Organic Industry Event

Do you have a few hours to make a BIG difference for organic? Attending the upcoming Farm Bill listening session in Decatur, Illinois is one of the most important things you can do to give organic producers and processors a voice in shaping our nation’s food and agricultural policy. On Wednesday, August 30, Organic Trade Association is asking you to attend and advocate directly for Farm Bill policies that promote a healthy organic marketplace, ensure that organic farmers continue to be successful, and expand organic production.

This is one of a few limited opportunities for organic stakeholders to get in front of the Committee and highlight priorities for our sector. All of the organic programs are vulnerable this Farm Bill cycle, and we have to be diligent in advocating for them. Contact Megan Debates to learn more.

Do you have a few hours to make a BIG difference for organic? Attending the upcoming Farm Bill roundtable discussion with House Agriculture Committee members Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16), and Ranking Member Congressman Collin Peterson (MN-07) in Salinas, CA is one of the most important things you can do to give organic producers and processors a voice in shaping our nation’s food and agricultural policy. On Thursday, August 10, Organic Trade Association is asking you to attend and advocate directly for Farm Bill policies that promote a healthy organic marketplace, ensure that organic farmers continue to be successful, and expand organic production.

This is one of a few limited opportunities for organic stakeholders to get in front of the Committee and highlight priorities for our sector. All of the organic programs are vulnerable this Farm Bill cycle, and we have to be diligent in advocating for them. Contact Megan Debates to learn more.

The 2017 Provender Alliance Conference will be held October 4-6 in Hood River, OR. Provender Alliance exists to educate and inspire our community, providing the tools for education, leadership, and community in the natural products trade. Organic Trade Association staff will hold a session on "Shedding Light on the Controversial Shopping Basket." To learn more or to connect with OTA staff at the conference, please contact Gwendolyn Wyard. 

Shedding Light on the Controversial Shopping Basket

Time: Friday, October 6 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

Location: Hood River Inn - Hood River, Oregon

Speaker(s): Nathaniel Lewis | Farm Policy Director, Organic Trade Association • Gwendolyn Wyard | Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs, Organic Trade Association

Back by popular demand! This session will provide up-to-date and accurate information on various controversial organic issues (background and current status) including where the topic is at in the regulatory process and how shoppers can weigh in and make their voices heard. Featured products in the shopping basket will include (but not limited to):

• Hydroponically grown organic tomatoes

• Organic eggs

• Organic soybeans imported from Turkey

• Transitional breakfast cereal

• Soup in a can lined with Bisphenol A (BPA)

• Organic gummy bears with natural flavors and colors

Do you have specific questions? Bring your controversial product or label to the workshop and we’ll answer your questions!

The Organic Trade Association will be taking part in the Pennsylvania Certified Organic’s (PCO) FarmFest on Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, at the Grange Fairgrounds in Centre Hall, PA. The event will feature Tom Beddard of Lady Moon Farms as the keynote speaker, live music, family activities and educational workshops, demos and discussions. Organic Trade Association staffers Megan DeBates (Organic Trade Association’s Director of Legislative Affairs and Coalitions), and Allison Rice (Engagement Coordinator for Government Affairs and Working Groups) will be on hand during Friday activities, and DeBates will be part of a panel on Ensuring Integrity of Organic Imports. Pennsylvania Certified Organic is one of the latest members to become part of the Organic Trade Association’s Farmers Advisory Committee. To learn more or connect with Organic Trade Association staff at the event, please contact Allison Rice. 

The Organic Center will be presenting at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Rice Field Day on July 13, 2017 in Beaumont, Texas.  The afternoon will feature information about our organic rice program, with the objectives of providing updated information about organic rice production and management, reporting on the progress of our project, and getting input from our stakeholder advisory board.  We’ll also be giving an organic rice field tour to talk about disease control, nutrient management, insect control, and variety performance.  Field tours will be followed by an organic rice workshop and an advisory board meeting for our project.  The workshop will cover disease management and research updates from Texas, information about nutrients and agronomy, weed management, insect management, updates from Arkansas and South Carolina, details about our outreach program (including this website!), an update on our cost-benefit analysis and plenty of time for questions.

The Organic Center will provide a workshop for Good Earth employees showcasing studies on the impacts of organic food and farming on human and environmental health, and highlighting projects conducted by the Center in those areas. Contact Jessica Shade to learn more.

The Organic Center was invited to give a presentation at the United Nation’s Forum on Sustainable Agricultural Development on July 6, 2017.  The Forum will focus on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by the United Nations in September 2015, and calls on the international community to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” by 2030 using 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It commits Governments and other stakeholders, including business, to ensure universal access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food at all times of the year.  The outcomes of the Forum will be summarized as recommendations and will be presented to the 2018 international forum on sustainable agriculture to help inform the discussion at the High-level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The IFOAM World Congress will be held November 9 – 11, 2017 in New Delhi, India.  This gathering happens once every three years and is a meeting point for organic stakeholders worldwide. Organic Trade Association and Organic Center staff will present at the conference, including:

• The Global Food System and the Alternative Paradigm (Tracy M, 14:30 Nov. 9)
• Organic in the eye of the consumer and media (Monique M, 12:15, Nov. 10)
• Organic Textiles and Body Care Products (Marci Z, 13:45, Nov. 10)
• International Organic Trade Based on Equivalence (Monique M, 12:15, Nov. 11)

For more information visit IFOAM's website or contact Monique Marez to learn more.

Event Information:

November 9-11, 2017

New Dheli, India 

The Ukraine Organic Farming Integrity Tour led by FiBl and IFOAM E.U. will be held September 21-22, 2017 in Odessa, Ukraine. Ukraine is quickly becoming a major exporter of organic products especially feed grains for livestock.  This conference and tour will address organic supply chain integrity.  Representatives from the National Organic Program, Organic Trade Assocation, and U.S. industry are welcome to participate. The full agenda is now available. Please contact Monique Marez to learn more.

Finland's Organic Food Day will be held October 5, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland. The Organic Trade Assoiation will speak at the event to deliver comments on the challenges, trends, and successes of the U.S. organic industry. Contact Monique Marez to learn more.