Green Lemon
The mandate of the Farm Bill Task Force is to facilitate and assist OTA members in building relationships with Members of Congress in both the House and Senate to achieve success on the OTA priorities in the 2023 Farm Bill. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Peter Mihalick, Senior Director of Government Affairs, and Laura Holm, Government Affairs Associate.
The Organic Trade Association’s Organic Feedstuff Trade Relief Task Force has a mandate to research, develop and secure trade disruption relief payments for livestock producers dependent on organic feedstuffs use and financial hardship endured. Criteria to participate in this task force includes contributing financially to secure consultative services and prior experience in policy and advocacy with a strong commercial attachment to or interest in organic livestock production and markets.
The mandate of this task force is to decide on and implement a strategy to either 1) raise the US tariff rate quota for organic sugar, 2) create an organic Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ), or 3) implement both options, if they are compatible. In addition, the Sugar Supply Task Force may decide to discuss relief via amendments to the coming Farm Bill or other strategies to be determined. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Sarah Gorman, International Trade Manager.
Blue and Green
The mandate of the task force is to facilitate a conversation from OTA members on repairing the public-private partnership between USDA and the organic industry and generate strategic thinking for how organic will evolve within this partnership over the next decade and beyond. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Peter Mihalick, Senior Director of Government Affairs.
This task force will serve as a platform to voice and discuss issues regarding the changing regulations, and plan next steps for those involved in the EU market. The work will also address the impacts to UK-Brexit and organic trade. The group also serves as an advisory body on work related to our E.U. TASC funding. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Sarah Gorman, International Trade Manager.
The mandate of this task force is to monitor, analyze, and discuss existing and emerging issues from organic trade discussions and issue resolutions between the United States and Mexico. The task force will provide input to FAS, NOP, and USTR on the industry's perspective on trade issues, technical talks, Mexico’s recently implemented organic regulations, and market potential. Task force members will also provide industry support and concerns regarding the potential opportunities and challenges that will be created by entering an organic equivalency arrangement with Mexico. Additionally, the task force will provide issue assessments regarding organic seed treatments in support of OTA / FAS / APHIS work on this issue. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Sarah Gorman, International Trade Manager.
The mandate of the Residues Task Force is to continue the Organic Trade Association's strong support of periodic residue testing as a critical tool to monitor compliance with the organic regulations and address challenges relating to unavoidable residual environmental contamination (UREC) and concentration factors. Work on this Task Force is facilitated by Johanna Mirenda, Farm Policy Director.
Task Force Policies and Procedures Task Force Roles and Responsibilities Submit Task Force Request Form Online