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Organic Trade Association shares top billing on “The Dr. Oz Show”

OTA CEO on panel of experts on special episode on organic

Maggie McNeil
(
mmcneil@ota.com
(202) 403-8514
(202) 615-7997
)
Washington , DC
US
 (
April 24, 2018
) — 

Organic Trade Association CEO and Executive Director Laura Batcha on Monday was one of a panel of three organic experts headlining a special episode on organic on the eight-time Daytime Emmy award-winning nationally syndicated “The Dr. Oz Show.”

The episode, titled “What You Need to Know About the Organic Foods You’re Buying,” focused on a tough and timely issue -- whether the organic food that consumers are buying is really organic. It talked about the recent headline stories of fraudulent imported organic feed grains, looked at steps that consumers can take to make sure they’re getting what they pay for, and what the organic industry is doing to ensure the integrity of organic. The two other organic representatives on the panel were Jill McIntosh, then head of Kroger’s Natural and Organic Division and now Vice President of Digital, and Regina Beidler, Organic Valley member and organic dairy farmer from Maine.

The Organic Trade Association was asked to participate as the voice for the organic industry. Batcha explained that organic farmers, food manufacturers, retailers and businesses deeply value the trust of consumers, and work hard every day to maintain that trust. She said the organic community is not only committed to truth in labeling but is invested in strong oversight of organic.

Batcha stressed that the organic sector was extremely concerned when these instances of fraud were uncovered. She explained how the Organic Trade Association and the industry have responded quickly to develop recommendations for stakeholders to prevent fraud, how the industry is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its efforts, and how the industry has supported strong national legislation to ensure against fraud.

Responding to other questions, Batcha effectively tore holes into the notion that organic is a marketing scam. She explained to the audience the very real differences in the organic production system versus others, saying “there’s not a label out there with more scrutiny.”

“The Dr. Oz Show,” hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, accredited health expert, best-selling author and world renowned cardiac surgeon, is seen by some two million viewers, and is in its 9th season.

View the segment:


The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA's Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA's mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace.