2006 Press Releases
First North American Summit held on Organic Production and Marketing
CHICAGO, IL (May 12, 2006)--The Organic Trade Association (OTA) partnered with the National Association of State Organic Programs (NASOP) to host a successful three-day North American Summit on Organic Production and Marketing this week. The first of its kind, the Summit was co-located with the All Things Organic TM Conference and Trade Show at McCormick Place in Chicago.
The Summit provided a collaborative forum for government and industry representatives from Canada, the United States and Mexico to establish contacts and create networks that will assist in the continued and improved movement of organic product throughout North America and the world.
"The fact that producers, certifiers, manufacturers and government officials were able to come together for this dialogue is very significant and truly reflects the growth in organic trade," said Caren Wilcox, executive director for OTA. "Any opportunity to open channels of communication, be it between government and the private sector, or counterparts from different countries or states, can only be beneficial."
Doug Crabtree, outgoing president of NSAOP agreed. "I was very encouraged by the sharing among representatives from the three countries. I see this as a very positive step in the progress of the organic movement," Crabtree said.
Sessions included a look at organic agriculture and products from the U.S. government's perspective, an overview of organic standards and products in Mexico, and an overview of Canada's proposed national organic regulation, as well as perspectives on organic research to date, a look at emerging non-food products and standards for them, a round-table discussion of the public-private partnership, and efforts to advance the organic marketplace from local to global trade.
Wilcox told attendees that OTA will explore future opportunities to work with NASOP and the governments of the three countries to continue the dialogue.
The mission of the Organic Trade Association is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy. OTA envisions organic products becoming a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people's lives and the environment. As a membership-based business association, the Organic Trade Association focuses on the organic business community in North America. OTA's 1,700 members include farmers, processors, importers, exporters, distributors, retailers, certifiers, and more. For further information, visit OTA's web site at www.ota.com.
The National Association of State Organic Programs (NASOP) is a national association of state officials that provides a forum for discussing the promotion and regulation of the organic food industry. The association explores issues of administering organic programs, facilitates communication among the member's respective agencies, and represents common interests to other national organizations and federal agencies For more information, go to www.nasda.org/nasop/.
Headquarters: P.O. Box 547, Greenfield, MA 01302 USA (413) 774-7511 fax: (413) -774-6432 www.ota.com
Canadian Office: 323 Chapel Street, Ottawa, On K1N 7Z2 ( (613) 787-2003 Legislative Office: 600 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA 22314 USA ( (202) 338-2900
