Organic Industry Event

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Policy & Leadership Development Conference will be taking place June 9-13, 2018 in Washington, D.C. 

Education, debate and advocacy are on the agenda each June at ASTA's annual conference. Attendees focus on science and policy issues related to the development and free movement of quality seed worldwide. Review the full conference agenda here. 

Laura Batcha, CEO/Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association, will speak at the Conference as part of the "Building Bridges for Organic Seed" session held on Monday, June 11 from 4:00pm-5:00pm at the Grand Hyatt Washington. 

Conference Information:

June 9-13, 2018

Grand Hyatt Washington

Washington, D.C. 

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

Join us for this special research release event: Natural Products Expo West | Friday, March 9 at 2:30PM | General Mills Booth 527

On the heels of The Organic Center’s groundbreaking study showing how organic soils mitigate climate change, we are excited to share the latest research proving organic farming can curb nitrogen pollution — offering even more proof that organic food and farming create a cleaner global environment.

Climate change. Smog. Acid rain. Dead zones. The ozone hole. These are more than environmental buzz words. These are REAL issues affecting the planet, and nitrogen pollution plays a key role in each of them. Plants need nitrogen to grow, but that same nitrogen can cause environmental problems. The Organic Center’s research shows that organic farming can help reduce the amount of new reactive nitrogen introduced into the global system.

Come learn more about what this means, why it matters, and how choosing organic creates a more a stable climate!

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. For 41 years, the National Food Policy Conference has been a Washington institution and a unique collaboration between consumer advocates, the food industry and government.

Laura Batcha, CEO & Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association, will be speaking at the Conference on a panel entitled “Growing Pains: What’s in Store for Organic?” taking place March 28th from 11:15am - 12:30pm. Panelists will discuss the rapid growth of the organic industry and the challenges that the National Organic Program has had to confront in recent years. The conversation will touch on issues such as protecting animal welfare, food fraud, the list of approved substances in organic foods, and the governance of the organic program. Click here for the full conference agenda.

Conference Information:

March 28 - 29, 2018

Capital Hilton - Washington, D.C. 

NASDA's 2018 Winter Policy Conference will be held January 29-31 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC., where NASDA Members intersect their federal counterparts as co-regulators of American agriculture.

New NASDA Members, new NASDA staff, a new USDA, ongoing NAFTA negotiations, and an upcoming Farm Bill will undoubtedly make this the top agriculture policy gathering of 2018.

Laura Batcha, CEO & Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association, will be participating in a panel at the Conference on Tuesday, January 30th from 2:30-3:30pm, discussing Agriculture and Food Policy in 2018. Laura, and other leading policy experts, will discuss key agriculture and food policy trends in 2018 such as the Farm Bill, international trade, environmental regulations, labor, food safety, and federal funding—and the political dynamics that will shape the debate in Washington. Click here for full conference agenda.

Conference Information: 

January 29 - 31, 2018

Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington, D.C.

The Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) Regional Roundtable is a one-day business roundtable will offer a complete overview for textile professionals and brands on how world renowned GOTS certification can deliver trust and transparency to your consumer by verifying your entire organic supply chain; prove social compliance equivalent to any stand-alone fair trade program; and add to your Corporate Social Responsibility platform. Click here to review the agenda. 

Speakers from the Organic Trade Association include Gwendolyn Wyard, Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs and Monique Marez, Director of International Trade as well as OTA Board Member and OTA Fiber Council Chair, Marci Zaroff, CEO of Metawear and Under The Canopy.

RSVP to Lori Wyman by February 5th, 2018 to reserve your seat! 

After the Regional Roundtable, there will be a One-Day Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) Training for Textile Industry Professionals taking place in Charleston on February 28th. A Continued Training Course for Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) Inspectors will also be taking place in Charleston March 1-2. 

Regional Roundtable Meeting Information:

February 27, 2018, 9:00am - 4:00pm

Hilton Garden Inn Mount Pleasant 

Charleston, South Carolina 

The Packer’s inaugural Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry's leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

For the Expo, Organic Trade Association will provide organic produce information, retail trends and international challenges and solutions to the event’s education program. The Organic Center will also have a presence, providing a briefing on the latest research about organic’s benefits people and planet. Produce has traditionally been the entry category for consumers new to organic, and organic produce now occupies the center of the healthy plate in an increasing number of American homes. The $15.6-billion organic fruits and vegetable sector continues to be the largest of the organic food categories, and accounted for almost 40 percent of all organic food sales in 2016. With organic fruits and vegetables now making up almost 15 percent of the produce Americans eat, this expo will put the spotlight on this important market.

For more information, contact Angela Jagiello.

Conference Information:

January 25-27, 2018

The Diplomat Beach Resort - Hollywood, FL

Naturally Good Expo is a total business event that’s 100% devoted to all things healthy, organic and natural. As the largest event for healthy retailers, brands and practitioners in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the place where serious buyers meet with suppliers for two days of business, networking, education and to celebrate the latest exciting opportunities within the health and wellness retail market.

The Organic Trade Association will have a booth at the Expo, and is also selling shared booth space at the OTA booth. The sign-up fee is $600, and the package includes: 1m counter top space in OTA's booth, 1 single occupancy hotel room at OTA's selected hotel, 1 round-trip economy flight booked by OTA's travel agent, and some in-country meals. In order to qualify, you must represent products that are majority U.S. based ingredients by value or volume (minimum 51%), have some experience in exporting, and be USDA certified organic. Click here to register!

For more information contact Monique Marez, Director of International Trade. 

Trade Show Information:

April 29-30, 2018

Sydney, Australia