The Ojai Post

There is a significant cost to farmers that go organic, from initial crop setup to decreased initial yields. The new farm bill provides for financial support to encourage the transition.

The new farm bill could help feed America's appetite for organic food by enticing more farmers to switch from conventional agriculture. The legislation, which passed this year, offers farmers as much as $20,000 a year to cover the cost of converting their farms to organic agriculture. There also is money to offset certification costs and new funding for organic research.