The European Union, the Organic Trade Association, Pennsylvania Certified Organic, and PASA, a Pennsylvania-based Sustainable Agriculture Association invite you to a round table discussion on EU and U.S. organic production. Join us to discuss the challenges facing the organic sector in Europe and America; to ensure the quality of our products and how the controls are implemented for the benefit of consumers. The event will conclude with an organic lunch. 

Welcome address by Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director, PASA, a Pennsylvania-based Sustainable Agriculture Association, followed by a round table featuring:

• Deputy Secretary Cheryl Cook, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

• Nicolas Verlet, Director for Organics, Department of Agriculture, European Union

• Monique Marez, Director, International Trade, the Organic Trade Association 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Seminar Information:

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

9:30am - 12:00pm, followed by lunch from 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Hyatt Place State College

219 W Beaver Ave, State College, PA 16801

For more information contact Monique Marez, the Organic Trade Association's Director of International Trade.

The 2018 Independent Natural Food Retailers Association (INFRA) Annual Conference will be taking place July 21-24 in Minneapolis, MN. 

Gwendolyn Wyard, Organic Trade Association's VP of Regulatory and Technical Affairs, will be presenting a session at the Conference titled "The Strength of the USDA Label", taking place on Sunday, July 22, from 1:15pm - 2:45pm. 

In this session, you will learn about critical organic topics, their status, and what’s being done to ensure that our hard-built standards and consumer trust will continue to thrive. Retailers will receive information and resources to help keep you and your shoppers better informed so we can all engage and continue to grow organic. USDA organic is the culmination of over 30 years of work. It was built by a coalition of organic farmers, handlers, consumers, animal welfare and environmental organizations that recognized the need for one common federal standard to ensure consistency, build consumer trust and allow the sector to flourish. To date, the organic label remains the only regulated eco-claim in the marketplace with third-party certification, federal oversight and enforcement and it continues to be the fastest- growing sector in agriculture. But can organic survive in the current era? Amid the Trump Administration’s failure to implement thoroughly vetted organic regulations and a marketplace drawn to shiny new add-on labels, retailers are bound to have questions. Attend this session and learn more! 

Conference Information:

July 21-24, 2018

Minneapolis, MN