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Organic Industry Event

Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Annual Conference

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 - 6:00am to Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 8:00pm

The Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Annual Conference will be held November 18-19 in Kennewick, WA. OTA's Senior Crops and Livestock Specialist, Nate Lewis, will be speaking on National Policy and Regulatory Issues and participating on a panel: Market Opportunities for Organic Production in the Pacific Northwest on November 18. Contact Nate to learn more. 

Tilth Producers of Washington Annual Conference

Friday, November 13, 2015 - 6:00am to Sunday, November 15, 2015 - 8:00pm

The Tilth Producers of Washington Annual Conference, "Building Tilth: Fields, Farmers and Communities," will be held November 13-15 in Spokane, WA. The OTA Grain, Pulse and Oilseed Council will host an organic grain stakeholder meeting for grain buyers, companies, and growers this Friday, November 13, at the Washington Tilth Producers Conference in Spokane, WA. The newly formed OTA sector council is seeking input from farmers on a strategic plan to increase market opportunities and investments to support the expansion of organic grain production. This session is an opportunity for farmers, seed dealers, buyers, processors, and organic grain customers to ask questions about the project, and share insights about where additional investment is most needed. Contact Nate Lewis for more information.

Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit

Thursday, October 22, 2015 - 1:30pm to Sunday, October 25, 2015 - 10:00pm

OTA will be participating in the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit. The purpose is to engage with current and prospective members and gain further insight to the challenges in the produce industry, specifically related to organic. Please contact Derek Mulhern, OTA's Director of Membership if you'd like to connect in person. 

Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit: Organic and Non-GMO Forum

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 2:00pm to Friday, October 2, 2015 - 10:00pm

The 10th Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit taking place this week in Minneapolis will include a one-day Organic and Non-GMO Forum. OTA will be participating, and will speak during two sessions. The first will be on “Organic & Non-GMO Dairy & Livestock: Challenges in Feed Supply and Production Practices.” In the second, OTA will take part in a panel discussion on “Can Industry Work Together to Support Farmers’ Right to Choose?” Nathanial Lewis will be representing OTA at the Forum.

Juice Products Association Fall Business Meeting

Sunday, October 18, 2015 - 4:00pm to Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - 9:30pm

The Juice Products Association Fall Business Meeting will be held in Chicago, IL from October 18-20. OTA's Vice President of Government Affiars Marni Karlin will be speaking. Please contact Marni if you're interested in connecting!

Supply Side West

Monday, October 5, 2015 - 4:00pm to Friday, October 9, 2015 - 8:00pm

Supply Side West will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 5-9. SupplySide West is all about the exploration, discovery, innovation and marketing strategy around the development of finished consumer goods that drive the global business economy. 

OTA's Senior Director of Regulatory & Technical Affairs Gwendolyn Wyard will speak on a panel "GMOs and Supply Considerations" on October 8 from 9-11:00 a.m. at Level 3, Jasmine E.

Consumers and retailers alike are interested in non-GMO products, but suppliers and manufacturers have issues to address in terms of supply chain traceability and communication. In this two-hour panel discussion, we will address key issues around non-GMO ingredient sourcing and finished product development, including achieving compliance with variances related to sourcing inputs, what it takes to be compliant with non-GMO standards in North America, and verification considerations.

Esca Bona Conference

Monday, October 26, 2015 - 3:45pm to Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - 8:45pm

The Esca Bona Conference will be held in Austin, TX from October 26-28. What is Esca Bona? It's Latin for Good Food, and a gathering of good food’s renegades, challenging them to put on their game face and get their hands dirty to help overcome the monumental challenges we face in building a good food future for all. OTA's Membership Director Derek Mulhern will be in attendance to connect with OTA members. If you're interested in meeting with Derek, please contact him!

Produce Marketing Association 2015 Fresh Summit

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 - 3:45pm to Friday, September 25, 2015 - 8:45pm

The Produce Marketing Association 2015 Fresh Summit is in Atlanta, GA from October 22-25. OTA's Membership Director Derek Mulhern will be in attendance to connect with OTA members. If you're in attendance and would like to learn more about membership with OTA, please contact Derek.

Teens Turning Green Eco-Summit

Friday, November 20, 2015 - 3:30pm to Sunday, November 22, 2015 - 8:45pm

OTA's CEO/Executive Director Laura Batcha will speak at Teens Turning Green eco-summit and PGC Finals, which is taking place from November 20-22 in the Bay Area. Turning Green is a student led global movement devoted to education and advocacy around environmentally sustainable and socially responsible choices for individuals, schools and communities. They seek to engage youth in the transition from conventional to conscious living, empowering this generation and mobilizing action to sustain a healthy planet.

Provender Alliance Conference

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - 8:00am to Friday, October 16, 2015 - 5:15pm

The Provender Alliance Conference will be held on October 14-16 in Hood River, Oregon. OTA staff will attend the conference and serve as speakers in two workshops. To learn more, contact Gwendolyn Wyard

October 16, 1:30 to 3:00pm | Workshop Session 2

Back to the Basics: We Can't Promote Organic if We Don't Know What it Means

Speaker(s): Gwendolyn Wyard, Organic Trade Association; Nathaniel Lewis, Organic Trade Association, Gage Mitchel, Modern Species LLC

Are you in the business of selling or promoting organic products? Can all of your employees accurately answer in-store questions about the benefits of purchasing organic food and/or fiber? How well do you really know the organic regulations? This workshop will revisit the core requirements for all USDA National Organic Program certified products and discuss why organic should be the most trusted eco-label in the marketplace. Participants will gain a solid foundation for answering basic questions about organic and how it is enforced. GMO and natural label claims will also be demystified. A discussion about the needs and opportunities for developing on-going employee education and promotion campaigns for organic will be explored.


October 16, 3:30 to 5:00pm | Workshop Session 3

Know Your Organic Label! Requirements for Processors and Retailers

Speaker(s): Gwendolyn Wyard, Organic Trade Association; Brian Scheel, Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO). 

This workshop will give you new insight into the most common mistakes companies make when formulating organic products and creating organic labels. The content will include current information and resources on how to ensure product labels, in-store labels and other marketing materials comply with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards. After this workshop, you will understand the relevance of product composition to your product claim, the process for staying current with the NOP National List of Allowed and Prohibited Ingredients, and the labeling requirements associated with certified and non-certified retail food establishments.

Back to the Basics is a recommended prerequisite for this session

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