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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	December 19, 2022 09:48 AM
From:	Representative Eddie Day Pashinski and Rep. Maureen E. Madden
To:	All House members
Subject:	Pa Farm Bill-Pa Preferred Organic Program Trademark

Since 2019, the PA Preferred® Organic Program has been used to increase market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers, making Pa the top producing state for organic eggs, mushrooms, livestock and poultry – and #3 overall nationally in organic agriculture sales. The PA Preferred® Organic Program, an initiative designed to highlight Pennsylvania organic products and market them to make Pennsylvania the leading organic state in the nation, provides education and technical assistance to bolster the growing organic farming industry in Pennsylvania.  Building from this success, we will soon be re-introducing legislation to permanently establish the PA Preferred® Organic Program. Pennsylvanians are increasingly seeking a greater quantity and variety of organic foods at their markets and groceries. By making Pa produced organic products easily identifiable and encouraging our farmers to produce more organic products in-state, Pennsylvania farmers can continue to benefit from this rapidly expanding market. With 1,048 certified organic farms and more than 107,550 acres of certified organic land in the commonwealth, PA farmers are well on their way to addressing this growing need. Under our legislation, the Pennsylvania Preferred Organic Program would be established in statute in addition to the Pennsylvania Preferred Program. Consumers continue to increasingly demand local products, including organic products. The program would be voluntary for organic producers and any producers interested in transitioning to organic production. The program would not compete with other Pennsylvania producers but would instead further enhance Pennsylvania’s brand recognition and ensure the PA Preferred trademark is leveraged fairly across all production methods. The PA Department of Agriculture will continue to administer the program, encouraging producers of Pennsylvania-produced organic agricultural commodities to meet or exceed USDA National Organic Program standards. We hope you will join us in supporting this legislation.

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