The CCOF Foundation is launching “Roadmap to an Organic California,” a new project for 2018 that will make the case for increasing certified organic land in California and recommend state policies to achieve 10 percent certified organic agricultural land by 2030. 

The Roadmap will provide California policymakers with a coherent, broadly supported policy agenda for advancing organic agriculture in the state. Certified organic food production has a proven track record of deterring the use of toxic pesticides and promoting healthy, carbon-storing soils while also driving strong economic returns for rural and socially disadvantaged communities. Yet even in California, the leader in organic production, less than 3.5 percent of agricultural land is certified organic. It is time for California policymakers to understand the true value of organic and to prioritize the advancement of organic agriculture throughout the state.  

To begin, the CCOF Foundation will lay the foundation for the Roadmap by making the case for polices and regulations that support organic producers. The report will illustrate the range of benefits that the state would accrue by increasing the amount of agricultural land farmed organically from 3.5 percent to at least 10 percent by 2030. It will also depict the social, environmental, and economic benefits that could be achieved in a world where all of California’s agricultural land is farmed organically.

In the second part of the Roadmap, the CCOF Foundation will recommend state policies to achieve 10 percent organic agricultural land by 2030. It will host working groups throughout the state to ensure broad stakeholder input on the following key policy areas:

 • Supporting the next generation of producers and transitioning agricultural land to organic production.

 • Strengthening market opportunities for California grown organic crops and products.

 • Promoting a regulatory framework that incentives organic farming.

 • Maximizing the benefits of organic farming systems to socially disadvantaged communities.

The final phase of the project will be publication and wide dissemination of the final policy recommendations. Partner organizations and stakeholders will be invited to join CCOF Inc. to implement and advocate for the recommendations outlined in the Roadmap.

The CCOF Foundation welcomes input and participation throughout the project. To find out more or to request participation in the working groups, contact policy@ccof.org. 

About the CCOF Foundation

The CCOF Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that advances organic agriculture for a healthy world through programs to educate consumers, producers, and other agricultural stakeholders. It is one of three entities that work together to fulfill CCOF’s organizational mission of creating a world where organic is the norm.

The other CCOF entities include CCOF Inc. (the umbrella entity) and CCOF Certification Services LLC (a USDA-accredited organic certification agent). The CCOF Foundation is governed by a board of trustees made up of organic farmers and advocates. It is supported by donations from a growing network of organic businesses, as well as government grants and charitable foundation awards. To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.ccof.org/foundation.  //

Kelly Damewood is Policy Director for CCOF.