Green Lemon
- Councils build community among groups of like members to provide ongoing opportunities for networking, leadership development, education, information development, and sharing.
- Sector Councils are required to meet at least twice per year and to submit an annual report to the Organic Trade Association's Board of Directors.
- Sector Councils are not policy setting groups.
- Each Sector Council has a dedicated staff liaison, who will not negate the duties of elected council leadership. S
- Sector Councils adhere to an election process for leadership positions, occurring once two years.
- Leadership positions in Sector Councils are held for the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary.
Dairy Council | Dietary Supplements |
Fiber Council | Grains Council |
Produce Council | Retailer Council |
Don't see your sector represented in our active Councils? Read more about how our Councils begin and how you could start your own.
Established in 2013, Farmers Advisory Council (FAC) was designed to formalize and improve communication between the Organic Trade Association and organic producers. FAC provides the Organic Trade Association's Board of Directors and staff with input from small- and medium-sized organic farmers, ranchers, and growers on matters pertinent to the advancement of organic agriculture, with a specific focus on OTA’s policy agenda.
Through open dialogue, FAC gives organic farmers a voice to directly influence and enable the Association to better represent the diversity of organic producers in its policy and advocacy.
The Organic Trade Association’s Farmers Advisory Council is one of the largest coalitions of organic farmers and organic farming organizations in the United States. It represents nearly 9,500 organic livestock, poultry, grain, and specialty crop producers.
Approved by the OTA Board of Directors in the summer of 2021 with a focus on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) within the organic industry, OTA's Diversity Council aims to make a conscious effort to ensure that our successes within the organic movement promote diversity rather than perpetuate social inequalities.
The Sustainability Council serves as a hub for all member stakeholders engaged in sustainability management strategies. The Council meets quarterly with additional opportunities to connect and collaborate throughout the year.
Blue and Green
- Forums offer informal, on-going conversation on issues of common interest.
- Members use Forums to network with peers, seek answers to questions, share their expertise, provide advice, and discuss common challenges.
- The Organic Trade Association has six Member Forums covering diverse topics such as international trade, marketing, and sustainability.
Click on the images to sign up for any of our forums.
Farm Supplies Forum | Fiber & Textiles |
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Ingredients Forum | International Trade |
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Personal Care Forum | U.S. Government |
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Green and Orange
- Task Forces are time-bound, task-charged, and outcome-focused groups charged with accomplishing a definite objective.
- Task Forces can be convened by the board, staff, or members in order to recommend a course of action or accomplish a specific objective.
- Task Forces may work within an approved structure to recommend policy setting for the Association.