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Standing Committees

The Board of Directors is comprised of an Executive Committee, consisting of the President, the Vice President, Vice President-Canada, Secretary, Treasurer, and the immediate past president; and two standing committees: Governance and Community Relations.

The OTA Board committees correspond to the broad governance functions that cut across all association operations. The committees are composed of only board members, who serve on only one committee. All board members must serve on one of these committees. Together, the board committees determine the full board agenda. The board committees are supported by the Executive Director and management team.

Executive Committee

The role of the OTA Executive Committee is to discuss strategic issues deserving near-term attention, set and evaluate annual operational priorities with the executive director, set key indicators to evaluate program/service effectiveness, provide financial oversight, monitor and evaluate revenue strategies, facilitate an annual performance evaluation of the executive director and recommend compensation, and oversee OTA’s code of ethics and enforcement procedures.   

Governance Committee

The role of the Governance Committee is to recruit, welcome and orient new OTA Board members, evaluate board election process, recommend the officer slate, review board and association policies and bylaws, develop and implement board self-assessment system, and develop board training sessions.

Community Relations Committee

The role of the Community Relations Committee is to review systems and programs for OTA member involvement, develop strategic goals for OTA’s public image and for OTA’s relations with affiliated organizations, set and evaluate membership categories and dues levels, develop strategies for board-to-member communications, and recruit, screen and select OTA’s Annual Organic Leadership Award recipient(s).  The Community Relations Committee includes the At-Large Canada Organic Trade Association Board member and one other Canada Organic Trade Association Board member (or VP Canada).  


The OTA Board appoints, from among its members, the other members and chairs of the standing committees. The Board may, at any time, appoint other committees or task forces and their chairs on any subject for which there are no standing committees. Special committees and task forces are accountable to the Board.