The USDA has announced it will throw in a total of $50 million conventional farmers to help them switch to organic. In comparison to bank bailouts, the amount might sound paltry, but we have to start somewhere.
Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Kathleen Merrigan said: "Assisting organic producers is a priority of the 2008 Farm Bill as well as for Secretary Vilsack and the Obama Administration… The objective of this initiative is to make organic food producers eligible to compete for EQIP financial assistance."
This article appears in May 13-19, 2009.