Organic Industry Event

The Fall 2015 National Organic Standard Board (NOSB) meeting will be held in Stowe, Vermont from October 26-29. Contact Gwendolyn Wyard and check back often as details unfold to learn more about the meeting. 

The United Fresh 2015 Show will be held from June 8-10 in Chicago, IL. OTA's CEO/Executive Director Laura Batcha will deliver a presentation titled "Why an Organic Check-Off Program?" on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 from 12:15 - 1:00 PM in the Fresh Tech Learning Center - Hall B, Booth #2650. 

Why an Organic Check-off Program?
In this late-breaking session, hear from the Organic Trade Association (OTA) on why the association has petitioned USDA to create an Organic Research and Promotion Order. OTA CEO/Executive Director Laura Batcha will explain OTA’s goals for a mandatory, industry funded check-off program, how it would work for organic produce growers and handlers, and what impact OTA believes it can have on the organic industry. This is your chance to ask questions and understand how this program may affect you.

To learn more or to connect with OTA at United Fresh, contact Stephanie Jerger.

OTA's Nate Lewis will attend the Organic Acreage Stakeholder Meeting, immediately following the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society’s field day at the NDSU Research Extension Center in Carrington, ND, on July 14.. The U.S. Organic Grain Collaboration is seeking input from farmers on a strategic plan to increase market opportunities and investments that will help to support the expansion of organic grain production (feed grade and food grade). This session is an opportunity for farmers, seed dealers, buyers, processors, and organic grain customers to ask questions about the project and share insights about where additional investment is most needed. The collaboration will be represented by Grain Millers, Annie’s, Nature’s Path, Clif Bar, and the Organic Trade Association

Contact Nate to connect with OTA in Carrington or to learn more. 

OTA is participating in the World’s Fair 2015 “Food 2.0” in the USA Pavilion October 5-9. A collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and the James Beard Foundation, this one-of-a-kind pavilion features a vertical farm, interactive exhibitions, and daily programming all about our food system. OTA will lead a symposium on women in organic agriculture, organic agriculture and technology, and survey consumers and buyers about their opinions on USDA certified organic products. Contact Monique Marez with questions and follow @organictrade on Twitter for updates from Milan. Learn more about our esteemed panelists. 

Events

On June 23-24, Marni Karlin (OTA’s Vice President of Government Affairs/General Counsel), who serves as OTA’s representative on the GOTS Advisory Council, and Gwendolyn Wyard (OTA's Senior Director of Regulatory and Technical Affairs) who serves as the GOTS Technical Representative for North America, will be attending a GOTS strategy meeting in Frankfurt, Germany. The two-day meeting will explore the "GOTS journey to 2020." Discussions will include a deep dive look at additional certification options for products such as leather, sustainable processing for more production inputs, strategic questions of governance structure, and increasing GOTS visibility.