PA Preferred® Organic Program
The PA Preferred® Organic Program was created as part of the 2019 PA Farm Bill with a goal to increase market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers and make PA the leader in organic agriculture.
Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony (USDA National Organic Standards Board, 1995). For example, inputs such as manure and compost help build soil rich in organic matter, providing nutrients to crops and requiring less dependence on synthetic fertilizers.