The next edition of the Sustainable Foods Summit will feature plant-based foods, sustainable ingredients, and green marketing. The ninth North American edition of this executive summit will take place January 16-17, 2019 in San Francisco. With growing interest in plant-based alternatives to livestock products, the summit discusses the future direction of plant-based foods. 

Plant-based alternatives to meat & dairy products are gaining popularity, with some arguing the future of sustainable foods is intricately linked to such products. What is future outlook for vegan & plant-based foods? What are opportunities in the North American market? These questions will be addressed in the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit.

Representing Organic Trade Association at the Summit, Melody Meyer will speak January 16th about how organic businesses are striving for continuous improvement. Meyer will provide a market update, and discuss a number of fronts in which the label – already the gold standard for agricultural stewardship and processing standards the world around – continues to innovate in areas of soil health, climate change mitigation and other sustainability measures, and private sector initiatives that push the trade forward, including those that create and assure supply chain integrity.

The panel is titled "Going Beyond Organic: Regenerative Agriculture". The panel will be lead by Jeff Moyer, Executive Director of Rodale Institute, and takes place Wednesday January 16 from 10:10 a.m. - 10:40 a.m. For more information, contact Angela Jagiello.

Summit Information:

January 16-17, 2019

Hotel San Francisco Financial District

San Francisco, CA

The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Exposition & Conference (GOPEX) provides a forum to meet the rapidly changing needs of professionals who grow, distribute, pack and market organic produce. This international trade show and conference provides the ideal opportunity for organic produce professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, source new products and services, and do business with the industry's leading growers, distributors, packers, marketers and retailers.

The Organic Trade Association is organizing a keynote and two panel discussions at the Conference on February 1, 2019. More details on each session below, and for more information contact Angela Jagiello. 

Shannon Allen Keynote
Shannon will discuss how her passion for organic and concern for her family’s unique nutritional needs led her to launch grown™ an organic quick serve restaurant, with her husband, NBA All-Star Ray Allen. Throughout Ray’s 18-year NBA career, Shannon made sure that he ate the healthiest foods to help him maintain his edge and stay in peak physical condition. When the Allens’ middle son, Walker, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Shannon’s zeal for providing healthful, nutritious food for her very busy family inspired her to open the nation’s first all organic fast food restaurant with a drive through. With the latest science about the health benefits of organic from The Organic Center, Allen will inspire you with her passion for nutritious food, and her vibrant entrepreneurial spirt.

Athletes Embrace Organic
With all the nutritional resources in the world available to them, many professional athletes are choosing organic, and many dieticians are advocating organic for their elite athlete clientele. In fact, a number of these individuals have felt so strongly about the value of organic that they go on to launch organic products after the conclusion of their athletic careers. Our panel will discuss athletes’ embrace of organic. Is this a trend? Why? What’s propelling it, and what barriers need to be overcome for the trend to expand?

The Organic Center Presents: Breeding for Flavor
Remarkable results are possible when seed breeders expand their focus beyond yield and transportability as primary desirable traits, and begin selecting for other qualities such as flavor, nutrition, and resilience to weather and pest pressures. Hear from cutting edge researchers about what they’ve been able to accomplish, and what we can look forward to in the future. The session will be moderated by Dr. Amber Sciligo, The Organic Center’s new Director of Science Programs. She will be joined by Erica Renaud, PhD., who manages organic seed and herbs in North America for Vitalis/Enza Zaden, USA.

Conference Information:

January 31 - February 2, 2019

Diplomat Beach Resort

Hollywood, FL

The In-Person Winter Board Meeting will take place in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, February 7th, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., directly following the 2019 FAC Fly-In.

The OTA Board of Directors typically meets as a full Board at least four times a year, two or three in-person meetings and one or two via teleconference. Each Board member serves on one of the three committees: Executive, Community Relations, or Governance.  Each committee typically meets once per month.

Organic Trade Association members are welcome to attend and observe in-person Board meetings, with the exception of any Executive Session. 

For more information, contact Stephanie Jerger. 

Meeting Information:

Thursday, February 7th, 2019 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Washington, D.C.

Biofach is the world's largest trade show for organic, taking place February 13-16, 2019 in Nuremberg, Germany. The Organic Trade Association will host a pavilion of 14 U.S. organic companies at the show. 

The registration fee is $600 for first time exhibitors and $1000 for return exhibitors. This pavilion is already filled, but if you are interested in being added to the waitlist for participation, contact the Organic Trade Association's International Trade Manager, Alexis Carey.

Registration includes the following:

• Tabletop in OTA booth
• 1 round trip economy transportation to and from Nuremburg, booked through OTA’s travel agent
• Hotel stay for 1 for the duration of the activity
• Fascia and counter graphics
• Travel to and from the show daily via public transportation or shuttle [travel to and from the airport is at the participant's own expense]. 
• 1 group dinner, and buyer dinner support

For all USDA MAP programs, 51% or more of the products you promote must be 51% or made of U.S. produced ingredients either by value (cost of the ingredients) or volume (against overall weight of the product).  It’s the federal USDA regulation for participation and part of declaration you agree to when signing up for OTA activities. All exhibitors must complete OTA’s onsite evaluation and a 6 month follow-up evaluation.

Disclaimer: Organic Trade Association participation at Biofach 2019 is subject to USDA MAP funding provided by the Farm Bill. Should funding not be released in time for participation at Biofach, your deposit will be refunded.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) Organic Agriculture Research Forum will be taking place on February 16, 2019 in Portland, Oregon, in partnership with Organicology. The day-long forum will feature innovative presentations from researchers across all disciplines related to organic farming and food systems. The intent of the forum is to share the most current information with farmers, ranchers, extensionists, educators, agricultural professionals, and others interested in organic agriculture.

Jessica Shade, The Organic Center's Director of Science Programs, will be speaking at the Forum about The Organic Center's work with examining the impacts of organic on climate change. For more information, contact Jessica Shade. 

Forum Information:

February 16, 2019

Hilton Portland Downtown

Portland, OR

The Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) will host the 2019 MOSES Organic Farming Conference February 21-23 in La Crosse, WI. This Conference is the largest event in the U.S. about organic and sustainable farming, offering 66 workshops over 6 sessions, inspiring keynotes, engaging roundtables, and a resource-packed exhibit hall with over 170 vendors. Organic University, day 1 of the conference, provides full-day courses that dig deeper into specific farming topics.

Melody Meyer, founder of Source Organic, will present the following sessions at the Conference on behalf of the Organic Trade Assocation. For more information, contact Adrienne Messe. 

The Organic Check-Off
Since the USDA halted a mandatory organic check-off to fund research and promotion of organic, members of the organic sector are looking at a voluntary check-off program called GRO Organic. Learn about this option and hear different perspectives on the need for organic research, promotion, and consumer education. Weigh in with your own "big idea" to advance organic.

International Trade Update
We all know that the organic marketplace is now global. Farmers can be greatly impacted by shifts in the international trade environment when their products become more or less desirable. Understanding the forecast and implications of the global marketplace can help farmers make better decisions about what to grow and how to market it.

Conference Information: 

February 21-23, 2019

La Crosse Center

La Crosse, WI

FOODEX JAPAN is the Asia's leading trade show, taking place March 3-8 in Tokyo, Japan.  Over the 4 days of the exhibition, about 85,000 buyers from food service, distribution, and trading companies are expected to attend. Attention will be given to the expansion of business opportunities domestically and internationally upon the activation of the TPP. Numerous buyers will also be attending from abroad, and business talks will be held with domestic and international manufacturers.

Registration is now open for shared booth space with the Organic Trade Association at FoodEx 2019. The registration fee is $600 for new exhibitors to FoodEx Japan and $1,000 for return participants when you sign up with the Organic Trade Association. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The fee covers one round-trip economy flight to Japan (booked through an Organic Trade Association travel agent), a single hotel room for the duration of the activity, one 1 m table top counter display within the Organic Trade Association booth in the USA Pavilion, logo screening and other marketing materials, and an interpreter shared among exhibitors. All other expenses--meals, samples, cost to and from the airport--are your responsibility. The show dates are March 5–8, with arrival in Japan on March 3. Sign up now! For more information, contact OTA's International Trade Manager, Alexis Carey.

Note:  For all USDA MAP programs, the products you promote must be produced in the United States and contain at least 51% or more U.S. produced ingredients either by value (cost of the ingredients) or volume (against overall weight of the product).  

Trade Show Information:

March 3-8, 2019

Venue - Makuhari Messe

Tokyo, Japan

Join us for the The Organic Center's 16th Annual Benefit Dinner, the biggest all-organic networking dinner on Wednesday, March 6 at Natural Products Expo West.

Expect a thought-provoking program featuring keynote speaker Shannon Allen. Shannon, wife of 2x NBA champion Ray Allen, is the creator and owner of the thriving all-organic fast-food restaurant chain grown™.
megan mitchell

Enjoy a delicious custom organic menu created by Chef Megan Mitchell featuring products supplied by our sponsors. Megan is a seasoned chef and internet personality who's worked with the Food Network, the Cooking Channel, and Tastemade.

You are guaranteed to connect with colleagues and organic industry leaders at this high level event. You'll learn about The Center's important work to facilitate research and communicate credible, evidence-based science on the environmental and health benefits of organic food and farming.

Sponsorships are available, or you can buy a table. Individual tickets go on sale in January. Add your name to the waiting list and be first to know when ticket sales launch.

The Spring Board Meeting will take place on Thursdsay, May 23, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C., directly following the Organic Trade Association's Policy Conference.

The OTA Board of Directors typically meets as a full Board at least four times a year, two or three in-person meetings and one or two via teleconference. Each Board member serves on one of the three committees: Executive, Community Relations, or Governance.  Each committee typically meets once per month.

Organic Trade Association members are welcome to attend and observe in-person Board meetings, with the exception of any Executive Session.

For more information, contact Stephanie Jerger. 

Meeting Information:

Thursdsay, May 23, 2019 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Washington, D.C. 

The Organic Trade Association Summer Board Meeting Phone Conference will be taking place on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST.

The OTA Board of Directors typically meets as a full Board at least four times a year, two or three in-person meetings and one or two via teleconference. Each Board member serves on one of the three committees: Executive, Community Relations, or Governance.  Each committee typically meets once per month.

For more information, contact Stephanie Jerger. 

Meeting Information:

Wednesday, August 21, 2019 | 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST.

Phone Conference 

The Organic Trade Association Fall Board Meeting will be taking place on September 11, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST. The meeting will be held in conjunction with Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, MD.

The OTA Board of Directors typically meets as a full Board at least four times a year, two or three in-person meetings and one or two via teleconference. Each Board member serves on one of the three committees: Executive, Community Relations, or Governance.  Each committee typically meets once per month.

For more information, contact Stephanie Jerger. 

Meeting Information:

September 11, 2019 | 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST

Baltimore, MD