Talk About Great Timing!

So after the scary documentary on Monstanto, here is some great news for the future the U.S. food supply:

Obama Offers Farmers $50 million to Go Organic!

Under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) farmers in all 50 states have funds available to encourage organic agriculture production.

From the USDA press release:

Under the Organic Initiative required minimum core conservation practices will be determined by specific resource concerns. The practices are: Conservation Crop Rotation; Cover Crop; Nutrient Management; Pest Management; Prescribed Grazing; and Forage Harvest Management. States must consider using any appropriate practice that meets the resource concern on a particular operation.

Applications received from organic producers or producers in transition to organic farming will be accepted under this initiative between May 11 and May 29. Applications will be ranked at that time.

“The USDA funding is historic. It signals federal recognition of the multiple contributions organic agriculture makes to the health of our environment. Better water quality, enhanced biodiversity, protection of bees and other pollinators, and increased carbon storage in our soil are all benefits of organic production,” said the Organic Farming Research Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst Mark Lipson.