It has been 30 years since the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) was signed into law and while the organic sector has made many advancements, there is still much to be done to ensure the continued success of the organic movement and truly achieve the gold standard in food systems. The Organic Trade Association (OTA), the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), and the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University (ASU) led by Dr. Kathleen Merrigan are embarking on a partnership to bring together organic farmers nationwide vested in the continued success and growth of organic at the Future of Organic - Farmers Workshop on March 2, 2022 from 1-5 pm ET virtually.
As a farmer or farmer organization, we want to hear your innovative ideas to ensure the next 30 years of organic farming. We encourage farming organizations to hold pre-meetings to gather input from farmers in your region to share at the workshop. Individual organic farmers are also encouraged to apply to attend the workshop and share their ideas directly. The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to a report outlining tangible improvements to the law and regulatory process within USDA and inform updates to the Organic Foods Production Act and other priorities in the next farm bill.