OTA establishes Organic Produce Council

The Organic Trade Association has established an Organic Produce Council, designed to unify the diverse views of the industry and address ongoing challenges.

Issues include those that apply to the overall industry, including food safety, labor challenges, packaging issues and climate change, but will focus on organic viewpoints, 

Association members started the drive to establish the produce council earlier this year. The trade group previously established similar groups so support farmers, dairy, dietary supplements, fiber, grains and retailers, according to a news release.

“We whole-heartedly welcome the formation of this sector council and look forward to problem-solving and collaborating with our colleagues throughout the organic produce supply chain,” board member Ben Diesl, vice president of quality assurance for Grimmway Farms, said in the release. “This council will give Organic Trade Association member companies that are involved in the organic industry an organized opportunity to benefit from the association’s expertise, to network with diverse stakeholders and to influence the overall agenda of the association.”

He encouraged other companies to join.

Facing the issues

“We are thrilled that our produce members are coming together and tapping into their association’s bank of knowledge to help them deal with those challenges,” Laura Batcha, OTA CEO and executive director, said in the release.

In 2019, organic fruit and vegetable sales reached $18 billion, according to the association, and organic produce makes up about one-third of all organic food sales. Organic produce, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried, account for 15% of the total fruits and vegetable market in the U.S., according to the association.

The Organic Trade Association’s farm policy director Johanna Mirenda and Diesl brought together produce members for a COVID-19 listening session earlier this year.

“Our members taking part in this discussion found it very valuable to connect with other of our produce members,” Mirenda, who is staff liaison for the new council, said in the release. “Since then, individual members have come forward with other organic produce issues, such as food safety, that could serve as work plan projects for the new council to take on.”

About two dozen people attended a September meeting to discuss the benefits of the council.

Other issues the council plans address are:

• Implementing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new rule on strengthening organic enforcement;
• Supporting development of organic seeds and planting stock; 
• Establishing organic labeling and packaging best practices;
• Adapting to and mitigating climate change; and 
• Developing resources on market data and research information.

Council members listed their priorities as: 

• Amplifying the needs of the produce community within the trade association;
• Developing and sharing information with other organic companies;
• Learning about regulatory issues that effect organic produce;
• Networking with other organic produce businesses; and 
• Creating opportunities for leadership development opportunities.

For more information on the council, contact Johanna Mirenda at jmirenda@ota.com.

Initial companies signing up for this council are:

• Ag. Valles del Sur SpA, Cautin, Chile;
• Awe Sum Organics, Santa Cruz, Calif.;
• Bolthouse Farms, Bakersfield, Calif.;
• Bridges Organic Produce, Portland, Ore.;
• Cal-Organic/Grimmway Farms;
• Charlie’s Produce, Seattle;
• CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash.;
• Duncan Family Farm, Goodyear, Ariz.;
• Earl’s Organic Produce, San Francisco;
• Heath & Lejeune, Commerce, Calif.;
• Homegrown Organic Farms, Porterville, Calif.;
• Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, Pescadero, Calif,;
• Munger Farms, Delano, Calif.;
• Naturesweet, San Antonio, Texas;
• Naturipe, Estero, Fla.;
• Organically Grown Co., Portland, Ore.;
• Organic Produce Network, Monterey, Calif.
• Page’s Organics, Ramona, Calif.;
• Taylor Farms, Salinas, Calif.;
• Thermiculture Management, Coachella,  Calif.
• Vitalis Organic Seeds, The Netherlands; and 
• Wholesum, Nogales, Ariz.