Organic Industry Event

Organicology 2015, featuring the latest research and education and networking for organic stakeholders, will take place this Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 5-7, at the Hilton Portland Downtown in Portland, OR. Organicology, held every two years, is organized by the Organically Grown Company, Oregon Tilth, Sustainable Food Trade Association, and Organic Seed Alliance.

Among the panelists in the Friday morning workshop on “How to Market Organic” will be Laura Batcha, OTA’s Executive Director/CEO.

Batcha and Gwendolyn Wyard, OTA’s Regulatory Director for Organic Standards and Food Safety, will also take part in a Friday afternoon workshop on “Why Policy Matters.”

On Saturday, Nate Lewis (OTA’s Senior Crops & Livestock Specialist) and Perry Clutts (OTA Board member and OTA’s Farmers Advisory Council co-chair) will hold a listening session on OTA’s Farmers Advisory Council.

This will be followed by a listening session on the proposed Organic Check-off Program with speakers Marty Mesh of Florida Organic Growers and Consumers, Melody Meyer of UNFI and OTA Board Secretary, and OTA’s Nate Lewis.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Organic Conference will be help Jan 9-10, 2015, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Members of the Organic Research and Promotion Program ('Organic Check-off) Steering Committee will be capturing feedback from organic certificate holders on the framework for a potential program. 

Contact Melissa Hughes, General Counsel & Director of Government Relations for Organic Valley for more information.

The New England Farmers Union (NEFU) Annual Convention is December 11-13, 2014 in Portland, Maine. Members of the Organic Research and Promotion Program ('Organic Check-off) Steering Committee will be capturing feedback from organic certificate holders on the framework for a potential program. 

Contact Marni Karlin, OTA Vice President of Government Affairs for more information.