Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) reintroduced the “Organic Dairy Data Collection Act” on Tuesday with two Republican co-sponsors, aiming to help organic dairy farmers by instructing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collect more data on production costs.
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“Organic dairy farmers across the country are continuing to grapple with volatile markets, persistent inflation, and unfair trade practices that drive up costs and squeeze already-thin margins. Without targeted action, we risk more farm closures, weakened regional food systems, and fewer organic choices for consumers,” said Rep. Pingree.
Reps. Tony Wied (R-Wis.) and Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
“This bill ensures our farmers have the information they need to make informed business decisions and stay competitive. I’m grateful to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and other advocates for championing this effort,” said Rep. Langworthy.
The bill directs the USDA to collect data on production costs from organic dairy farmers, including the costs of organic feed, and make that data publicly available. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) would collect monthly data on how much organic farmers are being paid for their milk.
The data would be compiled and published in reports breaking down the production costs by state, prices, and the quantity of organic milk by region.
Pingree cited support from her bill from multiple farming organizations.
“Family run organic dairy farms provide healthy food and environmental stewardship to rural communities across the country. The Organic Dairy Data Collection Act can provide valuable data collection to inform future support for an industry facing economic crisis,” said Kate Mendenhall, Executive Director of the Organic Farmers Association.
Pingree previously introduced the bill in 2024, but it never received a vote on the House floor.
