By OTA embraces ‘magical’ co-CEO model to ‘take advantage of all the opportunities available to organic’
To expand organic’s market potential, reach and positive impact in the face of increased competition, consumer confusion and political pushback, the Organic Trade Association welcomes industry veteran Matt Dillon to its leadership team as co-CEO with...
Hard-fought for and nearly finalized regulations that would strengthen animal welfare standards under the USDA Organic program are at risk of becoming collateral damage from a growing political fight about the ripple effects of regulations and legislation...
The US Department of Agriculture promises to shoulder more of the cost for farmers and ranchers transitioning to organic and develop additional processing and aggregation facilities to ease supply chain bottenecks holding the organic industry back from...
The Organic Trade Association is calling for Congress in the next Farm Bill to further strengthen the supply chain and integrity of the organic program and support research and adoption of conservation and climate-smart programs, which it says will help...
Organic sales continue to reach unprecedented highs as consumers gravitate to options they perceive as healthier for them and the planet, but the segment faces significant headwinds that are slowing growth and will demand ongoing flexibility, innovation...
A new multi-million initiative by the US Department of Agriculture aims to reverse a downward trend in the number of farms transitioning to organic – a process that can put producers on their back foot financially as yields often drop during the three-year...
Most Americans believe that organic is healthier for people and the planet than conventional, but they also lack a fundamental understanding of the standard and as such give more weight to single-issue label claims when deciding what to purchase – underscoring...
Recently named incoming Organic Trade Association CEO Tom Chapman inherits a strong organization that helped make organic mainstream and double industry sales during outgoing leader Laura Batcha’s tenure of nearly a decade, but which now must address...
After leading the Organic Trade Association as CEO for 13 years, Laura Batcha will step down next spring – leaving a legacy of savvy political acumen and active member engagement that helped the trade group expand the reach, impact, awareness and sales...
The Organic Trade Association is optimistic it could reach a “potential amicable resolution” in its ongoing lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture for the withdrawal of the widely popular Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule during...
The Organic Trade Association is calling on the US Department of Agriculture to help ease mounting pressure on the organic supply chain posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by increasing flexibility for inspections and the disbursement of funds related...
Farmers trying to transition to organic but in need of more personalized agronomic and technical support than available soon could have another resource with the expansion of a new train-the-trainer program supported by the Organic Trade Association.
As organic continues to go mainstream, retailers are placing more pressure on producers for price and spec parity with conventional, creating an increasingly unsustainable competitive landscape for organic farmers who traditionally have commanded a premium...
Members of the Organic Trade Association converged in Washington, DC, last week to celebrate the segment’s continuous improvement, and to brainstorm with each other and legislators potential solutions to ongoing challenges facing the industry.
Months after the USDA unexpectedly and unceremoniously pulled the plug on plans to implement a federally mandated organic check-off program, the Organic Trade Association is soliciting ideas to help the industry ‘GRO’ through a voluntary, industry-vested...
The Organic Trade Association is suing the US Department of Agriculture for repeatedly and allegedly illegally delaying and threatening to potentially suspend indefinitely the widely popular Organic Livestock and Poultry Production final rule, which was...
Rising sales and household penetration of organic is a double-edged sword for the industry in the US as more Americans have started looking for lower prices, bulk packaging and easier access through direct to consumer channels, according to purchasing...
As part of a larger strategy to reduce the US deficit, the Trump Administration wants to help the agriculture sector “punch above its weight” by promoting trade, providing an affordable workforce, easing regulatory burdens and including it in the infrastructure...
Organic stakeholders gathering in Denver this week for the National Organic Standards Board meeting will take another stab at defining the role of hydroponic production in organic, which documents suggest the advisory committee may prohibit.
It has been half a century since the US embargoed trade with Cuba, and now Nespresso is jumping on the first opportunity to bring the storied coffee beans of this tropical island country to the US.
US sales of organic food and drink surged 10.6% to $39.8bn in 2015, significantly ahead of the 3% growth in the overall food market, with some segments up more than 30% year-on-year, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
The organic industry must overcome substantial hurdles to sustain its double digit sales growth, including the threat posed by genetically modified organisms, limited technological advancements and a dwindling farming population, said organic farmer and...
In the latest installment of our ongoing What do you do interview series, we talked with the regulatory head of organic standards at industry trade group the Organic Trade Association about her lifetime love of soil, how often organic farmers and processors...
With all the attention GMOs have received in recent months—good and bad—confusion in the marketplace has inevitably followed, as consumers scramble to make sense of the pro- and anti-camps’ arguments and product manufactures scramble to keep track of...
The US organic market grew 9.5% last year, breaking the $30bn barrier for the first time, and continuing to outpace sales of non-organic food, according to a new report from the Organic Trade Association (OTA).
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded 23 new grants to organic agriculture research projects as part of its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in response to increased adoption of organic practices.
Americans were less likely to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors in 2010 than they were in 2009, despite being more likely to identify with eco-friendly terms, according to a new survey from Harris Interactive.
The North American organic food and beverage market has overtaken Europe to become the biggest organic market in the world, according to a new report from Organic Monitor.
Synergy Flavors’ Chicago facility has received organic certification, which will allow it to increase provision of organic flavors, and respond to sustained demand for ‘clean label’ products, the company has said.
Organic food has entered the mainstream with strong growth in all sectors over the past decade, including packaged and prepared foods and beverages, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
New regulations for Canadian organic food are due to come into effect at the end of June, and the Organic Trade Association (OTA) has said that they will ease trade in organic food between Canada and major trading partners.
Organic foods are yet to gain mainstream acceptance by US consumers according to a new study by a marketing research and consulting firm in the consumer products industry.
As sales of organic goods continue to rise, food and beverage
manufacturers are increasingly turning to the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Organic seal as a mark of approval, according to
the nation's Organic Trade Association...
House of Bread Franchising has finally decided to start producing
organic bread after a decrease in ingredient prices makes
production a viable business option, reports Philippa
Nuttall.
