By Nora Owens
Earlier this month, NODPA launched its 2019 Annual Fund Drive, with letters going out in the mail. Many of you contribute with a milk check assignment, and others have renewed their subscriptions during NODPA Field Days, and we thank you! Currently, we send the NODPA News to everyone who requests it, and represents all organic dairy producers, regardless of their financial support of NODPA, but during this fund drive, we ask everyone to make a donation to cover the cost of the newsletter, e-news, Odairy, the NODPA website, as well as to support NODPA’s national work on behalf of all.
NODPA’s ability to provide services is dependent on this annual fund drive, plus advertising, sponsorship and business membership. But when there is a downturn in income for producers, suppliers are also affected which has an impact on how much they can advertise in the NODPA News or sponsor our events. During NODPA’s annual fundraising campaign, we ask you to renew your support for the services you need and value. When you are able to make a donation beyond the cost of your ‘subscription’, it’s hugely appreciated. Your support is a vote for the work we do, so if your letter is sitting in your pile of mail waiting to be opened, please do it now and return it with your donation/dues as soon as possible.
Still need a reason to support NODPA? Here are the ways NODPA is working for you: As we near the end of 2019 and the supply-side market starts to come into balance, we need to protect this slow recovery. We are more aware than ever that organic milk is a commodity and that pay price will be slow to recover from the 2018 crises of both a 25% drop in pay price and contracts that became increasingly biased in favor of the buyer. There is still a lot of work that we must do to better protect producers in the future, and organic dairy producers continue to need NODPA’s independent voice in the marketplace and in Washington.
While the road ahead for organic dairy farm families is complicated and potentially treacherous, it is critically important to have an independent organic dairy voice in the marketplace and one that is focused on regulations. NODPA’s ability to speak loud and clear about both the pressing issues and the solutions that will mitigate this crisis remains vitally important. And, producers need all of the tools to help them navigate these times; tools that NODPA provides, such as all the latest organic news and opinion, and avenues for venting, sharing experiences, and problem solving, whether in person, on ODairy, in the NODPA News, or at www.nodpa.com.
In 2020, NODPA will continue to advocate for closing regulatory loopholes to protect the integrity of the organic seal for consumers and producers. We will continue to work on implementing a Final Rule on the Origin of Livestock as we lead a partnership with other advocates to bring the maximum pressure to bear on USDA and organic trade groups. We will keep the pressure on the NOP to take certifiers to task in implementing the Access to Pasture regulation. Most of all, NODPA keeps the issues in front of the people that count in Washington and with consumers, and we will continue to work with other producers groups across the country to defend producers’ rights. No other group can do that as effectively and with the same integrity as NODPA, which is why your support this year is so critical.
In closing, this bears repeating: if your letter is sitting in your pile of mail waiting to be opened, please do it now and return it with your donation/dues as soon as possible. We all thank you very much.
To download forms, visit NODPA Membership forms page and to pay online, click here
Posted: to Industry News on Mon, Nov 18, 2019
Updated: Mon, Nov 18, 2019
