Dear OTA Members, Partners, and Organic Champions,
This year marks a significant milestone: the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is turning 40. For four decades, we’ve been at the forefront of the organic movement, driving change, fueling growth, and amplifying a unifying voice of our vibrant community. We’re grateful for those who are part of this community, movement and trade – whether you joined us this year, or have been around from the launch – we are truly stronger together.
This milestone is more than an anniversary; it’s a celebration of how far we’ve come, an acknowledgment of the challenges we’ve overcome, and a rallying call to shape an even brighter future for organic farmers, ranchers, retailers, advocates, and consumers. It's a worthwhile moment to reflect on our past as we continue to charge ahead with bold initiatives that will pave the way for the next 40 years.
A Legacy of Leadership
From the very beginning, we’ve been driven to advocate for our members. It began with a goal to establish a unified framework for organic standards. Our early work, including the landmark Guidelines for the Organic Food Industry, laid the foundation for the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the USDA’s National Organic Standards in 2000. But of course, that was only the beginning.
We’ve worked relentlessly for:
- A strong public-private partnership including adequate funding for the USDA National Organic Program. While most days we work in collaboration, we’ve also been unafraid to challenge the USDA when progress stalled, always pushing to advance organic priorities.
- Support for farmers in transitioning to organic, from cost share to technical assistance through our programs and federal funding.
- Stronger regulations to meet consumer demand, protect against fraud, and ensure the integrity of organic products.
- Improved infrastructure that addresses the farm-level, manufacturing, and market bottlenecks in organic.
- Organic promotion and education including the environmental, economic, animal welfare and social benefits of our integrated approach to production to help sales of American organic products both domestically and abroad.
- Increased investment in organic research, especially that which supports farmers in the field as well as sustainability initiatives that expand the benefits of organic.
Telling the Organic Story – and Watching It Thrive
For 40 years, we’ve championed the benefits of organic to the public, inspiring generations of consumers to embrace healthier choices for themselves and the planet. Organic is now a more than $70 billion industry. When you look back twenty years we were at $10 billion. This incredible growth is a testament to the collective power of our members who have expanded access to organic and ignited the passion of organic consumers.
Looking Ahead: The Next 40 Years
We’re just getting started. As we kick off our fifth decade, we’re stepping into a new era of opportunity and action.
We will continue to advocate for organic in a shifting political landscape. A top priority is to better educate Congress and their staff on the value organic has as a choice for consumers, farmers, and businesses. We will continue to be the leader in advocating for Farm Bill priorities that serve our members and mission and ensure continued growth across the wide diversity of sectors we represent.
We will reenergize a conversation around the organic sector with an eye on the next generation. Future farmers, businesses leaders, advocates and consumers are critical for continued success, and we will be celebrating and nurturing their success. At Organic Week 2024 we both looked to our roots – as a regional food movement – and to our future that includes those roots and continues to expand our innovation and global markets.
This conversation must include a discussion of the impact of our agricultural system on "outcomes"—specifically, how our decisions to choose organic affect the planet and people. How can we better measure these impacts? We've already initiated conversations, partnerships, and the development of principles to advance organic farming by better accounting for our positive outcomes and competing with other impact claims. We must continue evolving and responding to consumer and market signals, and this is one area that cannot be ignored.
A Fresh Look for a Bold Future
As we embark on the future, we’re giving ourselves a new look and refreshing our brand, our logo and our website. Theses changes aren’t just cosmetic updates – they’re a declaration of who we are and where we’re headed. It reflects the dynamic nature of the organic sector and the forward-thinking approach we embrace, and symbolizes the growth, sustainability, and the interconnectedness of organic practices, from farm to marketplace. Our new look serves as a testament to the strength and evolution of our movement.
Alongside our new logo, we are excited to unveil a completely redesigned OTA website, coming soon. The fresh user-friendly site will provide clearer access to resources, industry news, and tools to help you thrive in the organic sector, and will offer greater opportunities for connection, collaboration, and advocacy.
Celebrating You, Our Members
None of this would be possible without you – our members, the heart and soul of OTA. This year, we’re turning the spotlight on YOU, sharing your stories, successes, and the incredible work you do to drive the organic movement forward.
As we step into this exciting new chapter, we’re doubling down on our mission: strengthening our collective voice, fostering collaboration across the organic supply chain, and deepening connections within our community.
Join us in celebrating 40 incredible years – and let’s build the next chapter of organic together.
Together, we grow organic.
Regards,
Matt and Tom
