Organic Trade Association

How Trust and Innovation Drive the Future of Organics Beyond the Seal

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:08:19 GMT

When asked about generational trends in organic consumption Matt Landi, vice president of industry relations for the Organic Trade Association, is quick to point out that a lot of that has to do with how readily accessible organics has been to different generations.

The Organic Foods Production Act, which created national organic standards, didn’t occur until 1990. So, for traditionalists and their children, baby boomers, organic produce wasn’t even a thing, and the same for Gen Xers. Landi says it’s less about demographics and more about general awareness.

“Everyone born after a certain date has exposure to organics,” he says. “When you’re seeing numbers like with Gen Z and millennials, and you see this progression of having folks be more open to it is because it’s just becoming more ingrained in our food system.”

Landi says this is as much to do with how organics have become more ubiquitous and therefore more readily accessible to consumers.

“The biggest thing about organic at this stage is that when we look at those numbers for Gen Z, and Gen Alpha eventually, there isn’t a day in their life when there wasn’t something organic in their house,” he says.

Landi says that with the level of trust in organics, younger consumers are more willing to pay for organics as Gen Z and millennials seek out attributes in their food that they can feel good about.

“We did a consumer perception study last year, and organic is still by far the most trusted label,” he says.

Landi adds that this consumer perception and trust in organics has created this great opportunity to have a conversation about food production.

“It’s hard not to see a bright future,” he says.

Matt Landi, vice president of industry relations for the Organic Trade Association, says organics needs to take an approach of continuous improvement to continue to maintain its trust with consumers.

(Photo: Nexa, Adobe Stock)

Gold Standard of Consumer Trust

“Organic is 100% built on trust,” Landi says, noting the seal is backed by federal law. “It’s one of the only labels that you see on something and one of the only industries that asks for more regulation sometimes.”

Landi says part of the category’s future involves preserving that trust.

“We’re at this place where it’s got to maintain the trust and integrity, and we also have this tremendous opportunity from a generational standpoint of organic is not just mainstreamed, it’s more in the consciousness of people as they think about their food,” he says.

Landi says organics also needs to take an approach of continuous improvement to continue to carry forward this trust.

“We’ve got to be able to be responsive to changing dynamics. When organic started out, it was mostly pretty small and midsized producers,” he says. “And as it’s scaled, a different method of agriculture is merging with organic. A little bit more of an industrial-scale organic.”

Along with keeping that trust is also a goal of working to eliminate fraud through legislation, Landi says, as well as the imbalances in subsidies for organic and conventional growers. New rules, such as Strengthening Organic Enforcement, can help eliminate fraud.

Landi says while organics is built on regulatory infrastructure, he says OTA also looks at ways to keep that regulatory infrastructure manageable for growers.

“We’re trying to figure out ways to look critically at the process, to try to reduce some of that paperwork burden, especially on smaller producers,” he says. “If you’re a large operation, you can hire a compliance team and that’s their job. If you’re a small farmer, you’re doing it at your kitchen table at midnight, or you’re doing it all winter.”

Matt Landi, vice president of industry relations for the Organic Trade Association, says as more organic products become more available, it’s critical that the industry maintains that trust with consumers.

(Photo: Pavel, Adobe Stock)

Innovation as the Pathway to Scale

Landi says those small farms, where the grower often wears multiple hats, including sales and compliance, are essentially at the heart of where organics began. And while organic produce is sold at a premium, he views that premium with a perspective of how organic growers take on risk during the growing season.

“All farms are actually essentially giving us all a loan,” he says. “They put all the investment upfront, and they’re loaning us this potential food until it’s actually food and they can actually realize a return on their investment.”

He explains there are many complexities in why organics cost more, from the cost of labor to the crop protection products growers use. Landi says it’s also crucial to remember organic produce makes up only about 15% of the fresh produce sold.

“When you think about this like a startup, you’re building something, and I think we’re still doing some of that,” he says. “We’re still not that old, really, when you think about how the trade works and building up enough volume and being a significant enough part of the supply chain across the board.”

Landi says as additional organic products become more available, it’s critical the industry maintains that trust with consumers. He adds there are many good growers who grow only conventional, as well as a lot of growers who grow both organic and conventional.

“We’re all looking for continuous improvement, and organic is a measurement toward that rebalancing,” he says. “It’s like a way for us to verify that we’re moving the needle in some way that we can impact.”

It’s also important to recognize just how markedly different organic production is today, Landi says.

“Organic has created all this pathway to innovation,” he says, noting the organic growers he works with are some of the most innovative and smartest people he’s met. “As organic continues to mature, we’re going to see this innovation as research goes into it. We’re seeing the results of some of that now, and its ability to scale to this point has been the result of that.”

Voting With the Dollar for a Systematic Shift

As for future opportunities for organic category growth, Landi says he sees berries as having limitless potential.

“People probably see them as really vulnerable to pesticides, so they look at it as a health move,” he says. “And also, because we have pretty large-scale growers that are involved in it, there’s a lot of scale and multi-regional year-round availability.”

Landi acknowledges organics could be vulnerable to greenwashing by some, as well as label fatigue.

“We’re always going to be vulnerable to something, but as a standard, organic — because so much is wrapped into it — I think if people understand the complexity of what we have to do to maintain that, there is something there,” he says about the way that consumers perceive and trust organics.

Landi says he sees consumers continuing to buy into the trust of the organic system.

“What you’re buying into more is that system,” he says. “When you think about the occasional organic shopper versus someone who’s more committed, there’s that understanding that you’re kind of making an investment, trying to balance the human footprint.”

And food production and agriculture are a big footprint.

“We all eat, so it’s a way of voting with your dollar,” he says. “And by every measurement, the data says individual health outcomes are people’s purchasing motivation. But I think the big picture is when people philosophically think about organic, it’s more thinking about it systematically in the food system.”

OTA Touts Introduction of Domestic Organic Investment Act

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:05:30 GMT

The Organic Trade Association says the Domestic Organic Investment Act (DOIA) recently introduced in the U.S. Senate and House seeks to create competitive grants for organic producers and manufacturers to invest in increased storage, processing, aggregation and distribution capacity.

Organics, valued at $71 billion, grew at double the pace of conventional agriculture in 2025, according to the OTA.

In a recent supplier survey by Organically Grown Co., 32% of respondents cited market access as a barrier to growth, more than 33% pointed to logistics and infrastructure challenges and 27% reported limited access to capital.  

“Organic produce represents 15% of the total fresh produce market, yet many of the small and mid-sized farmers in our supply chain are constrained by infrastructure as much as by demand,” says Brenna Davis, CEO of Organically Grown Co. “The DOIA directly addresses these real-world barriers and will help unlock the full production potential of U.S. organic agriculture.”    

OTA says the proposed legislation would make essential improvements to expand U.S. farmers’ and manufacturers’ capacity to meet the demands of the growing organic marketplace and ensures the continued expansion of the organic sector in the U.S.  The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, with Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., and Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., sponsoring the House bill.   

“We are deeply grateful to the sponsoring lawmakers for introducing this important and timely legislation,” says OTA co-CEO Matthew Dillon. “These infrastructure investments will remove long-standing barriers from the farmgate through the supply chain to give organic producers and manufacturers the capacity they need to meet the rapidly growing consumer demand for the benefits of organic.” 

OTA says this legislation builds on the strength of the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program introduced in 2023 and administered by USDA that helps solve supply chain gaps and drive organic growth through grants to organic farmers and businesses.    

The DOIA legislation would direct USDA to set annual priorities that reduce dependence on imports and reflect input from organic farmers, businesses and other stakeholders. Additionally, it supports U.S.-based farmers and businesses who apply including producers, producer cooperatives, and commercial entities (including tribal governments) who handle certified organic products. All grants will require matching funds from the farm or business recipient.  

OTA says a past OMDG recipient, Puris, leveraged the investment and provided an additional four times the capital to expand processing capacity at an existing facility that created agricultural jobs, built new product lines and added 45,000 acres of domestic organic pea production.

“We believe DOIA will catalyze the next chapter of U.S. organic growth by expanding infrastructure, elevating integrity, and reducing reliance on imports,” says Puris CEO Nicole Atchison. “We are proud to stand with OTA and policymakers to grow a stronger, more resilient domestic organic ecosystem.” 

David Lively, the Baughers Win Organic Leadership Awards

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:08:19 GMT

The Organic Trade Association honored eight individuals for their longstanding commitment to advancing the organic movement during its Sept. 15 annual leadership awards event. Held at OTA’s annual Organic Week conference, the award ceremony recognized leaders for driving and sustaining the growth of the organic industry on farms and in their communities, while prioritizing the benefits to people and the planet.

The distinguished 2025 Organic Leadership Award Honorees are:

Organic Champion: Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture
Organic Lifetime Achievement: Albert Straus, Straus Family Creamery; and David Lively, Organically Grown Company
Organic Farmers of the Year: Chris and Marcie Baugher, Baugher Ranch Organics
Organic Environmental Leadership: Charlotte Vallaeys, Principal, Vallaeys Consulting LLC
Organic Trailblazer: Nicole Atchison, CEO, Puris
Organic Social Impact: Tony Bedard, CEO, Frontier Co-op

“This esteemed list is a testament to the inspirational leadership and innovation abundant in the organic industry, and we are extremely grateful for the unwavering passion and commitment of these award recipients,” says Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of OTA, in a news release. “We are proud to celebrate their significant achievements and look forward to their future contributions to drive the organic movement.”

David Lively, Organic Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes trade association members who have dedicated their careers to the furtherance of organic agriculture and trade by providing a broad vision, successful solutions and the labor and leadership required to bring the mission into reality.

David Lively became involved in organic agriculture in 1979, after being convinced that the best place to effect social change was in the dirt at the farm level. With this in mind, he first became a partner with his brother, Tom, in Thistle-Brook, a joint venture on a third-generation farm where they and partners grew as many as 20 acres of mixed vegetables, the largest fresh-market organic farm in Oregon at that time.

During the same time, Lively participated in the restructuring of Organically Grown Company, as the non-profit morphed into a for-profit agricultural marketing cooperative. In 1984, he became an employee of OGC, and in the 41 years since, he has held numerous roles, currently serving the organization as Pioneer Emeritus.

During his career, Lively has led and supported numerous industry organizations, including the creation of the Sustainable Food Trade Association, the Organic Produce Wholesalers Coalition, and the Organicology Conference. He has served on the boards of the Center for Applied Agricultural Research, OGC, Oregon Tilth, the Sustainable Food Trade Association, Organic Seed Alliance, Oregon Organic Coalition, and the Organic Trade Association.

“This recognition is an amazing validation of the time and effort spent thinking about and performing the work that builds our movement and trade,” Lively says. “Our community continues to serve as a wonderful and rewarding place to have put one’s visions of spirit and wholeness into play.”

Chris and Marcie Baugher, Organic Farmers of the Year

The Organic Farmer of the Year Leadership Award honors individuals who have significantly contributed to supporting and advancing organic agriculture and trade at the farm level.

For more than 40 years, Chris and Marcie Baugher, proprietors behind Baugher Ranch Organics in Northern California, have been leaders in organic farming, processing and advocacy, significantly contributing to the evolution and growth of the organic almond industry. Pioneers in transitioning to organic farming in 1984, the Baughers built a legacy of resilience and commitment to ethical farming practices and have become a beacon of organic excellence.

Growth of U.S. organic marketplace accelerated in 2024

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:49:28 GMT

U.S. sales of certified organic products accelerated in 2024 with an annual growth rate of 5.2%, more than double that of the overall marketplace, which grew at 2.5% in the same period. Dollar sales for organic also reached a new high of $71.6 billion in 2024, according to the 2025 Organic Market Report released April 23 by the Organic Trade Association.

After two years of managing high inflationary pressure and significant supply chain recalibration coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organic marketplace hit a new growth stride in 2024 with organic food sales totaling $65.4 billion and sales of organic non-food products totaling $6.2 billion, according to the association.

“When we look at the last two years, this is very good news that we are on the right trajectory with organic growing more than twice as fast as the total market,” Tom Chapman, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association, said in a news release. “While we have significant opportunities to drive organic’s share of the total market, we are seeing increased consumer adoption of organic and a positive return to industry growth, which are very good signs.”

A key trend influencing the growth of organic sales continues to be an increased desire for cleaner ingredients as consumers prioritize health and wellness for themselves and their families, the association said. This encompasses looking for “free-from” foods and products, such as free from chemicals, toxins and pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, dyes and unnecessary additives, as well as seeking out the USDA Organic seal.

In 2024, shoppers found that the gap between conventional and organic prices across categories including grocery and dairy had shrunk, making them more open to considering and purchasing organic. This includes an increase in organic purchases at mainstream grocery retailers where shoppers tend to be more price sensitive.

Organic produce continues its reign

At $21.5 billion, organic produce held its top spot as the standout category, continuing to be the primary entry point for consumers into the organic market, according to the association.

In 2024, the category accounted for 30.1% of total organic sales with a growth rate of 5.2% for the year. Berries remain the star of the organic produce category, with sales rising another 10.3% in 2024. Bananas also had a particularly strong year, with sales climbing 15.5%. New apple varieties and tropical fruits, such as mangoes, kiwi and pineapples, continued to gain momentum.

Not all produce categories performed as well, however. Organic packaged salad sales declined 4.5%, and lettuce and other greens also showed little momentum with a modest sales increase of only 0.8%.

Groceries overall still see strong organic growth

The second biggest selling organic food category was the grocery category, posting sales of $15 billion in 2024, achieving 4% overall growth. Bakery and fresh breads, the largest category, grew by 2.8%, driven by interest in artisanal products like sourdough.

Dry breakfast goods, the third-largest category, rose by 8.1% as consumers sought better-for-you options that align with family dietary goals. Baby food and formula is the second largest organic grocery segment at $1.6 billion and experienced a 3.8% sales increase in 2024 but was limited by supply and capacity constraints.

Consumers continued to show interest in cooking restaurant-quality meals at home. This trend, coupled with the perception of food as medicine, has driven demand for high-quality organic grocery ingredients. Younger consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are also helping shape grocery sales trends by balancing health-conscious choices with quality and indulgence.

As the third largest segment, beverages are often cited as the organic category with the most innovation, and 2024 was no exception. Sales in the organic beverage market grew 5.2% to $9.5 billion, with new formulations following consumer trends in wellness and rising interest in low-sugar formulations with functional and sustainable ingredients. With ingredients like ashwagandha and mushrooms, low-sugar drinks, kombuchas, sports drinks, non-alcoholic offerings and protein-enriched smoothies all on the shelf, this category is expected to cross the $10 billion mark in 2025.

Beverage segments with the highest growth encompassed dairy alternatives (13.5%), tea (10.5%), and spirits, liquor and cocktails (10%). Although dairy alternatives recorded the highest growth rate (13.5%) across beverage categories, with just $850 million in sales, it remains far behind organic milk’s $3.9 billion watermark.

In the fourth category, organic dairy and egg sales rose by an impressive 7.7% to $8.5 billion in 2024. Organic yogurt, the second largest category in this segment, grew 10.5%, the second highest growth rate in the category in more than 15 years, while organic egg sales rose 16.1%. This growth is in part due to the avian influenza that has hit egg producers across the country, causing all egg prices to surge while leaving bare grocery shelves.

The growth in organic dairy and eggs reflects a strong consumer desire for clean ingredients and nutrient-dense products. Organic dairy and eggs align with the health-conscious trend, providing high-quality, clean protein options that resonate with shoppers, even when priced at a premium.

Organic certification holds strong consumer trust

While the number of claims and labels continued to expand in the retail aisles in 2024, including growth of regenerative, the USDA Organic seal remained a constant source of trust and confidence with consumers.

The research shows younger generations have an increased interest in transparency and sustainability-minded brands and consider the impact of production on both planet and people. Yet, research also shows that while consumers value all the attributes in organic, more education and visibility on organic attributes would help new consumers make the connection to all that USDA organic certification stands for.

“The key takeaway is that organic has high consumer recognition and the highest level of trust in a certification,” says Matthew Dillon, co-CEO of Organic Trade Association.

“To help increase adoption of organic, we need to enhance our consumer education that could be strengthened by adding product attributes to the USDA organic logo, such as an organic dairy company being able to call out ‘no growth hormones’ or ‘no antibiotics’ as part of the organic seal on their packaging,” Dillon said.

This type of attribute-focused marketing, Dillon noted, is the next step in growing consumer awareness and expanding the organic market overall and is a priority for OTA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of its members and the industry at large.

Advocates rally around bipartisan organic standards bill

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:57:58 GMT

The adage that the only constant is change is at the heart of a recent bipartisan bill proposed in Congress.

Since the first nationwide organic standards were established in 2000, the network of requirements and regulations that monitor the organic industry have set the bar for global food and agricultural systems. But in the past several years, federal regulatory processes have struggled to keep up with the quickening pace of innovation and continuous improvement within the industry.

Introduced Oct. 17, the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act 2023 — or CIAOS Act — seeks to establish a period every five years for reviewing and revising organic standards implemented by the USDA’s National Organic Program.

“Organic agriculture is a thriving part of our agricultural economy. The CIAOS Act, introduced by Rep Jimmy Panetta, Dan Newhouse, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. David Valadao and Rep. Chellie Pingree, provides a very important framework for the continual development and strengthening of organic standards,” Organic Farming Research Foundation’s Executive Director Brise Tencer told The Packer.

Best practices in organic have evolved over time, driven by important research in organic agriculture, Tencer continued.

“Organic regulations were intended to evolve over time; this bill would help organic farmers by setting clear priorities for organic and creating a predictable process updating standards,” she said.

Broad coalition of support

The great thing about CIAOS is that it’s sector neutral, said Organic Trade Association CEO Tom Chapman in a statement to The Packer.

“The coalition supporting this bill represents a broad diverse group, but all of us recognize that the current organic rulemaking process is detrimental to organic and have come together to support the much-needed regulatory process reforms of CIAOS,” Chapman said.

The recent CIAOS bill is a product of a coalition of industry partners that includes the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, Organic Trade Association, International Fresh Produce Association, Organic Produce Association, National Organic Coalition and the Organic Farmers Association. The bill seeks to better support organic growers and producers with up-to-date and relevant regulations.

“Today’s organic produce growers face many challenges — a changing climate with more severe weather including drought, higher temperatures, disruptive storms, and increasing pest and disease problems, along with continuing issues like citrus greening,” Chapman said.

Regulations to keep up with growth

“An important part of CIAOS 2.0 is that it isn’t ... backward-facing in only tackling existing and stalled-out National Organic Standards Board recommendations,” Chapman said. “It is forward-facing — addressing future problems in a timely and predictable manner.”

The organic sector has grown to more than a $67 billion U.S. market, with the USDA Organic seal serving as one of the most trusted consumer labels in the marketplace, Rebeckah Adcock, IFPA vice president of U.S. government relations, said in a news release.

“In order to maintain that growth, the standards must be able to be responsive to changes in scientific information, environmental and ecological data, and consumer demands,” Adcock said.

How to support the bill

“Please let your representative or senator know that you support the CIAOS Act to continue to make organic certification responsive to changing dynamics, and ask for their support,” Tencer told The Packer.

For organic advocates seeking to learn more, the Organic Trade Association has developed a downloadable toolkit for supporters to make their voices heard at ota.com/news-center/farm-bill-fight-critical-advancement-organic .

OTA and Rodale Institute join USDA’s Transition to Organic Program

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:53:08 GMT

In the last 10 years, organic sales in the U.S. have more than doubled as shoppers clamor for more organic foods and products than ever before. Meanwhile, on the production side, growth of organic farming acreage in the U.S. is slowing.

“Consumer demand for organic products has been growing rapidly in the United States, but domestic production and handling capacity have not kept pace,” Rodale Institute CEO Jeff Tkach said in a news release.

Underlining this slowing growth trend, the most recent results from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Organic Survey revealed that while total sales of organic products increased 13% from 2019 to 2021 — $1.28 billion in sales — there was only a 5% increase in certified organic farms — 17,445 certified organic farms — during the same period.

While a strong and even growing demand persists for organic foods, for many farmers the barriers to shifting from conventional farming to organic remain prohibitively high.

Transitioning from conventional to certified organic production takes much more than expertise and farming know-how; investments into new growing methods and preparing for certification compliance requires time, new materials, education and additional funds.

Promoting the organic transition from every angle

To help stem the widening gap between domestic demand and production, last fall the USDA made the largest single investment in assistance to organic farmers (existing, transitioning and aspiring) through the roll out of its Organic Transition Initiative.

The $300 million investment was born out of the hope that growth of organic production in the U.S. would quicken to meet the increasing demand for organic products.

“Farmers face challenging technical, cultural, and market shifts while transitioning to organic production, and even during the first years after successful organic certification,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement last fall. “Through this multi-phased, multi-agency initiative, we are expanding USDA’s support of organic farmers to help them with every step of their transition as they work to become certified and secure markets for their products.”

Related news: Transitioning to organic production? Here’s how the USDA can help

In the first half of 2023, the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative has launched a handful of projects to create opportunities for new and beginning farmers, to promote an increase in organic acreage and production, ultimately expanding consumer access to organic foods. Today, the agricultural agency is working with interagency and nonprofit partners to:

Provide technical assistance.
Facilitate farmer-to-farmer mentoring.
Providing conservation financial assistance.
Offering additional crop insurance assistance.
Support marketing development.

Many of these ambitious goals are being met through the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), a series of projects where regional- and national-level nonprofits work together with government agencies to provide farmer training and education.

The OTA and Rodale join the transition initiative

The latest partner to dig in to supporting organic markets and production through TOPP is the member-based nonprofit Organic Trade Association. The trade association has been selected to act as a key partner in TOPP along with longtime organic research nonprofit, the Rodale Institute.

As a national project lead, the OTA will drive activities throughout the country that support market development for organic products, facilitate the matching of organic producers and suppliers, as well as educate handlers on strategies to deal with organic products, according to a news release.

“Supporting market development and access for transitioning and organic producers and handlers is vital for the long-term success of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative,” Tom Chapman, CEO of the trade association, said in the release. “By leveraging our experience and in-depth knowledge of organic, industry network, and collaborative approach, we know we can contribute to the success of the USDA TOPP initiative, and having Rodale as our core partner ensures even greater outcomes for the program.”

What’s more, through the partnership with the USDA and OTA, the Rodale Institute will have an opportunity to teach producers how to successfully adopt certified organic handling and processing practices, Rodale CEO Tkach said in the release.

“The [Rodale] Institute’s innovative organic consulting division will also provide on-the-ground training and market development assistance to producers across the nation. If one thing is clear, it’s that this critical and in-demand partnership will lead to better outcomes for both producers and consumers of organic agriculture in the United States,” Tkach said.

According to a news release, key OTA and Rodale Institute initiates include:

Providing technical assistance and workshops on market trends, marketing and business strategies and other relevant topics.
Connecting organic producers with buyers, which includes coordinating in-person buyer/seller events and buyer tours.
Host a handler transition training program, which will teach how to effectively manage organic products and evaluate handling concerns as labeling, contamination prevention, storage and fraud prevention plans.

National-level TOPP partners supplement and support regional initiatives as well as coordinate nationally focused projects and services. Farmers and organic advocates can review TOPP’s resources and regional partners on the USDA’s website .

How growers, distributors are tackling organic agriculture’s plastic problem

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:17:26 GMT

From the ubiquitous, translucent clamshell displaying ripe raspberries to the hard plastic pallets used for transport, plastics are everywhere in the produce supply chain, whether we like it or not. Organic produce is no exception.

While organic production systems seek to foster biodiversity, support a thriving ecosystem and build soil health, organic farming often relies on plastic to solve challenges without synthetic inputs. From seed to shelf, plastic is used in the organic supply chain to protect plants, improve yields, reduce water use and mitigate pest pressure without using pesticides, not to mention transport harvested crops to the end consumer.

While the reliance on synthetic plastics pushes against the organic ethos, plastic remains an essential tool in the organic farmer’s toolkit to enable productive and profitable growing systems.

To address the future of organic and its reliance on plastics, the Organic Trade Association recently partnered with education nonprofit The Organic Center to host Organic Confluences Day on May 9-10. The conference took place in tandem with the OTA’s Organic Policy Week in Washington, D.C.

Throughout the two-day conference, the association hosted talks addressing how rampant plastic use affects climate change, waste, the environment and human health. What’s more, organic farmers, researchers and industry leaders shared strategies they found effective to reduce plastic across the entire organic supply chain — from seed to shelf.

“Our conference is gathering individuals from every aspect of organic because finding a solution to this critical issue requires input and collaboration across the sector. This isn’t just organic’s problem to solve, but we can be leaders on the path to change,” Amber Sciligo, director of science programs at The Organic Center said in a news release.

The goal of the conference, Sciligo said, was to expand communication and collaboration across the diverse sector, with policymakers and researchers at the table, so that the industry could reimagine plastic use in organic production.

Related news: The Organic Center and Organic Trade Association join to address plastics in supply chain

What creative solutions did researchers, industry experts and organic advocates find worked to reduce and transition production and packaging away from plastics? While over a dozen leaders shared insights, three noteworthy experiments in reducing plastics stood out.

3 ways organic growers and distributors are reducing plastic in the supply chain

1. Swap out plastic covers for fiber alternatives.

The Organically Grown Co. reported that it successfully reduced plastic use in its banana program by 95% by swapping plastic stretch wrap for reusable “banana blankets.”

“Previously, our team tightly wrapped each banana pallet with plastic, which offered a layer of warmth as the bunches ripened. With input from OGC’s Food Safety team, our Sustainability Committee members set up a process to swap plastic wrap for washable thermal blankets. The experiment worked, bringing plastic wrap use down by over 95% in this area of our business,” according to the Organically Grown Co. 2022 Benefit Report.

2. Incorporate peel-and-reseal trays

Taylor Farms reported that it uses a “100% post-consumer recycled tray made from 27%-35% less plastic” than previous packaging for its Earthbound Farm Brand that includes a peel-and-reseal lidding film that maintains a controlled atmosphere for organic greens.

3. Swap out single-use polyethylene mulch for soil-biodegradable plastic.

Today, polyethylene mulch is pervasive in organic agriculture to control weeds, retain moisture and support early harvest and soil temperature modification. Adopting soil-biodegradable plastics for plastic mulches is one step to reducing pollution and microplastic exposure.

Organic Trade Association shares top 7 priorities for organic agriculture in the 2023 farm bill

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:22:40 GMT

Change is in the air. With the current farm bill expiring Sept. 30, 2023, congressional lawmakers are working to draft a new farm bill that, once it becomes law, will guide agriculture and food programs for the next five years.

“Those of us who work in ag and food know that the reality is that the farm bill touches our food system from seed to plate,” Matt Dillon, owner of organic consulting company Risk to Resilience Strategy, said in a recent press call.

In part because the omnibus package of legislation is so far-reaching, the Washington, D.C.-based Organic Trade Association — which represents 10,000 businesses across the organic supply chain — wants to ensure that organic policy priorities support the $63 billion organic industry and get the attention they deserve in the upcoming farm bill.

“Organic is one of the country’s fastest-growing food production and processing categories, but despite the organic sector’s strengths and marketplace success, the industry faces core challenges that Congress must address in the next farm bill,” Organic Trade Association CEO Tom Chapman said in a statement. “The benefits of organic go far beyond the farm gate. To sustain organic’s growth and expand its positive impacts, we’ve developed a set of priorities that will build off the progress made in the 2018 farm bill.”

Related news: USDA’s new organic rule tackles fraud

Farmers Advisory Council co-Chair and Director of Government and Industry Affairs for Organic Valley Adam Warthesen agrees, emphasizing the broad impact the farm bill can have for farmers and organic agriculture.

“Our hard work in the 2018 farm bill resulted in historic gains in organic oversight and led to the Agriculture Department’s action to advance the Strengthening Organic [Enforcement] (SOE) rulemaking, the most significant changes to organic regulations since the creation of the National Organic Program,” Warthesen said in the release. “Farm bills fundamentally impact organic farmers and our agriculture system. We need to be present to safeguard and advance the organic policy and funding priorities we have outlined as Congress starts deliberating the next farm bill.”

So, what makes the 2023 organic agenda according to the OTA? It basically comes down to equipping responsive organic standards, supporting American farmers and empowering organic supply chains.

The Organic Trade Association’s top 7 priorities for the 2023 farm bill include:

1. Update the Organic Foods Production Act to establish a preplanned, predictable timeline — at least once every five years — to review and update the organic standards so they continue to meet consumer expectations in an evolving marketplace.

2. Strengthen the National Organic Program’s enforcement authority against false or misleading organic claims.

3. Increase funding for core organic programs authorized in the farm bill including:

The Organic Research and Education Initiative.
Organic Data Initiative.
Organic Certification Cost-Share Program.
National Organic Program.

4. Expand organic market data collection and improve risk management tools for organic farmers.

5. Prioritize and increase funding for conservation practices that build soil health.

6. Acknowledge certified organic agriculture’s contributions to protecting natural resources in USDA conservation and climate-smart programs.

7. Authorize and invest in new programs to increase technical assistance for organic and transitioning farmers; facilitate market development and infrastructure grants to expand domestic organic production and processing capacity as piloted by the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative.

“The farm bill has a huge impact on the future of organic agriculture, and we need to capitalize on the important gains that organic achieved in the 2018 farm bill,” Farmers Advisory Council co-Chair and Montana organic farmer Doug Crabtree said in a release. “While still not funded to the proportion of food spending by consumers, organic research funding did receive a big boost in the last farm bill.”

Updates to crop insurance rules, along with support and technical assistance, would go a long way to support organic and transitioning farmers, Crabtree said.

“A healthy organic marketplace cannot be fully realized without critical support for farmers who are the backbone of organic,” Crabtree added.

The next farm bill should ensure that there is government-funded organic research, that organic farmers are provided fair risk management strategies and crop insurance, and that organic is a part of the climate-change solution, reiterated OTA’s Chapman, emphasizing that organic standards must continue to evolve and adapt.

“Congress should not only continue to protect the integrity of the USDA Organic label but ensure that organic standards continuously improve over time,” Chapman said.

Learn more about the OTA’s 2023 farm bill priorities .

USDA’s new organic rule tackles fraud

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 21:27:55 GMT

The Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule is live today on the Federal Register, filed unofficially by the USDA and the National Organic Program, with official publication scheduled for Jan. 19.

“This has been a long time coming,” U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine said on a call with reporters. “It’s been first major attempt to update the regulations and make sure that we’re strengthening [organic] integrity since the original act in 1990.”

The new 280-page Final Rule addresses long-awaited updates sought after by farmers and organic advocates alike to bolster the credibility of the organic seal and safeguard organic integrity across global supply chains.

“[Consumers] want transparency in the system, they want integrity in the system,” Pingree said. “And we’ve learned during the pandemic, the challenges that we faced with our supply chain issues — which were widespread throughout agriculture — were exacerbated in organic agriculture. It allowed for even more opportunities for fraudulent products to come through the market because of the desperate need for products everywhere. That makes this [Final Rule] even more important than ever.”

Early reactions to the Final Rule

“This rule really shows that, unlike other eco-labels like ‘natural’ or ‘regenerative’, the USDA Organic label is backed by third-party inspection, federal enforcement and provides traceability from the farm to the consumer,” Tom Chapman, CEO of the Organic Trade Association, said in a statement. “Unlike these uncertified claims, there are consequences to cheating in organic and it just got that much harder. Consumers can be confident that we will make sure products sold as organic are organic.”

What’s more, according to Chapman, the SOE Final Rule “closes gaps in current organic regulations and builds consistent certification practices to prevent fraud and improve the transparency and traceability of organic products.”

Fraud in the organic supply chain — wherever it occurs — harms the entire sector and shakes consumer trust in organic.

“We all know the certification standards are so high in organics, we must make sure that the integrity is high. ... Consumers need to know that if they’re going to put the money down, that they’re actually going to get the product that they’re intending to get,” Pingree said. “It’s not an easy standard to meet. It shouldn’t be and we should keep it that way.”

Kate Mendenhall, an Iowa organic farmer and executive director of Organic Farmers Association, agrees that the Final Rule is good for producers and consumers alike.

“U.S. organic farmers and consumers will both benefit from a quick and strong implementation of the SOE Rule. We are glad to see it published before the beginning of writing the next farm bill,” Mendenhall said in a news release. “This is a huge win for organic farmers.”

Related news: Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule expected to publish Jan. 18

Pryor Garnett, Organic Farmers Association Policy Committee chair and owner of Garnett’s Red Prairie Farm in Oregon, agrees that this rule will benefit the entire organic sector.

“Ensuring that all handlers and importers are held to the same enforcement standards as organic farmers is incredibly important,” Garnet said in the release. “The SOE rule was in process for far too long, and we thank the USDA for bringing it across the finish line.”

Key takeaways

The breadth and the depth of the new rule is immense. The 282-page rule addresses 17 different topics. In spirit and content, the final rule is similar to the rule proposed in 2020 and takes into consideration over 1,500 comments submitted in response to the proposed rule.

At the heart of the new rule is ensuring robust enforcement for organic certification across the supply chain. Top updates to the USDA organic regulations outlined in the Final Rule include:

1. Requires certifications from more critical links in the supply chain.

“Number one, the rule reduces the types of uncertified entities so more types of operations will now need to be certified,” Jennifer Tucker, deputy administrator of the USDA’s NOP said in a call with reporters. “Those folks will now need to be certified and that will take huge steps forward for traceability and supply chain protection.”

According to Chapman at the OTA, the Final Rule clarifies that traders, importers, warehouses for unpacked products, distributors, brokers or anyone who handles open organic products outside of onsite at retail needs to be certified organic.

Organic certification exemptions have been narrowed to only include:

Retailers.
Those storing or selling to retail products in sealed, tamper-evident packaging.
Transport and customs brokers.

2. NOP Import Certificates expanded to include all organic imports.

All imported organic products will need to be documented via an import certificate issued by the exporter’s certifier. This certificate will be entered into U.S. Custom’s ACE’s system and the NOP Organic Integrity Database.

According to Chapman, this will make tracing, monitoring, auditing and enforcing the organic regulations in international trade more efficient and effective.

3. Enhanced supply chain traceability and organic fraud prevention measures.

The Final Rule will require increased traceability and record-keeping practices at each certified operation along the supply chain. This will increase due diligence and make it more challenging for fraud to go undetected.

Next steps towards compliance

“It’s a 14-month implementation period that includes two months until the rule is fully effective and then a 12 month implementation period after that,” Tucker said. “So, a total of 14 months from the official publication date, which is tomorrow.”

In preparation for a March 2024 implementation date, Chapman confirmed in a statement that the organization is focusing on providing necessary support and resources needed members to ensure successful compliance with this significant new rule.

“My biggest suggestion to any stakeholder that may be impacted or thinks that they may be impacted is to read the rule,” Jonathan Veley, director of AMS trade systems at the USDA told The Packer on Jan. 13. “I encourage them to read it cover to cover. I think that will alleviate so many questions.”

Organic research to combat citrus greening gets $2M in USDA funds

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 20:43:00 GMT

Since the first detection in Florida in 2005, huanglongbing, also known as HLB or citrus greening disease, has forever altered the citrus industry. Efforts to slow the spread and treat infected trees have been met with mixed results and continue to challenge citrus growers.

Meanwhile, the organic citrus industry continues to enjoy steady growth. A $90 million industry, sales grew by double digits in 2021, according to The Organic Center. The combined effect of decreased supply and increased demand has resulted in soaring organic citrus prices in the grocery aisle.

In Nov. 2021, looking for effective strategies to better control the disease, the USDA issued emergency funding to research possible solutions. The USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture invested nearly $11 million in emergency funding research how to better combat HLB in the three major U.S. citrus growing regions – Florida, California and Texas. These research funds cover a wide range of approaches to stop and slow the spread of HLB, such as studying possible solutions to slow transmission inside the insect host all the way to treating HLB-infected trees.

A year later, research expands to include organic. On Nov. 18, 2022, the USDA’s flagship organic research program, Organic Agriculture and Research Extension Initiative, awarded over $2 million in funding to a team of scientists from the University of Florida, Texas A&M University and The Organic Center.

The team of researchers will focus on a 4-year project to provide organic citrus growers critical tools to reduce and manage the spread of citrus greening in their groves, with hopes that findings will have broad application for both conventional and organic growers.

“The studies will provide tools to manage the spread of HLB and the insect that spreads the disease on organic farms and to integrate into the conventional and area-wide management programs,” said Dr. Quereshi, associate professor of entomology at University of Florida and lead researcher on the project. “This will help reduce the spread and severity of the HLB in the regions where this disease is present.”

Organic strategies could help all growers

Non-profit educational and research organization, The Organic Center, received a sub-award of $114,630 to conduct national outreach and education efforts related to the 4-year research grant. The Packer met with The Organic Center’s Director of Science Programs, Dr. Amber Sciligo, to learn more about what this grant award means for organic citrus research.

“It would be great if we could produce the knowledge that’s needed to give farmers more tools to fight citrus greening in the organic industry,” Sciligo told The Packer. “Beyond that, I’m hoping we can come up with organic strategies, or even less chemical-focused strategies, for all citrus growers.”

Since 2005, the battle to loosen the grip of HLB has, largely, not been successful. Sciligo hopes that funding organic research to the study system-based approaches to combat citrus greening will contribute to larger industry goals to curb the toll the disease has taken on citrus groves throughout the U.S.

Related news: Global fight rages against HLB

In conversations with grower groups, Sciligo said that farmers have attested that tools that were once working are no longer as effective. While conventional farmers might not be as knowledgeable about whole system approaches or ecosystem functions, like organic farmers, she said, both organic and conventional growers are looking for solutions that will work.

Specific organic methods and practices that the team of University of Florida and Texas A&M researchers will investigate include a wide range of organic strategies.

“I’m excited that this group is going to be able to combine methods like using plastic mulch and natural predation of the pest that transmits the disease using biological sprays. We’re also going to check out the possibility of incorporating netting,” said Sciligo. “There will be some evaluation of a systems approach, which is exciting. [The project group is] including farmers and doing surveys to really make sure that what they’re doing is applicable and relevant. And they’re even taking it a step further to analyze these approaches economically.

“Because it’s all well and good if we can come up with a magic formula, but if it’s not something that farmers can implement, logistically or monetarily, then it’s never gonna go anywhere,” added Sciligo.

Expanding citrus greening research to organic

The $2 million-plus grant awarded to organic research marks a clear break from previous grants from NIFA’s emergency funding, which did not include research into organic systems.

“This is exciting, because that means a quarter of the funding is going to organic research right now,” said Sciligo. “In the past, organic has not been a part of this funding.”

“I’m heartened by some of the grants coming up,” Sciligo added. “Sometimes you just need that initial investment for people to feel like it’s worthwhile to also invest.”

In past funding rounds, Sciligo says the research has been siloed into either citrus greening or organic agriculture with no overlap. This separation of research has caused barriers to funding research for organic solutions to citrus greening.

“Organic farmers try to tap into funding for citrus greening, and they say ‘no, organic has its own funding,’” said Sciligo. “But then the same farmers go to get organic funding and organic [funders] are like ‘no citrus greening has its own kind of funding.’ So, this grant is finally marrying these two worlds and it’d be great if they could stay married.”

USDA’s National Organic Program adds paper pots to approved substance list

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 21:46:05 GMT

There’s a long list of farming and ranching practices and requirements necessary to bear a USDA organic label. Growers, processors and distributors follow these lists of regulations to ensure accurate organic production and labeling compliance.

On the heels of an October National Organic Standards Board meeting, organic policy leaders approved two additional substances as acceptable for use in organic production under the National Organic Program. This means growers, producers and handlers of organic products now have two more tools in their toolkit when producing products that wear the organic seal.

The USDA updated the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, also known as the National List, to include two more substances:

paper based planting aids, known as paper pots
low acyl gellan gum

The addition of paper pots means growers searching for a planting aid to transplant thousands of starts into the soil quickly and efficiently now have paper pots as a tool for planting starts in organic production. According to the USDA’s final rule, “paper-based crop planting aids (e.g., individual pots, chain pots, seed tape, collars) provide an alternative to slower and more costly method of planting or transplanting individual crops by hand.”

Related news: USDA reports organic integrity investigations down by 25% in 2022

Low acyl gellan gum — a thickener used in supplement capsules and to gel dessert icings and confections, also has been added to the National List as allowable for use in organic production.

The final update is a corrected spelling error. The item once listed as “wood resin” has been corrected to now read “wood rosin” in the National List.

About the National List

Organic operations must comply with the USDA organic regulation when using ingredients and substances, which includes the National List. The National List applies to organic crop, livestock and handling production. According to the USDA, “the National List is an optional list of generic substances that an operation may use in their products.”

It’s a comprehensive list of ingredients that organic producers and handlers have available to use, as needed. The updated list reflects past rulings along with NOSB recommendations from 2020 and 2021 meetings, along with public comment on proposed rules.

See the complete final rule from the USDA’s view on the National Archives . To review the complete list of all substances that have been considered for addition in to the National List, see the Petitioned Substance Index .

USDA reports organic integrity investigations down by 25% in 2022

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 17:33:42 GMT

You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and meaningful product labeling is a salient example of this principle at work. Behind the instantly recognizable, glossy green USDA organic seal is an army of USDA workers, producers and inspectors ensuring that the organic label means something when customers see it on grocery store shelves.

Not only is the National Organic Program’s success built on a foundation of education and grower support — the carrot — but maintaining the integrity of the organic label also takes investigation and enforcement — the stick. To that end, the NOP just released its quarterly organic integrity and enforcement dashboard for 2022. The biggest takeaway is that new inquiries and investigations are down 25% percent from 2021.

“We continue to see nearly 60 percent of complaints come in about uncertified operations. Of the completed cases reported for the fiscal year ending in September, 82 percent found no violation, or the operation came into compliance with the regulations voluntarily or through a settlement agreement with the National Organic Program,” said a USDA NOP spokesperson.

Related news: Produce marketers weigh the value of certifications beyond organic

In total, the NOP received 850 complaints in 2021. The most common outcome of these was voluntary compliance or confirming that no violation was found. What’s more, 42% of filed complaints were resolved with education, and the remaining 58% of complaints were investigated or referred for further inquiry.

The investigations were largely resolved once farms or businesses fully complied with organic rules. This meant actions such as getting certified so that it can legally label a product as organic, correcting a noncompliance, or exiting the organic market, according to the NOP.

The organic integrity and enforcement dashboard provides a quick overview of enforcement activities in for the past 12 months of the fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022). The NOP has grown significantly over the last two years through increased resources from Congress. As a result, the organization has expanded trainings compliance and enforcement.

Global enforcement of NOP standards

The NOP develops and enforces standards for all agricultural products labeled as organic in the United States. The NOP relies on the California State Organic Program and international trading partners with equivalency arrangements and agreements to investigate complaints against operations in their geographic area, including:

the European Union
Canada
Israel
Japan
Korea
New Zealand
Switzerland
Taiwan
the U.K.

“To protect organic suppliers, shippers and retailers from fraud, NOP and our federal enforcement partners increase scrutiny of those involved every time there is a spike in shipments of a high-value and high-volume commodity headed to the United States,” said the NOP spokesperson.

Organic seed compliance

Sourcing organic seed and planting stock is a key requirement of organic certification. The supply of organic seed is growing, but most organic growers still rely on non-organic seed for at least part of their operation when an equivalent, organically produced variety is not commercially available. The uneven supply of organic seed presents challenges to certifiers and inspectors in verifying compliance with the seed requirement, according to the NOP.

“This quarter, the program also highlighted an investigation of one seed company that led to the increased surveillance of 22 seed companies and resulted in four companies losing organic certifications and corrections being made at others,” the NOP spokesperson said.

About NOP enforcement

The quarterly organic integrity and enforcement dashboards were developed in February 2020 as a response from feedback from the organic community. These dashboards are the NOP’s effort to answer enforcement questions, share trends in compliance and provide helpful context to understand trends.

Additional background on NOP enforcement activities and how quarterly reports show activity trends, view the most recent annual enforcement report to Congress .

Related news: Mauti’s poetic predictions about organic pricing

The Organic Center and FFAR award $600,000 for organic research and support

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 20:11:41 GMT

Research and education non-profits The Organic Center and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research have awarded over $600,000 in prizes to advance organic agriculture and develop critical training, technical support and innovative climate research.

Despite steady growth of the organic industry, more research and insights are needed to understand specific strategies and growing techniques organic growers can adopt to help mitigate the effects of climate change and manage the negative effects climate change is having on their farms through drought, flooding, invasive pests and extreme weather events, according to a release.

“Through our partnership with FFAR, The Organic Center is able to catalyze the most promising organic training, research and education initiatives from across the country. The projects selected this year have immense potential to help advance organic agriculture and bring more producers, agricultural professionals and communities into organic,” Dr. Amber Sciligo, director of science programs at TOC said in a news release.

The prizes fall under two award categories. The Organic Training for Agriculture Professional Prize is a $350,000 award to recognize organizations that train farmers, ag professionals and community organizations in organic production. The second award is the The Organic Center-FFAR Joint Organic Research Program prize that grants up to $200,000 per project awarded for research on organic techniques to improve climate change mitigation and resiliency.

“Transitioning to organic farming can be confusing, costly and labor-intensive. This partnership with The Organic Center provides a much-needed opportunity for agriculture professionals to educate more farmers about organic farming best practices so we can sustainably meet consumers’ growing demand for organic products and support thriving farms,” Dr. LaKisha Odom, FFAR scientific program director said in the release.

TOC and FFAR began an outreach campaign in 2019 for the awards. The two organizations engaged diverse thought leaders, farmers, researchers and policy makers in debate around the needs of the industry and established award priorities that seek to strike a balance between sector growth, human capital and equity and environmental stewardship, according to the release. Four organizations were selected for the Organic Training for Agricultural Professionals Prize and two scientists received the Organic Center-FFAR Join Organic Research Program award.

2022 Award Winners

The Organic Training for Agricultural Professional Prize

University of Wisconsin-Madison Organic Grain Resource and Information Network: $100,000;
Oregon Tilth: $50,000;
Iowa State University Organic Agriculture Program: $50,000; and
Organic Agronomy Training Service: $150,000.

The Organic Center-FFAR Joint Organic Research Program

Dr. Sindhu Jagadamma, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture: $200,000; and
Dr. Erin Silva, University of Wisconsin-Madison: $77,022.

Organic Trade Association campaign showcases member initiatives

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:17:28 GMT

The Organic Trade Association says it will share the stories of its organic champion members, highlight the benefits of choosing organic and raise awareness about organic agriculture in a campaign during Organic Month in September.

“Organic month is a fantastic opportunity to promote the benefits and importance of organic farming and products, and to celebrate our commitment and dedication to organic,” OTA co-CEO Matthew Dillon said in a news release. “We have a host of activities and outreach planned for our members and for any consumer who wants to support a movement that prioritizes health, environmental sustainability and ethical practices.”

The U.S. organic market is now a nearly $70 billion market, with record sales in 2023, according to the OTA’s Organic Industry Survey. The association said organic sales have doubled in the past 10 years and organic food now accounts for 6% of the nation’s retail food sales.

“Our campaign encourages consumers to support organic products by highlighting their benefits for personal health, eco-friendly agriculture, and animal welfare,” Tom Chapman, co-CEO of the association, said in the release. “We want to inspire more people to choose organic, and in doing so, join our efforts to expand organic agriculture and organic production, and to make healthy, clean organic food accessible to all.”

OTA said it will kick off a social media campaign to highlight the programs and practices of its members to increase organic production and boost the availability of organic products to consumers.

The association said it will publish newsletters throughout September that feature organic initiatives and developments and made its deep library of organic resources, educational guides and promotional toolkits available to the public.

Taiwan, U.S. sign organic equivalency agreement

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:37:36 GMT

Organic products from Taiwan and the U.S. can now be sold as organic in either market through a new agreement that establishes the equivalency of organic standards .

The American Institute of Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. recently signed the equivalence agreement, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture news release.

“This equivalence arrangement streamlines trade in certified organic goods with Taiwan, a key international partner in the organic market sector,” USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach said in the release. “This arrangement protects and increases access for American organic farmers, ranchers, and businesses to the fifth largest U.S. export market for USDA certified organic products.”

Through the agreement, there is no need for organic producers to have separate certifications to ship to the U.S. or Taiwan, which also avoids added fees, inspections and paperwork, according to the release.

The agreement will pave the way for expanding fruit and vegetable trade between the U.S. and Taiwan, according to the release.
U.S. organic producers sold nearly $92 million in organic products to Taiwan in 2019, a number that is expected to grow by almost 50% in the next five years, according to Organic Trade Association and USDA research.

The U.S. has other similar equivalency agreements with Canada, the European Union, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland.

Related stories:

USDA sued over hydroponic organic certification

Add-on label pushed after displeasure with hydroponic organic policy

USDA seeks info from organic growers for 5-year update

Organic Trade Association targets climate change on Capitol Hill

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:04 GMT

The Organic Trade Association is in the midst of a two-week “Congressional fly-in” to engage legislators on climate change.

From Sept. 21-Oct. 2, almost 60 organic stakeholders representing the diverse organic supply chain are virtually converging on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to talk about how organic agriculture can be part of the climate change solution, according to a news release.

The unorthodox fly-in, via video conferencing, is necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Organic Trade Association and others in organic industry are attending more than 30 scheduled meetings with lawmakers and their staffs.

“Climate change is a real threat to all of us, and bold policy solutions are required to mitigate the impacts and help farmers and communities adapt to the changing climate,” Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of the Organic Trade Association, said in a news release. “We are grateful to our members for their engagement, especially as many of them are struggling with the devastating results of climate change in their areas in the form of wildfires.”

The association recently released a report on organic agriculture and its ability to mitigate climate change. It identifies policy opportunities and makes recommendations to elevate organics in the climate change discussion, according to the release.

Congress is showing a renewed interest in climate policy, and momentum for transformative action to prevent the most devastating impacts of climate change is happening now,” Megan DeBates, director of legislative affairs and coalitions for the Organic Trade Association, said in the release. “It’s important that our members reach out to Congress now to begin the important discussions to advance organic in climate policy, and to develop policies that will enable all to benefit from organic’s ability to mitigate climate change.”

Related stories:

USDA proposes organic enforcement rule, suggests user fees

Organic food sales top $50B in 2019, up 4.6%

Organic sector asks for help

Organic Trade Association hosts international buyers at show

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:05:02 GMT

The Organic Trade Association will host its first buyers mission at the annual Organic Produce Summit July 10-11 in Monterey, Calif.

“Facilitating direct connections between the decision makers of major international retailers and the U.S. organic produce operations will undoubtedly grow the foreign market for the U.S. organic fresh produce,” Alexis Carey, manager of international trade for the Organic Trade Association, said in a news release.

The association will host six international buyers from Mexico and the Pacific Rim, which are among the largest U.S. trading partners for fresh produce, according to the release. They are:
> Mi Caja Fresca, Mexico
> Bio c’Bon, Japan
> EMART Inc. and SPC Co., South Korea
> Frutodor Ltd., Hong Kong
> Waltermart Supermarket Inc., The Philippines

The Organic Produce Summit includes retailer and buyer field tours, educational sessions with organic food experts, and an expo featuring 148 North American growers, shippers and processors.

For more information and registration, visit www.organicproducesummit.com/registration .

Related Content
Organic Summit features analysis of new consumer data
Future of organic meals at retail draws focus
Organic Produce Summit session shares wholesale viewpoint

Organic messaging research finds winning themes

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:23:26 GMT

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Finding messages that will motivate “light” organic consumers to eat more is the goal of new consumer research by the Organic Trade Association .

At a Jan. 10 education session at The Packer’s Global Organic Produce Expo, Angela Jagiello, director of education and insights for the association, discussed the group’s progress on a “toolkit” to give marketers detailed insight on what messages work best in marketing organic produce and other foods.

The research on consumer messaging, Jagiello said, is an outgrowth of OTA’s voluntary industry-invested organic research, promotion and education program, GRO Organic (Generate Results and Opportunity for Organic).

“(The research) is going to ultimately result in a toolkit for industry members to get everybody on the same page about how to talk to consumers in the most effective way about organics,” she said.

Jagiello said the project is nearly complete, with the toolkit expected to be available in February to supporters of GRO Organic and members of the Organic Trade Association. It will be available as part of a larger curriculum offered by association through web seminars and conferences over the next year.

For the project, OTA partnered with the consumer research firm Natural Marketing Institute, Harleysville, Pa. The effort also included a core committee of about two dozen industry experts and leaders, including retailers, produce suppliers, dairy marketers and international suppliers.

Importance of research

Jagiello said the research began with the conviction that the organic market is in a “really tenuous moment.”

“We are being fractured by lots of competing eco-labels and messages from one-off claims, like non-GMO, regenerative, that sound great,” she said.

However, those competing claims can diminish consumer understanding and trust in the organic label.

“We really understood the consumers can trade down if they don’t understand the difference,” Jagiello said.

The intent is to understand what consumers need to hear from organic marketers in order to maximize limited marketing budgets and get the most people possible to purchase organic.

The project used feedback from a group of heavy buyers of organic produce. After that, the project polled 60 key influencers, including retailers, media, produce executives, brokers and nonprofit groups, to ask their ideas about consumer messaging and branding.

After that, the research committee distilled all the feedback from heavy users and key influencers to come up with set of organic marketing messages to test with about 3,000 consumers. They were asked to respond to 20 communication concepts on organic messaging.

“We really wanted to be able to find the point at which consumers like or didn’t like a message, felt okay about it, or felt strongly about it one direction or another, Jagiello said.

The effect of the messages was measured by the changing in consumer attitudes before and after the message.

Jagiello said 62% of the general population is an organic produce shopper to some extent, with 50% of those considered light users and 12% heavy organic produce users.

Of consumers who purchase organic produce,19% are heavy users and 81% are light users.

The light users are a huge opportunity for organic marketers, Jagiello said.

“They’re open to purchasing organic, they don’t buy that much,” she said. “The idea behind the research is that (we) all speak to them in the same way, so that said we tested and found several messages that resonate with these heavy and light users.

Nearly all of the messages tested appeal to heavy organic produce users include:

Organic is free from 700 chemicals allowed in conventional crops;
People and planet;
Big Chemical;
The consumer is hero;
Strong standards for organic;
Organic is for everyone;
Organic is regenerative;
Consumers have the power to effect change;
Transparency and the open door nature of organic;
Talking about the transition process;
Organic is a state of continuous improvement;
Climate change and positive effects;
Big and small all have a place in organic;
Non GMO and more;
Organic is a simple choice and whatever it is you are concerned about with the food system, organic has an answer; and
Consumers are the champion.

Best messages

Jagiello said the simple message may be the most effective.

“Just telling the basic story about organic is the most powerful message we have,” she said.

Telling consumers that certified organic products by law are not allowed to use 700-plus chemicals in growing or processing food is a powerful message.

“Don’t be shy about talking about organic, what is behind the label and remind the shoppers that strong standards build trust,” she said.

Strongly rated messages for light organic users included:

“non-GMO”
Organic produce is the simplest choice;
Organic farms have always been regenerative;
Organic Farming is important to help reverse climate change; and
It’s important for me to buy or use as many USDA organic certified products as I can afford.

On the other hand, she said light organic consumers become uncomfortable with the chemical message if it goes into too much detail about chemical names or potentially damaging effects of synthetic chemicals.

There is also growing awareness among consumers of environmental issues.

In addition, talking to shoppers about strong and rigorous enforcement of organic standards and USDA-accredited organic certifiers is powerful.

“Shoppers really like to know that it is hard to become organic, that there is a three-year transition period to be fully transitioned with certified organic,” she said. “They do like to know that we are continuously improving and trying to make the system better all the time.”

Another strong message is the message that organic products have always been non-GMO.

The message that organic is for everyone also resonated with consumers. In addition, consumers like the message that organic prices are coming down and are becoming more accessible to them.

Millennial shoppers also value transparency in organic and connect with companies who show that characteristic.

Heavy users of organic didn’t like the idea of buying products from brands that have both organic and conventional products. In the question-and-answer part of the presentation, one attendee asked if it would be better to “take the high road” and not demonize conventional agriculture by talking about pesticides.

“We can totally disagree about that,” Jagiello said. “But the reality is that the number-one thing about (organic certification) is that it takes a certain number of things out of your toolbox that causes a higher cost for growers, a higher cost for shippers, a higher cost for everybody in the supply chain.”

“I’m not saying we have to be awful about it, but if we don’t mention it, all of a sudden that leaves the consumer at the checkout going well, this says it’s non-GMO, and that’s basically the same,” she said. ”No, it is not basically the same, it is pretty far from the same.”

In order to continue to grow, she said that organic marketers have to find ways to feel comfortable about talking about chemicals.

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.

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Organic group names Grimmway’s Huckaby Grower of the Year

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:37:18 GMT

Jeff Huckaby, president of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic Farms , Bakersfield, Calif., has been named the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Farmer of the Year.

Huckaby has grown Cal-Organic’s production from several hundred acres to more than 45,000 acres of organic vegetables in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Washington. More than 65 different vegetables are sold under the Cal-Organic brand, according to a news release from the organic association.

He started organic farming in 1999 as Grimmway’s farm manager, and took over all of Grimmway’s organic production throughout California in 2000. A year later, Huckaby became general manager of Cal-Organic Farm when it was purchased by Grimmway, according to the release.

With Huckaby in the role of organic visionary for the company, it now supplies all of Costco in the U.S. and several other countries, and he has helped other retailers offer year-round organic programs. Over the years, he has educated buyers and presented at many retailer produce training programs, spoken at conferences and U.S. Department of Agricultural meetings and testified in Congress about organic production.

“His expertise in organic farming has been tapped by regulators, trade associations, elected officials, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and USDA for input into all areas of organic production,” according to the trade association’s release.

Huckaby said his passion for organic farming spans four generations of his family and he’s accepting the award on behalf of the company’s dedicated farmers. The Organic Trade Association also noted the support he’s given the association and its affiliate, The Organic Center.

“Over these years, I’ve witnessed the commitment, hard work and downright grit among all members of this community who are fighting to ensure a bright future for organic in the U.S.,” Huckaby said in the release. “I am deeply proud to help lead in this charge and pave the way for the next generation of farmers.”

Two other awards were announced as part of the association’s Annual Organic Leadership Award, with Meg Plucinski of D&M Family Farm, a dairy operation, receiving the Rising Star designation; and Jim Wedeberg of Wedeberg Farm, a dairy operation, receiving the Growing the Organic Community award.

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Organic food sales top $50B in 2019, up 4.6%

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:37:30 GMT

The Organic Trade Association reports that organic food sales in 2019 surpassed $50 billion, including $18 billion for organic produce.

“The category continues to be the star of the organic sector and often the starting point for organic food buying,” OTA wrote in a news release. “Millennials and younger generations have grown up with organic and remain the growth drivers for this category.

“Organic produce makes up almost a third of all organic food sales, and organic fruits and vegetables — including fresh, frozen, canned and dried — have now captured 15% of the fruits and vegetables market in this country,” OTA wrote.

The report describes the $18 billion in organic produce sales for 2019 as a nearly 5% increase from the previous year.

The United Fresh Produce Association’s FreshFacts on Retail 2019 Year in Review, which uses retail scan data from Nielsen, lists organic sales for fresh produce specifically as $5.9 billion, up 5.5% from 2018. Per the report, organic fresh vegetables surpassed $3.3 billion in 2019, up 3.8% from 2018, and organic fresh fruit made nearly $2.2 billion, up 7.0%.

OTA’s recently released 2020 Organic Industry Survey indicates continued interest in organics from many shoppers.

“Our 2020 survey looks at organic sales in 2019 before the coronavirus outbreak, and it shows that consumers were increasingly seeking out the organic label to feed their families the healthiest food possible,” Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of OTA, said in the release. “The pandemic has only increased our desire for clean, healthy food. Our normal lives have been brought to a screeching halt by the coronavirus. The commitment to the organic label has always resided at the intersection of health and safety, and we expect that commitment to strengthen as we all get through these unsettled times.”

The outlook for organic in the immediate wake of the pandemic is uncertain, according to OTA. Organic sales growth could slow because many consumers may be more price-sensitive, or growth could remain steady as consumers look for “cleaner” products in an effort to protect their health.

“It’s hard to know what’s ahead of us, but consumers will continue to trust in and depend on the organic label,” Batcha said in the release. “Organic producers and processors — indeed the entire organic supply chain — have been working around the clock through this difficult time to keep our stores filled with healthy, toxic-free and sustainably produced organic food and products. Organic is going to be there for the consumer.”

Association advocates for organic ag as climate change tool

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:47:54 GMT

The Organic Trade Association is advocating for more federal support of organic production as a means to mitigate climate change.

Public and private efforts with that agenda need stronger federal support, according to the organization, which has published a white paper on organic agriculture and climate change. The report is available on the association’s website at OTA.com/climate.

“Organic agriculture presents a growing opportunity to mitigate climate change while creating economic, environmental and health benefits for all food system participants,” accordin to a summary of the document. “Organic agriculture mitigates climate change by reducing direct and indirect sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and acting as a carbon sink via soil carbon sequestration.”

The group said it has advocated multiple policy recommendations:

Any policy on climate change in food and agriculture should advance organic as a climate change solution;
Policies should reward the outcomes of good agricultural practices and enable a system of continuous improvement;
Policies should include provisions for advancing soil health and carbon sequestration;
Climate policies should minimize the use and eliminate the dependency on fossil-fuel based inputs, especially of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers;
Policies should provide resources to mitigate impacts of climate change and also help the agricultural sector adapt to a changing climate;
Public and private sector programs should give market-based incentives or financial payments that encourage conservation practices or ecosystem services;
Policies that increase greenhouse gas emissions or rollback progress in decarbonizing the economy and reducing emissions should be opposed;
Climate policies should foster diversity and provide incentives for increasing diversity in cropping systems; and
Policies should address the environmental and economic inequities caused by climate change and include ways to support disadvantaged communities in adapting to climate change.

During a media briefing on Sept. 30, Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of the Organic Trade Association, said the group’s board of directors put forward the principles to evaluate public policy brought forward to mitigate and address the climate crisis.

“We’re poised and ready to participate in that conversation,” she said.

The Packer’s Organic Coverage

The Packer’s Organic Trade Association Coverage

USDA proposes organic enforcement rule, suggests user fees

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:07:44 GMT

A proposed rule will revise U.S. Department of Agriculture organic regulations to strengthen oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic agricultural products, according to the agency.

The rule, The Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule , has elements that will upgrade organic control systems, heighten oversight of imports and improve traceability, according to the USDA
The rule , according to the agency, addresses:

Applicability of the regulations and exemptions from organic certification;
Import certificates;
Recordkeeping and product traceability;
Certifying agent personnel qualifications and training;
Unannounced on-site inspections of certified operations;
Labeling of non-retail containers;
Annual update requirements for certified operations; and
Compliance and appeals processes.

The proposed rule will have a 60-day comment period at regulations.gov when it is published in the Federal Register.

The Organic Trade Association released a statement that welcomed the proposed rule.
“The Strengthening Organic Enforcement Proposed Rule is the largest single piece of rulemaking since the implementation of the National Organic Program regulations,” the statement said. “It will fundamentally transform the oversight and enforcement of organic production worldwide.”

However, the OTA said it had some concerns about the proposal.

“In an otherwise comprehensive rule that seeks to boost consumer confidence and support continued growth of the $55 billion organic sector, the intent of USDA’s consideration of user fees and the proposed amendment to revise accreditation fees is unclear and inadequately explained,” the statement said.

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OTA establishes Organic Produce Council

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 15:14:16 GMT

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.

Israel Morales leads sustainability programs at JV Smith Cos.

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:13:19 GMT

Israel Morales has been promoted to executive director of sustainable operations for JV Smith Cos.

Morales previously was general manager of JV Farms Organic, Soledad, Calif. He’s been a farmer for more than 45 years, according to a news release, and more than 30 of those years has been in organic farming.

The Organic Trade Association has named him Organic Farmer of Year, and he’s scheduled to receive that honor in September.

His new role includes overseeing all sustainability practices at the JV Smith Cos., but he’ll also be a spokesperson, sharing knowledge with other produce industry companies.

“I believe that sharing what I’ve learned with the industry, with schools, with future generations is not only my honor, but my responsibility,” Morales said in the release. “The future generations need to be well informed about initiatives for food safety, crop rotation and production and responsible sustainability.”

Owner Vic Smith said Morales is a natural leader on sustainability issues.

“We couldn’t be prouder to share his vision and his experience to the industry as we all move forward collectively to make this a better place for future generations,” Smith said in the release.

JV Smith Cos. Includes JV Farms, Promotora Agricola El Toro, Southern Colorado Farms, Skyline Potato, JV Farms Organic, Skyview Cooling, Triangle Farms and Fresh Innovations, according to the release.

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Organic association looking for notable growers, industry leaders

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:12:05 GMT

The Organic Trade Association is seeking nominations for its annual Organic Leadership Awards, which recognize a farmer, an individual that’s aided in the growth of the organic sector, and an emerging leader in the field.

Nominations and endorsement letters must be submitted to the organic association by April 20, according to a news release. Nomination forms and more information on the awards are on the OTA’s website .

The three awards will be given during the association’s annual celebration Sept. 12 that kicks off the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, according to the release. The awards are:

Growing Organic Industry Award: Recognizes an individual who have made significant contributions to growing the organic industry.

Organic Farmer of the Year Award: Recognizes a grower that has “made significant contributions to supporting and advancing organic agriculture and trade at the farm level,” according to the release.

Rising Star Award: Recognizes someone who has distinguished themselves by pursuing/advancing programs, initiatives or product development promoting organic agriculture.

For 20 years, the awards have recognized organic leaders, including some in the fresh produce industry:

William “Benny” McLean, Uncle Matt’s Organics;
Kyle Mathison, Stemilt Growers;
Drew and Myra Goodman, founders of Earthbound Farm; and
Larry Jacobs and Sandra Belin, Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo.

“Organic agriculture all starts with farmers, followed by the valuable contributions of innovators and entrepreneurs who help grow and expand the market,” said Laura Batcha, Organic Trade Association CEO and executive director, said in the release. “It is exciting for OTA to recognize movers and shakers, sometimes well-known and sometimes unsung, who are playing an instrumental role in the organic sector.”

UPDATED: USDA puts brakes on national organic checkoff

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:12:13 GMT

(UPDATED May 18) The U.S. Department of Agriculture, citing lack of interest from growers, has put an end to a campaign for a national research and promotion program for organic produce and other products.

The measure, backed by the Organic Trade Association, would have assessed producers to pay for the program, raising an at least $30 million a year. When the OTA officially petitioned the USDA three years ago for the program, it cited a survey showing a 2-to-1 margin of support for the issue.

The OTA, which dubbed the program GRO Organic (Generic Research Promotion Order for Organics), would have administered the program under the supervision of the USDA, as with research and promotion orders for hass avocados, mangoes, watermelons and other commodities. Growers and handlers with gross revenue of less than $250,000 would have been exempt.

A 3-month public comment period that ended in April 2017 garnered more than 14,700 comments, according to a USDA news release.

The USDA cited specific concerns expressed in those comments, which led to its decision to not pursue the program:

A majority of organic growers in the U.S., earning less than $250,000 a year, would be exempt;
How organic promotion would affect other commodities;
The method of assessing imports, and tracing imported products;
The financial burden on small producers;
The burdens of paperwork; and
The methodology used in voting.

More than 1,400 growers and others in the organic products supply chain pledged their support on the Organic Trade Association’s website, but few large-scale growers of conventional fruits and vegetables signed on to the program.

The setback doesn’t preclude another proposal on the check-off program, according to the release.

“Termination of the rulemaking process removes communication restrictions and allows the USDA to engage fully with all interested parties to discuss and consider the future needs of the industry,” according to the release.

The Organic Trade Association responded by pointing out this is a particularly critical time for such a program: organic research funding is facing farm bill opposition, organic dairy and egg sales are dropping because of USDA’s decision to drop an animal welfare rule and the National Organic Standards Board did not remove hydroponic and other “non-soil” growing methods from certification.

“It is unfathomable that organic stakeholders will not be given the chance to cast their vote, and to decide for themselves if they want to implement an organic check-off,” according to the OTA release. “USDA unilaterally making the decision on behalf of the 26,000-plus certified organic growers, ranchers, processors, handlers, and business owners to not advance the process is stunning.”

“There is no question we need promotion for organic as consumers continue to demand food transparency,” Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of the organic association, said in the release.

Organic fruits and vegetables expand the marketplace

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:25:03 GMT

Organics have been a part of the mainstream market for years now, and while the shoppers still see them as their own category, consumers tend to accept organically grown produce as an “added choice” to fruit and vegetable selections. “Consumers prefer organically produced food because of their concerns regarding health, the environment, and animal welfare, and they show a willingness to pay the price premiums established in the marketplace,” reports the USDA Economic Research Service.

The Organic Trade Association’s 2019 Organic Industry Survey shows that organic sales climbed 5.9% over last year. “The U.S. organic market in 2018 broke through the $50 billion mark for the first time, with sales hitting a record $52.5 billion, up 6.3% from the previous year,” according to the 2019 Organic Industry Survey.

As the numbers continue to climb, shoppers are realizing that organics fill a niche for not just health-conscious consumers but for most everyday Americans. Many shoppers report purchasing organics, but the majority do not purchase organic produce all the time. Only 27% of consumers surveyed in Organic Fresh Trends 2020 said they always bought certain items as organic. Those who were the most likely to do so were consumers who made up the “all other” demographic group, followed by those with one or two children living at home and those earning more than $100,000 annually.

General trends in Organic Fresh Trends 2020 show that Asian shoppers are more likely than those in other demographic groups to buy organic fresh fruits and vegetables overall. This may be because this segment of the population tends to buy more produce in total than those from other ethnic backgrounds. Shoppers in the youngest segment of the population (under 40) and those in the oldest age group (age 59+) were also among the most likely overall to select organics over traditionally grown produce. Health conditions and income probably play into these trends.
Greens Most Popular as Organic

Shoppers tend to look for organic produce when purchasing greens, particularly kale and spinach. More than four in 10 shoppers (43%) said they selected organic kale at least some of the time. In fact, kale was the No. 1 item of those studied in Organic Fresh Trends 2020 that was purchased periodically as organic. Asian and Hispanic consumers, along with those younger than age 50, comprised the groups most likely to make a periodic organic kale purchase. Spinach moved up to second on the list, climbing from the No. 5 spot last year (although the percentage of buyers who said they chose organic spinach periodically was exactly the same as last year).

One-fifth of kale buyers said they always selected organic product, making it the most popular for organic-only purchases for the second consecutive year. Southern shoppers and those age 40-49 were among the most likely to always buy organic kale.

Nearly as many shoppers (19%) said they always bought organic artichokes, and 15% of consumers said they chose organic spinach every time.

Figuring in Price

Consumers have become more accepting of the higher price of organic produce as the years progress. However, the higher cost remains a primary inhibitor to organic produce purchases. Nearly half of all respondents to Organic Fresh Trends 2020 (46%) said that they would buy organic fruits and vegetables if price was not an issue. Asian shoppers, those living in the West, and those age 50-58 were the most likely groups overall to say they would buy organic produce if price was not a factor.

Of those consumers who said they were willing to pay more for organic fruits and vegetables, nearly seven in 10 (68%) said they would pay up to 25% more for organics over the cost of traditionally grown produce. One-third of buyers said they would pay up to 10% over the cost of conventionally grown product—shoppers age 50 and older were most likely to do so. Meanwhile, 35% of consumers said they would shell out 11% to 24% more for organics, with Hispanics and those in the “all other” ethnic group being the most likely to do so.

Eleven percent of respondents said they would not pay higher prices for organic fresh produce. Consumers age 59 and older were the top group that said they would not pay any more for organic produce; it’s possible that fixed income in retirement may play a role in their buying decisions.

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