Monies will be used to reduce trade barriers for U.S. organic products

GREENFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 6, 2009)--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has approved $1,666,000 in Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) funding over five years to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in partnership with Sustainable Strategies, for projects that analyze and address trade issues for U.S. organic products.

“This funding will be used to help further understand hurdles that impede the trade of U.S. organic products and help work toward finding solutions to opening trade options for U.S. organic producers,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director.

Organic Trade Association congratulates new NOSB appointees

GREENFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 25, 2009)— The Organic Trade Association (OTA) today congratulated the five persons selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to serve on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) beginning in January.

GREENFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 17, 2009)—The Organic Trade Association (OTA) today expressed delight at the selection of Miles McEvoy as the new Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Organic Program (NOP).

“As Organic Program Manager for Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Organic Food efforts, Miles has been very active as a long-time member of the Organic Trade Association (OTA). OTA is pleased that he will be filling this very important position in USDA. OTA is confident that, with his experience, he will provide invaluable guidance and clear thinking that will further the integrity of the National Organic Program,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director.

Sarah Shank
(202) 518-0044 ex21
shank@earthday.net

Sixth Year Set to Engage, Educate, and Drive Sales More Than Ever Before

Minneapolis, MN, September 14, 2009 – Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with the organic industry’s proven integrated marketing campaign that continues to gain retailer support and drive sales of participating organic products. In its sixth year, Go Organic!™ for Earth Day provides the straight facts on organic production, health, and sustainability, while offering huge savings on organic brands.

International press tour celebrates opening of EU and Japanese markets to U.S.-sourced organic berries and wines

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2009) ─ The Organic Export Program managed by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) last week led members of the European Union (EU) and Japanese press on a five-day tour of California organic wineries and farms.

Organized by OTA’s Organic Export Program, the tour sought to provide foreign press with first-hand exposure to U.S. organic products, as well as the opportunity to speak directly with American organic producers and manufacturers. The tour also aimed to educate the press about the quality, consistency, and variety of U.S. organic products available for export.

SACKVILLE, NB (Sept. 11, 2009) — The Organic Trade Association (OTA) in Canada has called the recent discovery of contaminated flax seed in Europe “unacceptable,” and said biotechnology companies must take responsibility for damages caused by their lack of appropriate containment protocols.

The European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed has discovered an illegal genetically engineered (GE) trait in German food products, which originated from Canada. Although no organic products have been implicated at this time, the discovery of this unauthorized GE trait in food products is a major concern for the Canadian organic sector, and for consumers around the world. The GE flax in question, called ‘Triffid,’ was designed specifically to withstand applications of synthetic chemical pesticides.

For Immediate Release Contact: Sandra Marquardt, 301-592-0077
September 9, 2009 smarquardt@onthemarkpr.com

GREENFIELD, Mass. Whether a result of bottom-up pressure from students or top-down decision-making from proactive faculty and food service administrators, organic coffee is more available than ever on college campuses these days, according to the Organic Coffee Collaboration, a project of the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 31, 2009)—In response to recent publicity concerning an article in-press for the next issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) reminds consumers that organic has a great story to tell.

“The broader question is about what is health and what is nutrition, and isn’t it more than just nutrient density,” said Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University, in reference to recent buzz about the article, “Nutritional quality of organic foods: a systematic review.” “Doesn’t a food system that avoids the use of pesticides, synthetic growth hormones and antibiotics while building healthy soil and protecting natural resources promote health and nutrition? I certainly think so.”

For Immediate Release
Contact: Sandra Marquardt
Tel: 301-592-0077, cell: 301-512-4781
E-mail: smarquardt@onthemarkpr.com

NEW YORK CITY (July 21, 2009) – The North American organic coffee market topped 1.3 billion dollars in 2008, making it the single most valuable organic product imported into North America, according to new data released today by coffee market analyst Daniele Giovannucci at a sampling event featuring delicious new crop organic coffees from leading U.S. roasters. The event was hosted by the Organic Coffee Collaboration, a project of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), at New York City’s Union Square Cafe.

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 17, 2009)—The Organic Trade Association (OTA) today encouraged manufacturers of liquid fertilizers with greater than three percent nitrogen for use on organic farms to submit their products immediately for third-party review in order to meet an October 1 approval deadline set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) in a directive issued to USDA NOP Accredited Certifiers on February 20, 2009.

Companies can submit products for review to either third-party reviewers such as the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) or to accredited certifiers such as California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF).

“The whole industry, from organic growers and handlers to certifiers and third-party reviewers, are fully committed to ensuring that all inputs used on organic farms meet the requirements of U.S. national standards for organic production,” said Jack Erisman, OTA board member, organic farmer and co-chair of OTA’s Input(fertilizer) Verification Task Force.

Consumers and organic farmers want truthful messages about the avoidance of synthetic hormones

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 16, 2009)—Thousands of consumers in Ohio are urging their governor to repeal an emergency rule that takes away their rights to receive truthful information on dairy labels concerning the practices used to produce those products.

The February 2008 emergency rule enacted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture would require labels to include a disclaimer for dairy products produced from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is currently appealing a court decision that denied its motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the rule. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has postponed enforcement of the emergency rule until resolution of this appeal.

Consumers and organic farmers want truthful messages about the avoidance of synthetic hormones

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 16, 2009)—Thousands of consumers in Ohio are urging their governor to repeal an emergency rule that takes away their rights to receive truthful information on dairy labels concerning the practices used to produce those products.

The February 2008 emergency rule enacted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture would require labels to include a disclaimer for dairy products produced from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is currently appealing a court decision that denied its motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the rule. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has postponed enforcement of the emergency rule until resolution of this appeal.

What: Reporters may sample new crop organic coffees from around the world and get the buzz about the 2008 organic coffee market and 2009 trends at an event hosted by the Organic Coffee Collaboration, a project of the Organic Trade Association, at New York City’s popular Union Square Cafe Tuesday, July 21, 2009.

Participants in the Collaboration are Caffe Ibis (Logan, UT), Chiapas Farms (Austin, TX), Crimson Cup (Columbus, OH), Elan Organic Coffee (San Diego, CA), Equator Estate Coffees and Teas (San Rafael, CA), Green Mountain Coffee (Waterbury, VT), Maximus Coffee Group (Houston, TX), S+D Coffee (Concord, NC), Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company (Burnaby, BC, Canada), and True Origin Organics (Weston, FL). These participants represent some of the newest companies to launch as well as others that source, decaffeinate, or already roast for the largest companies in the United States.

Announcing the new market data is internationally recognized coffee market analyst Mr. Daniele Giovannucci who has tracked organic coffee data for decades and is the author of a number of books and reports on the topic including the April 2008 book on value-added standards in the North American food market by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Recent data from the Organic Trade Association's 2009 Organic Industry Survey indicated that U.S. sales of organic products, including food and non-food, reached $24.6 billion by the end of 2008, growing an impressive 17.1 percent over 2007 sales despite tough economic times. According to the report, the organic beverage sector was the second fastest-growing sector of the organic market (behind breads and grains at 35 percent) with 31.5 percent growth, representing, at 14 percent, the third largest sector (behind produce and dairy).

Media Alert:

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 4, 2009) — The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and its members are organic advocates. We believe in, support, and advocate for the integrity of the organic label and strict enforcement of federal organic standards because this is fundamental to living up to the contract with consumers who choose or who are considering choosing organic products.

At the June 17 annual meeting of the OTA membership, Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, announced “the new era of equivalence and enforcement of organic standards.” She was met with a standing ovation from the packed house.

It is unfortunate the Washington Post article, “Purity of Federal ‘Organic’ Label Is Questioned”, July 3, 2009, focused on old news and urban legends. The article also chose to reinforce rhetoric that is not only inaccurate but serves a narrow agenda whose motivations go unquestioned in the article.

OTA, on behalf of its members, would like to correct some inaccuracies and try to move the debate beyond narrow rhetoric and toward a more fact-based perspective.

PORTLAND, ME. (June 23, 2009) — The 2009 All Things Organic™, Expo Comida Latina and All Asia Food trade shows, which also featured a focus on specialty food and health and wellness products and education, took place June 16-18, 2009, in Chicago, IL, at the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place. Thousands of retail buyers and industry professionals explored more than 400 booths of organic, ethnic, health & wellness and specialty products. Attendees also had the opportunity to attend 50+ hours of organic and health & wellness education.

Highlights from the show included: