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USDA approves transitional certification program

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On January 11, 2017, The Organic Trade Association (OTA) announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help guide farmers transitioning into certified organic agricultural production. 

 

USDA approves new transitional certification program to foster organic growth

Today, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help guide farmers transitioning into certified organic agricultural production.

Using standards developed by OTA, the National Certified Transitional Program (NCTP) will provide oversight to approved Accredited Organic Certifying Agents offering transitional certification to producers. This will help ease the transition process to organic, allow farmers to sell their products as certified transitional at a premium price and help encourage more organic production.

Organic Innovation and Inspiration: CCOF 2017 Annual Conference

Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 9:15am to Friday, February 10, 2017 - 5:15pm

Save the date for CCOF’s 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference events on February 9-10, 2017, in Visalia, California. This year’s theme—Organic Innovation and Inspiration—will feature the innovative techniques organic producers, handlers, retailers, and other change-makers are using to address current economic and environmental issues, as well as big ideas for tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

We invite you to join other innovators to change the world by changing the way we grow. The festivities begin Thursday evening with our first annual CCOF Foundation Awards Feast. Hear from the next generation of organic producers and the champions who are helping them build their careers in agriculture. Friday’s full-day conference will focus on the innovations that are shaping our organic world. From new technology to out-of-the-box solutions for sustainability, you won’t want to miss this show and tell from some of organic’s biggest thinkers.

OTA's CEO Laura Batcha will discuss the GRO Organic Check-off, including what’s at stake for organic producers and processors and how to weigh-in as the process unfolds. 

USDA Agriculture Outlook Forum

Thursday, February 23, 2017 - 9:00am to Friday, February 24, 2017 - 5:00pm

The United States Department of Agriculture's 93rd Agricultural Outlook Forum will take place February 23-24, 2017 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, VA. The theme will be "A New Horizon: The Future of Agriculture." The Organic Trade Association's CEO Laura Batcha and Farm Policy Director Nate Lewis will both be speaking. Registration is now open!

Schedule:

TRACK: Marketing and Consumer Driven Practices | 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Session 20 : Marketing-driven Changes in Agricultural Production

Moderator: Laura Batcha, Executive Director, Organic Trade Association

Topic 1: Slow-growing Chickens

Speaker: Bruce Stewart-Brown, Sr. VP Food Safety and Quality, Perdue Farms 

Topic 2: Antibiotic-free Animal Agriculture

Speaker: George Siemon, Chief Executive Officer, Organic Valley

Topic 3: Elimination of Gestation Crates for Hogs

Speaker: Stewart Leeth, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, Smithfield

 

Board of Directors Retreat and Meeting

Tuesday, January 31, 2017 - 9:00am to Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - 3:00pm

The Organic Trade Association's Board of Directors will meet Tuesday and Wednesday, January 31 - February 1 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in Eugene, OR. 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. If you would like to attend a Board meeting or formally address the Board regarding a specific topic or issue, please contact OTA

Event Type: 

Organic in Portland Regional Networking Event

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 - 4:30pm to Thursday, February 2, 2017 - 5:30pm

Please join the Organic Trade Association (OTA) Board of Directors in Portland, Oregon, for a regional meeting and networking event on Wednesday, February 1 at the Hilton Portland

The OTA Board will be in town for Organicology and its annual winter Board meeting and retreat, and would like the opportunity to hear from you and your colleagues in the Pacific Northwest organic community. Board members will facilitate a discussion about issues facing organic food and fiber farmers, processors, distributors, retailers and others in the region.

You'll hear directly from Board Members about the trade association's major initiatives and plans for the opportunities and uncertainties that lie ahead in 2017. The Board is also eager to hear YOUR PRIORITIES, and help connect the dots about how OTA can help your organic business thrive.

We'll end the meeting with a reception co-hosted by OTA, Accredited Certifiers Association, Organic Materials Review Institute, Sustainable Food Trade Association, Tilth, and Organicology.

On behalf of the Organic Trade Association Board of Directors, we hope to see you there!


PROGRAM

4:30 - 5:30 PM:

Facilitated business conversation. Members of the Portland area organic sector will participate in a dialog about challenges and opportunities for organic in the Portland area.

5:30 - 7:00 PM:

Organic appetizers and drinks will be served at a reception co-hosted by OTA, Accredited Certifiers Association, Organic Materials Review Institute, Sustainable Food Trade Association, Tilth, and Organicology.

Today!

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Comments submitted on animal raising claims

On December 5, OTA submitted comments to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on the agency’s guidance surrounding documentation to substantiate animal raising claims on packaged meat products. In its comments, OTA said it strongly believes that an organic certificate should be the only documentation required for animal raising claims verified through the organic certification process.

Trade Mission to United Arab Emirates

Monday, November 28, 2016 - 8:00am to Saturday, December 3, 2016 - 5:00pm

The Organic Trade Association and three member companies will travel to the United Arab Emirates to attend the Middle East Natural and Organic Product Expo in Dubai. In addition to attending the show, the mission will have numberous meetings and store tours in an effort to better understand this growth market. For more information please contact Monique Marez, OTA's Director of International Trade.

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National Organic Standards Board Fall Meeting

Tuesday, October 31, 2017 - 9:00am to Thursday, November 2, 2017 - 6:00pm

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which recommends organic policy to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, will hold its fall public meeting October 31 through November 2 in Jacksonville, FL. The draft agenda for the upcoming meeting is now posted. OTA will keep you informed of issues to be discussed and commented on for this meeting.

For information on previous meetings, visit the NOSB meetings page.

Meeting Information:

October 31-November 2, 2017

Omni Jacksonville - Jacksonville, FL

 

Organic Industry Counters Recent Allegations, Details Hopes for USDA Meeting

Cornucopia Institute “clearly has an opinion” about how to interpret the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and current federal regulations governing organic food production, Nate Lewis, farm policy director for OTAtells Food Chemical News, “and it’s certainly within anyone’s right to report a complaint or investigate if they believe the regulations have been violated, but the merits of the complaint, I really want to defer to the USDA and trust that they will investigate the complaints appropriately and come to an appropriate conclusion.”

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