Bill Summary
The "Organic Dairy Data Collection Act" aims to enhance the collection and dissemination of data related to organic dairy production in the United States. The legislation mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to support regional and national programs that gather and publish key cost-of-production data for organic milk, including the costs of major organic feedstuffs such as corn, soybeans, and hay, as well as the overall costs associated with organic milk production.
Key provisions include:
1. **Cost Data Collection**: The Secretary will collect detailed data on the costs of various organic feedstuffs and other production costs.
2. **Organic All Milk Price Survey**: Within 90 days of enactment, the Secretary must establish a survey to report monthly data on prices paid to organic dairy farmers for their milk and cows, including national and regional data.
3. **Periodic Reporting**: Within 180 days, the Secretary is required to publish reports that provide insights into organic milk production costs, production quantities, mailbox prices, and feedstuff prices, ensuring that the data is comparable to that of conventionally produced milk.
This legislation is intended to provide organic dairy farmers with better market information and support informed decision-making in the sector.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how "The Organic Dairy Data Collection Act" could affect people:
1. **Farmers and Producers**: Organic dairy farmers would benefit from improved data collection and reporting on cost-of-production and pricing for organic milk. With access to detailed information on feed costs and market prices, farmers can make more informed decisions about their operations, potentially leading to increased profitability and sustainability in their practices. This transparency could help them negotiate better prices for their products and manage their expenses more effectively.
2. **Consumers**: The act may indirectly impact consumers by providing more accurate information about the costs associated with organic dairy products. Increased transparency in pricing and production costs could lead to fairer pricing strategies in the market, which might stabilize or reduce costs for consumers. Additionally, consumers may feel more confident in their purchases knowing that there is systematic data supporting the pricing of organic dairy products.
3. **Researchers and Policy Makers**: The improved data collection and reporting mechanisms established by the act will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Enhanced access to detailed data on organic dairy production can inform policy decisions related to agricultural support, sustainability efforts, and food security. Researchers can utilize this data to study trends in organic dairy farming and make recommendations that could further benefit the industry and the environment.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4110 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4110
To provide for the improved collection of data for organic dairy, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 24, 2025
Ms. Pingree (for herself, Mr. Wied, and Mr. Langworthy) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the improved collection of data for organic dairy, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``The Organic Dairy Data Collection
Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVED DATA COLLECTION FOR ORGANIC DAIRY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall provide support for regional and
national programs to collect and publish cost-of-production data for
organic milk, including data relating to--
(1) the costs of major organic feedstuffs, including--
(A) corn;
(B) corn silage;
(C) soybeans;
(D) sorghum;
(E) oilseeds;
(F) small grains;
(G) forage crops;
(H) pasture;
(I) hay; and
(J) any other major organic feedstuff, as
determined by the Secretary;
(2) with respect to the costs described in paragraph (1),
prices for--
(A) major organic feedstuffs produced domestically;
and
(B) imported major organic feedstuffs; and
(3) all other costs relating to the production of organic
milk.
(b) Organic All Milk Price Survey.--Not later than 90 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a
survey, to be known as the ``Organic All Milk Prices Survey'', which
shall be analogous to the existing All Milk Prices Survey of the
National Agricultural Statistics Service, to gather and report monthly
data about the amounts that organic dairy farmers are being paid for
the organic milk produced by those organic dairy farmers and the prices
received for organic milk cows, including--
(1) national data; and
(2) data relating to, at a minimum, the 6 regions with the
greatest quantity of organic dairy production, as determined by
the Secretary.
(c) Organic Milk Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, using data collected by
the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Economic
Research Service, or the Agricultural Marketing Service, shall
publish new periodic reports that include, or add to existing
periodic reports, data for organic milk, which shall be
equivalent to data reported for conventionally produced milk.
(2) Requirement.--Reports published under paragraph (1)
shall include, at a minimum--
(A) organic cost-of-production data by State;
(B) regional data relating to the quantity of
organic milk production;
(C) organic mailbox price for the 6 regions with
the greatest quantity of organic dairy production, as
determined by the Secretary; and
(D) major organic feedstuff prices.
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