Dec 10, 2025
Organic Trade Association backs Domestic Organic Investment Act to boost U.S. capacity
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is applauding the bipartisan introduction of the Domestic Organic Investment Act (DOIA), legislation aimed at expanding the capacity of U.S. farmers and manufacturers to meet growing domestic demand for organic products.
The DOIA seeks to address the gap between rapidly growing consumer demand for organic products, now a $71 billion market, and domestic production capacity. While U.S. organic sales continue to grow at double the pace of conventional agriculture, infrastructure limitations in storage, processing, aggregation and distribution have hindered producers’ ability to keep up.
The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and in the House by Reps. Andrea Salinas (D-OR) and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI).
“We are deeply grateful to the sponsoring lawmakers for introducing this important and timely legislation,” said Matthew Dillon, co-CEO of OTA. “These infrastructure investments will remove longstanding barriers from the farmgate through the supply chain to give organic producers and manufacturers the capacity they need to meet the rapidly growing consumer demand for the benefits of organic.”
The legislation builds on the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program, which since 2023 has helped organic farmers and businesses close supply chain gaps through competitive grants administered by USDA. Past recipients have leveraged OMDG funding to expand processing capacity, create new product lines and grow domestic organic production.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen disruptions in our co-manufacturing network and the loss of fluid dairy processing, underscoring the need for strategic investments,” said Shawna Nelson, CEO of Organic Valley. “This infrastructure bill is a positive step toward ensuring more organic food reaches American families, and greater opportunities are delivered for U.S. farmers.”
The DOIA directs USDA to set annual priorities to reduce dependence on imports and requires grant recipients to provide matching funds. Eligible applicants include producers, cooperatives and commercial entities, including tribal governments, handling certified organic products.
“Organic produce represents 15 percent of the total fresh produce market, yet many of the small and mid-sized farmers in our supply chain are constrained by infrastructure as much as by demand,” said Brenna Davis, CEO of Organically Grown Company. “The DOIA directly addresses these real-world barriers and will help unlock the full production potential of U.S. organic agriculture.”
Nicole Atchison, CEO of PURIS, added, “We believe DOIA will catalyze the next chapter of U.S. organic growth by expanding infrastructure, elevating integrity and reducing reliance on imports. We are proud to stand with OTA and policymakers to grow a stronger, more resilient domestic organic ecosystem.”
