OTA Hosted Event

Continued shifts in consumer health preferences and sustainability-minded consumers are further driving organic product sales around the world. This webinar will provide an overview of newly updated global organic data, highlighting observations and trends to compare important markets and opportunities for US producers and exporters. If you are currently exporting your products around the world or looking to learn more about export opportunities, this webinar will provide meaningful insights and detail further resources to help grow your international market.  

Presenter:

• Patti LaGuire, Senior Account Manager, Euromonitor International

Our next COVID-19 forum is for farmers, ranchers, and producers to learn about new and existing aid programs designed specifically to assist them. Join us as we hear from Katie Naessens, Senior Professional Staff at the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, who will discuss the provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act designed to benefit agricultural operations. We’ll also learn about administrative actions USDA has taken to provide relief for farmers, how it will implement the CARES Act, and what existing programs farmers can be accessing at this time. 

Presenters: 

• Katie Naessens, Senior Professional Staff, United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• More to be announced

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Join the Organic Trade Association for a discussion on the recent release of Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Version 6.0. In this 90-minute webinar, we’ll discuss an overview of organic labeling of fiber and textiles in the U.S., review the current market of GOTS in the United States, and provide an overview of GOTS including an update on the changes to the new version. Our panel of experts will help your organization prepare for the implementation of changes and answer your questions.

Presenters: 

• Gwendolyn Wyard, Vice President of Regulatory and Technical Affairs, Organic Trade Association
• Rahul Bhajekar, Managing Director, Global Organic Textile Standard
• Lori Wyman, North American Representative, Global Organic Textile Standard

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As a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Small Business Administration established several new programs designed to provide financial relief to small businesses, co-ops, non-profits and farms. Organic Trade Association members are invited to a free webinar and forum to learn more about the programs – including the new Paycheck Protection Program. The program will be held next Tuesday, April 7th at 2:00 Eastern.

Who qualifies, how to access the funds, and more will be detailed by Michael Stein, an attorney on the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee who helped draft the Act. We’ll also hear from global accounting firm Marcum about risk and cash management strategies for business. There will be ample time for Q&A, and an opportunity for members to exchange information about what they are experiencing during the crisis, and how their businesses are committing to assist. This is the first in a biweekly series of Forums for OTA members to learn and exchange information during the COVID-19 crisis.

REGISTER HERE. For more information contact Angela Jagiello.

A growing body of science shows that organic farming supports more biodiversity and can bring in more income than conventional farming, highlighting the environmental and economic benefits of using organic practices. What is less understood is how these benefits are affected by the farming landscape around organic operations. Join Amber Sciligo, Associate Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center, who will be joined by two of the senior authors of a recently published meta-analysis, where you can learn about more about the study’s findings and these benefits from organic practices. 

Presenters: 

• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Associate Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• David W. Crowder, PhD, Associate Professor of Entomology, Washington State University
• Olivia M. Smith, MS, PhD Candidate in Entomology, Washington State University

*Open to all

Healthy soils are essential for resilient crop production and supporting our ecosystem. Unfortunately, soils in the United States are being degraded by unsustainable agricultural practices. Techniques used by organic farmers can help stop soil health degradation, or even restore soil health in previously degraded soils, because they replenish soil organic carbon and preserve underground biodiversity. However, the specific impacts of organic practices on soil health are not well understood.  Broad surveys of soil health comparing organic and conventional systems consistently show the benefits of organic farming, but rarely compare strategies within organic systems to understand where these benefits arise, or how they can be maximized. This webinar will look at new research on the benefits of organic farming to soil health and climate change mitigation, and specific organic soil-building practices to illuminate strategies that have the biggest impacts on soil health.

Presenters:

• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Associate Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• Kate Tully, PhD, Assistant Professor of Agroecology, University of Maryland

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*Open to all

Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members – representing more than 9,500 organic businesses throughout all portions of the supply chain. Board elections are a unique opportunity for our members to decide – one vote per member organization – the future leaders of the organization. Join us for this interactive Webinar to learn more about the process, and meet the eight candidates vying for the five open seats. 

Presenters: 

• Laura Batcha, Executive Director / CEO, Organic Trade Association
• Ben Diesl, VP of Quality Assurance, Grimmway Farms / Cal-Organic

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*Available to OTA members only.