% 

7. Commodities (tie) – 8% 

8. Chicken for meat – 5.33% 

9. Hogs for meat – 4% 

10. Grains (tie) – 2.67% 

11. Goat milk (tie) – 2.67% 

12. Row crops for livestock feed (tie) – 2.67% 

Acreage 

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants claimed to farm on somewhere between less than an acre and 20 acres.

1. <1 acre – 19.05% 

2. 1 to 3 – 17.86% 

3. 4 to 10 – 17.86% 

4. 10 to 20 – 14.29% 

5. 30 to 50 – 9.52% 

6. 50 to 100 – 7.14% 

7. 100 to 300 – 7.14% 

8. 300 to 500 – 2.38% 

9. 500 to 1,000 – 3.57% 

10. 1,000 to 2,000 – 1.19% 

Age

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants identified as ages 35 to 64.

1. 35-44 years – 38.55% 

2. 45-54 – 20.48% 

3. 55-64 – 15.66% 

4. 65-74 – 14.46%% 

5. 25-34 – 7.23% 

6. 17 or younger – 2.41% 

7. 75 or older – 1.20% 

8. 18-24 – none 

Racial Identity

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants identified as white.

1. White – 65.85%

2. Black or African American – 25.61% * 

3. Asian or Asian American – 6.10%

4. Native American or Alaska Native – 6.10% 

5. Hispanic or Latino/a/x – 4.88% 

6. Middle Eastern or North African – 1.22% 

*In the U.S., Black farmers make up 1.4 percent of the farming community, and in Georgia, 4 percent, according to the USDA Census of Agriculture.  

Gender

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants identified as men.

1. Man – 57.5% 

2. Woman – 41.25% 

3. Non-Binary – 1.25% 

Future Farmer Engagement  

Hover your cursor over the chart for descriptors.

The majority of survey participants claimed they were in favor of supporting an advocacy committee and were willing to meet with Georgia-elected officials.

1. Are willing to support an advocacy committee – 40 farmers 

2. Are willing to meet with state-level elected officials – 38 farmers 

3. Are willing to meet with USDA/GDA officials – 35 farmers 

4. Are willing to meet with federal-level elected officials – 29 farmers 

5. Not interested - 22 farmers 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics. 

Trips to U.S. Capitol Lead Congressman to On-Farm Visit to Largest Certified Organic Farm

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is the Director of Advocacy at Georgia Organics.

(Left to right) Director of Advocacy Michael Wall, Farm Manager Logan Petrey of Grimmway Farms, and Rep. Austin Scott, vice chair of the House Ag Committee.

Over the past 12 months, Georgia Organics has traveled to the U.S. Capitol three times to argue for a more organic-friendly Farm Bill. On each of the trips, Georgia Organics brought along farmers who are active advocates for more support for small- to mid-scale sustainable growers. 

In all, Georgia Organics, along with farmers Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farm in McDonough, Ga., Logan Petrey of Grimmway Farms in Lake Park, Ga., and Georgia Organics Board Chair CheFarmer Matthew Raiford of Gilliard Farms in Brunswick, Ga., have met with the following members of Congress, or their legislative staff: 

• Rep. Austin Scott, R-GA 8th District, Vice Chair of the House Ag Committee 

• Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-GA, Member of the Senate Ag Committee 

• Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, Ranking Member Senate Ag Committee 

• Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, Chair of the Senate Ag Committee  

• Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R- PA 15th District, Chair of the House Ag Committee Chair 

• Rep. David Scott, D-GA 13th District, Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee  

• Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GA  

• Rep. Nikema Williams, D-GA 5th District 

• Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-GA 2nd District, Member of the House Ag and Appropriations Committees 

Almost all of the conversations were civil and respectful, with Congressional members and staff who are working hard for their constituents and the agriculture community. 

“One of our top goals during these meetings is to encourage members of Congress and their staff to visit certified organic operations in Georgia, to hear more directly from our farmers and observe their operations firsthand. ”

Georgia Organics, and the farmers with us, pushed for more support for organic and sustainable farmers, especially when it comes to safety nets and risk management, conservation programs operated by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the needs of farmers who are attempting to transition to organic certification. The trips to Washington, D.C., are made possible because of partnerships and support provided by the Organic Trade Association, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and funding provided by Organic Valley and Farm Aid. 

(From left to right) Farmer Julia Asherman of Rag & Frass Farm surveys crops with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s Legislative Correspondent Caroline Li and Legislative Director Anna Cullen.

One of our top goals during these meetings is to encourage members of Congress and their staff to visit certified organic operations in Georgia, to hear more directly from our farmers and observe their operations firsthand.  

Two such meetings occurred this Summer. The first was with hosted by farmer Julia Asherman of Rag N Frass Farm in Jeffersonville, Ga., where we met Sen. Ossoff’s Legislative Correspondent Caroline Li and Legislative Director Anna Cullen. 

The second on-farm meeting was held at Grimmway Farms with Rep. Austin Scott and farm manager Logan Petrey. Grimmway Farms, with facilities and acreage in Georgia, Florida, California, Washington, and Colorado, operates the largest certified organic farm east of Mississippi, and the largest certified organic carrot farm in the world. 

“The trips to Washington, D.C., are made possible because of partnerships and support provided by the Organic Trade Association, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and funding provided by Organic Valley and Farm Aid. ”

— Director of Advocacy for Georgia Organics, Michael Wall

The farm tours and discussions led to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and promising economic opportunities that accompany certified organic production in Georgia. 

Most of the obstacles our farmers and ranchers face could be resolved with a Farm Bill that prioritizes soil health and recognizes the multitude of solutions organic farmers provide for battling climate change and preventable, health-related illnesses. 

Curious about our current policy priorities? Learn about the importance of the Farm Bill, as dictated by our farmers, here. 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics. 

Free Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance: A Retrospective and 2024 Open Enrollment

By Ain Chiké  

Ain is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics. She currently leads progress with connecting farmers and ag workers to Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance and is the creator and manager of the Georgia Organics Apprenticeship Program.

Farming is inherently hard work and managing risk becomes a daily practice. Farm owners who are part of the farm’s labor force cannot afford to take days off due to sudden illness or injury. The time away equates to loss of income and increased medical bills. The same is true of farm workers. In 2017, Georgia Organics partnered with Kaiser Permanente to bring metro Atlanta area farmers affordable healthcare under the Kaiser Permanente Bridge Healthcare Program.

The Kaiser Bridge Program supplies uninsured, low-income individuals and families with subsidized high-level health insurance. This program helps to “bridge” the gap for agricultural workers who do not qualify for Medicaid and find the monthly premiums of the Affordable Care Act burdensome.   

“...the coverage limit [of the program] has been expanded beyond the previous two-year coverage rule.  ”

Pictured above are some farmers felllowshiping at a tour of Woape Farm (woh-ah-pay) in Houston County. All attendees of our 2023 Georgia Organics Conference in Perry, GA were invited to chose from eight surrounding farms to tour before heading back home. Photo by Jenna Shea Photojournalism.

Since the program’s inception, Georgia Organics has helped over 50 farm owners, farm workers, and their qualified dependents receive healthcare. Our farmers have saved thousands of dollars on unexpected medical fees, follow-up care, and annual physicals. In some cases, participants who would normally ignore a lingering ache, progressive cough, or twisted joint, were able to schedule a visit at a Kaiser Permanente office to receive top tier medical care. This helped them get back on the farm in good physical condition and prevented their ailments from exaggerating.

“Former two-year beneficiaries are encouraged to re-apply through Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.”

LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM, Worker-owners from left to right: Joe Reynolds, Judith Winfrey, Demetrius Milling, Monica Ponce, and Russell Honderd. Photo courtesy of the farmers’ website.

One of our Farmer Members, Hanna Brown, a fifth-year farm worker and current part of the Love is Love farm crew, spoke about an often overlooked benefit of being in the program and insured when she stated that

“…being a part of the Kaiser Bridge Program has greatly improved my peace of mind. With as many healthcare concerns that could come as a direct result of farm work, knowing that I could easily and affordably receive healthcare has been an enormous relief.” 

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM? 

Eligible individuals: 

• Farm owners, farmer employees (this includes undocumented workers), agricultural contractors, those who work in forestry, those in a farm mentorship program, etc.   

• Live or work in Bartow, Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Lamar, Newton, Paulding, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, or Walton counties of Georgia. 

• Meet annual or monthly income requirements of the program. 

• Maintain membership with a Georgia Organics or SAAFON for the duration of enrollment.

PROGRAM UPDATES

Past participants and those familiar with the program should be aware that the coverage limit has been expanded beyond the previous two-year coverage rule.  

WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY

The upcoming open enrollment period will begin in Nov. 2023 and close in Jan. 2024. Former two-year beneficiaries are encouraged to re-apply through Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

If you read this article after the deadline, re-apply between Nov. 2023 and Jan. 2024 during the open enrollment period.

New to Kaiser Bridge? Email gofarmerservices@gmail.com to sign-up for open enrollment updates and learn more about the program for you and your farm employees.

READY TO JOIN OR RENEW YOUR GEORGIA ORGANICS MEMBERSHIP TODAY? Find the right membership level for you at www.georgiaorganics.org/membership.

To learn more about Georgia Organics visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube by searching (Georgia Organics).   

Georgia Organics' Conference & Expo is Growing and Adapting for More Meaningful Impact

Georgia Organics is pleased to announce that our long-beloved Conference & Expo is growing and adapting for more meaningful impact. 

For well over 20 years, Georgia Organics’ Conference & Expo has birthed incredible partnerships and collaboration in the Georgia farming and organic agriculture space. 

With the post-pandemic return of Conference this February 2023 in Perry, GA, we were amazed by the turnout and positive feedback. It reminded us of the deep value of this gathering.

It’s a crucial space for hardworking farmers and food leaders across the state to gather, collaborate, and refuel. It directly speaks to our Strategic Plan values of Farmer Prosperity and Community & Collective Impact. 

2023 Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, all photography: Jenna Shea Photojournalism

In the months following our 2023 Conference, we have weighed feedback and the value of this event in the scope of our strategic work and decided to shift to an every-other-year schedule. 

GEORGIA ORGANICS CONFERENCE & EXPO IS NOW BI-ANNUAL 

As a statewide organization and leader in the Southeastern agriculture and community food space, we acknowledge that we must diversify how we gather—regionally, statewide, and locally—and ensure that we’re highly collaborative and foster maximum impact when we do gather. Change can be hard, but to stay relevant, Conference must evolve. 

The post-pandemic world and increased needs for climate responsiveness and food equity action prompt us to reevaluate how and where we spend our time as an organization. The decision to shift Conference to a bi-annual schedule will give Georgia Organics’ staff the capacity to plan and execute these meaningful gatherings. And in Conference “off-years,” the team will remain focused on our increased direct services work with farmers and community partners across the state. Explore this work and the pillars of our Strategic Plan in our recent Impact Report at georgiaorganics.org/impact.  

We will launch this bi-annual schedule in a big way: the 2025 Conference & Expo will be a partner-led, regional Conference serving farmers and sustainable ag leaders across the Southeast. 

We will not hold a Conference & Expo in 2024. 

GEORGIA ORGANICS’ CONFERENCE IN 2025 WILL BE A REGIONAL EVENT  

The 2025 Regional Conference will reflect the deepening, collaborative nature of our work. We need collective wisdom and collective impact at this pivotal moment.  

The current needs of farmers and local food communities, plus the challenges of climate change far exceed the state of Georgia. We’re asking how can we activate both hyperlocal and statewide networks for a more robust web and thriving Georgia food system? 

We are currently working in partnership with organizations and local leaders in 12 sister states in the South to build a regional network. In the short term, the network will provide strategic direction and input in developing the 2025 Regional Conference themes, track topics, and other core elements. In the long term, we hope that the network will continue to grow and serve the unique needs of our region and our farmers. 

One thing is clear in these conversations: This is an event centered on sustainable, organic, and regenerative farmers. We also are aligned on the themes of joy, diversity, and renewal for this exciting re-seeding of a regional conference. We aim for this event to chart the path laid by the much-missed Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) regional conference. 

Georgia Organics President & CEO Alice Rolls, who is spearheading the Regional Conference network, notes of the decision to host our first bi-annual Conference as a regional event: “the environmental, policy, and resource challenges in sustainable agriculture show us that we need to be more sophisticated in approach, moving beyond state lines. This is about regional knowledge-sharing of agriculture and community food work.” She adds, “our aim is to lift up the farmers in our community and attend to our neighbors, create a welcoming, inclusive, productive space.” 

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED 

We have a lot of work ahead, not only in Georgia Organics ongoing direct service work and community support to Georgia organic farmers, but so that we produce a 2025 Regional Conference that drives impact beyond Georgia. 

We’re currently seeking additional affiliate and steering partners for the 2025 Regional Conference and encourage members of local farming and sustainable ag policy communities to reach out to us at alice [at] georgiaorganics [dot] org. Closer to the regional event, we will issue calls for volunteers via our email newsletter, The Dirt. 

Between now and 2025, we will prioritize in-person gatherings across the state for farmers, including the continuation of our Farmer Field Days, farmer happy hours, and more. Our time and efforts remain invested in farmer prosperity-driving work through the direct services of our Farmer Services program. Explore this work at farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org and sign up for Grower News at bit.ly/growernews. 

Our Community Collaboration team is also gathering and collaborating around the state—currently in Savannah and Waycross—activating local networks for local food and farm partners on strategies to reduce childhood food insecurity. Learn more at georgiaorganics.org/familyfarmshare. 

Furthermore, our Farmer Advocacy work continues, with heavy focus on the 2023 Farm Bill and the active state meetings, D.C. fly-ins with key organic partners, and active advocating for the needs of organic farmers, led by Georgia Organics’ Director of Farmer Advocacy Michael Wall. Learn more at georgiaorganics.org/advocacy. 

We remain steadfast in our day-to-day commitments to organic farmers and constantly evolving to provide robust community support and activation. 

Stay tuned, we cannot wait to see you in 2025!