January 2023-Organic Dairy Farmers Need Emergency Relief Update

Hello Change.org community!

Thank you to those who have already signed our change.org letter. With nearly 3,000 signatures back in early December, we submitted the letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, and Governor Newsom of California. 

In late December, President Biden signed the bipartisan omnibus spending billing. 40.6 billion is allocated to assist communities across the country that are recovering from drought, hurricanes, flooding, wildfire, natural disasters, and other emergencies. Congress is calling on USDA to provide emergency relief to organic dairy producers. Report language accompanying the bill directs USDA to report back within 30 days on available sources of USDA funding to address the organic dairy crisis. 

We also are aware that California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)  and California Certifiers of Organic Farmers (CCOF) may distribute grant money this year to select organic dairy farmers in California, who applied for drought relief assistance. 

Thanks for supporting local organic dairy farmers by purchasing USDA-certified organic dairy products. Thanks to our organic community, local, state, and federal politicians and everyone else who helped make these milestones happen. 

In the new year, we'll continue to work together to help get emergency relief for organic dairy farmers. 

We'll also continue to collect signatures here. If interested, please share with your friends, family, and colleagues. Help us reach our next goal of 5,000 signatures! 

https://www.change.org/p/organic-dairy-farmers-need-emergency-relief?redirect=false 

Sincerely, 

On behalf of the Western Organic Dairy Farming Crisis Coalition