Hello all,

Thank you for signing our petition and your involvement in organic agriculture in New Hampshire. I apologize for the poor timing getting this update to you, but we wanted to make sure you knew about three important bills being presented this upcoming Tuesday, January 16th involving the future of organic agriculture at our state level.

Please read Briefing on Organic Certification Services in New Hampshire 11/17/23 for an overview of where the state and organic producers are at in this process. Of note, in a September 2023 meeting, the Agricultural Advisory Board voted to support the NHDAMF as a NOP Certifying Agent given the program is financially self-sustaining. Based on preliminary calculations, this will result in a significant fee increase for the 2025 growing season. As of November 13, 2023, the projected fees for FY 2025 will range from $2,900 to $4,900 per certified operation, depending on acreage/greenhouse square footage. These fees are not feasible for producers and well outrank fees from similar certifying agencies. The final calculations are dependent upon the outcome of existing NH House/Senate Bills, so please make your voice heard to maintain reasonable fees and program viability for organic producers in NH!

Below you will find information drafted by NOFA-NH for testifying on these bills. We hope to see you there!

Join Us to Stand Up For Organic Certification in New Hampshire on January 16th!

New Hampshire’s organic farming community is seeking support from the public at upcoming legislative hearings on Tuesday, January 16th relative to proposed bills concerning organic certification in the Granite State. Farmers across the state are making plans to testify in-person at the Legislative Office Building (33 North State St, Concord NH 03301) and online in support of the following bills, and are urging community members to do the same:

� 10:00am – 11:00am, HB1184-FN-A: relative to making an appropriation to the organic certification program.

� 11:00am – 11:30am, HB1618-FN: mandating a cooperative agreement with USDA for “organic” certification.

Additionally, farmers are testifying in opposition to a bill that would do away with organic certification at the state level in New Hampshire:

� 11:30am – 12:00pm, HB1578: relative to organic food certification and
labeling

We are sharing some tips about how to testify in person and online:

Testify In Person at the Legislative Office Building on January 16th!

We recommend that you write your own testimony ahead of time. We have developed the following prompts to help you write your own, customized testimony. Your personalized testimony really has an impact on legislators!

Prompts for Writing Your Own Testimony:
� Please share why organic farms and support from the state are important to NH and the agriculture community.
� Why is a NH organic brand important to you?
� Why is it important to you that the state supports organic certification services for NH's organic farmers?

Here are a few sample testimonies. If you don't have time to write your own testimony, feel free to use one or a combination of these.

SAMPLE TESTIMONIES
Supporting HB1184-FN-A & HB1618-FN
Organic food is a growing sector of the agricultural economy worldwide. In the U.S., sales of organic food products generated $52 billion in 2021 alone. New Hampshire has been supporting our state's organic farmers by providing organic certification services through the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food (NHDAMF). This service provides a New Hampshire organic brand and identity for organic producers and their products. Today, NHDAMF certifies New Hampshire farmers for organic crops. It is important to New Hampshire organic farmers that the state preserves this agricultural service and continues to make it affordable for producers. By continuing to offer organic certification services at the state level, New Hampshire can actively support this growing sector of the agricultural economy. I stand in solidarity with New Hampshire organic farmers who seek continued, affordable organic certification services at the state.

Opposing HB1578
Organic food is a growing sector of the agricultural economy worldwide. In the U.S., sales of organic food products generated $52 billion in 2021 alone. New Hampshire has been supporting our state's organic farmers by providing organic certification services through the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food (NHDAMF). This service provides a New Hampshire organic brand and identity for organic producers and their products. Today, NHDAMF certifies New Hampshire farmers for organic crops. It is important to New Hampshire organic farmers that the state preserves this agricultural service and continues to make it affordable for producers. Repealing the organic certification services provided by NHDAMF would pose a hardship for farmers who are currently utilizing this service, as it would require them to switch certifiers mid-season. I stand in solidarity with New Hampshire organic farmers who seek continued, affordable organic certification services at the state.

Supporting HB1184-FN-A & HB1618-FN OR Opposing HB1578
Organic agriculture benefits all citizens of New Hampshire — by growing healthy foods, increasing soil health, preventing water contamination, and helping mitigate climate changes, to name a few. These benefits are well documented through research. The 2022 Organic Report from the USDA shows over 10,000 certified organic acres in crops and almost 9,000 acres in pasture in New Hampshire. Organic certification is an important tool for these farmers to market their products. Don’t let this program die. Please keep NHDAMF organic certification a viable option for our New Hampshire farmers.

On January 16th, bring your written testimony to the Legislative Office Building at 33 North Main Street in Concord, NH. All the bill hearings above will be held in Room 301-303.
You will be able to sign up to give testimony once you are at the building - even if you don't get a chance to speak, signing in and indicating which bills you support or oppose really helps!

Testify Online on January 16th!

To testify online, click here.
Step 1: Personal Information
� Fill out your name, town, and email address
Step 2: Select Date of the Hearing
� Select January 16 on the calendar
Step 3: Select Bill
� Select "House Environment and Agriculture"
� Select "10:00am-HB1184", "11:00 am-HB1618", or "11:30am-
HB1578"
� Select "A Member of the Public"
� Leave "Myself" selected (unless officially representing an organization)
� Select "I Support This Bill" for HB1184 & HB1618
� Select "I Oppose This Bill" for HB1578
Step 4: Upload Remote Testimony (Optional)

� You have the option to either upload a document or type in testimony. Use
the prompts and sample above to guide you!

Step 5: Final Review
� Click "Submit"

You did it! Thank you for standing up for Organic Ag in NH!

Remote testimony can be submitted through 11:59 pm on January 16th!

You can add the January 16th hearings to your calendar and live stream the hearings here.

More information available from www.nofanh.org

Briefing on Organic Certification Services in New Hampshire 11/17/23

Why Organic? FAQ from NOFA-NH

Thank you for supporting organic agriculture in New Hampshire!

Preserve NH Organic Certification & Support Organic Agriculture

Preserve NH Organic Certification & Support Organic Agriculture

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The Issue

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