- gather input on specific programs, issues, new initiatives, or overall strategic planning
- convene an advisory group that would recommend a course of action to either the board or staff
- consider a narrow subject within a broader topic area
- focus attention and recommend service for a particular sector of the organic industry
- accomplish a specified project/task, as needed, using OTA and/or participants volunteer time.
Child Nutrition Task Force
This task force will develop policy proposals related to the school lunch pilot program and expanding access to organic within the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) feeding programs as part of the upcoming Child Nutrition Act reauthorization by Congress.
Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Task Force
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.
European Union Task Force
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.
Hydroponics and Container Production Task Force
The Hydroponics and Container Production Task Force's mandate is to inform the Organic Trade Association’s development of recommendations and positions on NOSB proposals related to hydroponics and container production.
Mexico Task Force
Marine Materials Task Force
The mandate of the Marine Materials Task Force is to develop comments in response to NOSB Materials Subcommittee Discussion Documents and Proposals related to marine materials in organic crop production.
NOP Enforcement Rulemaking Task Force
The mandate of this task force is to: 1) engage early with NOP and answer the enforcement related questions NOP distributed in a public "Town Hall" style webinar; and 2) help shape OTA’s comments to NOP on the proposed rule.
Residues Task Force
The mandate of the Residues Task Force is to continue OTA'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.
Strengthening Organic Seed Usage Task Force
The Strengthening Organic Seed Usage Task Force's mandate is to assist the Organic Trade Association in identifying the strengths and weakness of NOSB’s draft proposals on seed, annual seedlings, and planting stock used in organic crop production, and inform the trade association’s comments to the NOSB on the areas of improvement needed.
Sugar Supply Task Force
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.
Task Force Policies and Procedures Task Force Roles and Responsibilities Submit Task Force Request Form Online