Homegrown Organic Act of 2017

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to better assist producers who are voluntarily making the transition to organic production systems, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Homegrown Organic Act of 2017 2. Programs for producers transitioning to organic production systems (a) Conservation reserve program Section 1235(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3835(f) (1) in paragraph (1), by striking or a socially a farmer or rancher transitioning to organic farming or ranching, or a socially (2) by adding at the end the following: (3) Cap on enrollment The Secretary may establish a cap on the number of acres subject to contract modifications described in paragraph (1) with regard to farmers or ranchers transitioning to organic farming or ranching if the Secretary determines that such a cap would be necessary to mitigate any significant erosion of organic commodity premiums. (4) Definition In this section, a farmer or rancher transitioning to organic farming or ranching 7 U.S.C. 6501 . (b) Conservation stewardship program Section 1238G of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3838g (j) Establishment of organic transition bundles (1) Availability of organic transition bundles In entering into conservation stewardship contracts under section 1238F, the Secretary shall make organic transition bundles available to producers transitioning to organic production. (2) Eligibility To be eligible for a contract that includes an organic transition bundle, a producer shall agree to gain organic certification under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 ( 7 U.S.C. 6501 (3) Organic transition bundle In this subsection, the term organic transition bundle (A) appropriate for producers tran­si­tion­ing into organic production, including organic cropping, livestock, and grazing systems; and (B) based on existing groupings or bundles of conservation activities designed for organic producers. (4) Enrollment The Secretary may cap enrollment of land to be covered by conservation stewardship contracts that include organic transition bundles per year, on a commodity basis, if the Secretary determines that such a cap would be necessary to mitigate any significant erosion of organic commodity premiums. (5) Termination of contracts The Secretary may terminate a conservation stewardship contract that includes payments for organic transition bundles, or modify such a contract to terminate such payments, if the Secretary determines that the producer— (A) is not pursuing organic certification; or (B) is not in compliance with the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 ( 7 U.S.C. 6501 . (c) Removal of payment cap for certain payments within the environmental quality incentives program Section 1240B(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(i) (1) by striking paragraph (3); and (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively.

Summary: Homegrown Organic Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to modify several Department of Agriculture conservation programs to authorize additional assistance for farmers who are transitioning to organic farming. The bill modifies the Conservation Reserve Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.