CONCORD, N.H. — Organic farmers in New Hampshire are hoping for better treatment under the latest farm bill being negotiated in Washington.

The last farm bill extension under the Biden Administration left several U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that are focused on organic farming unfunded, including the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The Trump Administration then canceled $1 billion in grant funding for farm-to-school and local food programs.

“We’re not asking for anything special,” said Jim Riddle, former member of the National Organic Standards Board. “We’re just asking for equal treatment.”

Big agriculture gets a lot of help from Washington, and New Hampshire organic farmers are urging U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-New Hampshire, to work toward leveling that playing field in the next farm bill.

“For far too long, the rules of the road for farmers have been written for the big players in our agricultural industry, and as I’ve talked to family farms and farmers across New Hampshire, we need rules that work well for our family farms,” Goodlander said.

On top of the cuts, farmers are seeing prices skyrocket on agricultural equipment and supplies caught in international trade wars.

“All of our netting that we use on our farm comes from Canada, and because of the tariffs, our costs have increased, at least from the standpoint of netting, better than 50%,” said Ron Christie, of Off the Wall Orchard.

Farmers said this is not the way to “Make America Healthy Again.”

“And a slogan can sound good, but if you’re saying you want to do one thing but then you’re slashing and cutting, you’re going to have to cut a bunch of programs and those programs are going to, down the road or almost immediately, impact farmers,” said James Stever, co-president of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

https://www.wmur.com/article/organic-farmers-new-hampshire-farm-bill-82625/65904564