California Ag Network

Tag: Organic Voices

  • Organic Trade Association, The Organic Center Awarded $4.4 Million Market Development Grant

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and The Organic Center are pleased to be the recipients of $2.2 million in Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) matching funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand organic markets through consumer education and promotion.  The funds provided by USDA match those provided by the OTA, The Organic Center and Organic Voices for a three-year project totaling $4.4 million.

    The joint project by the trade association and The Organic Center is designed to stimulate the demand for and increase the sales of organic products by promoting the science-backed benefits of USDA certified organic products and farming to consumers. The project will be done in collaboration with Organic Voices and an Industry Advisory Committee.

    “We thank USDA for making this project possible with this important funding. Consumers lack information about all that the USDA Organic label stands for and all the benefits it delivers for human health, the environment, and businesses,” said OTA co-CEO Tom Chapman. “Our project aims to increase the consumption of organic by giving consumers access to more credible information about what organic production and processing means, and the advantages it provides.”

    “We want to educate people about the difference organic makes, and inspire them to choose organic,” said Dr. Amber Sciligo, Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. “This project will highlight organics’ ability to protect natural resources, sequester carbon and regenerate soil health, while also providing nutritional benefits and protecting us from synthetic pesticides, preservatives, antibiotics and more. The more educated consumers are about organic, the more likely they will seek out that Organic label.”

    The project will develop fresh creative content on the regulatory and science-based environmental, animal and human benefits of organic, focusing on targeted information to motivate consumers to purchase organic products, prioritizing organic dairy, grain and fiber. A full-scale integrated marketing campaign will be launched, and particular focus will be made to ensure that the promotion reaches beyond mainstream organic markets into regions and communities where organic production is not prevalent.

    The project will culminate with a final comprehensive report on effective organic consumer marketing strategies, content, and messaging which will be shared with the entire organic industry through the distribution of printed copies of the report, and availability through social media channels.

    “The longevity of this project will extend far beyond its 3-year timeframe,” said OTA co-CEO Matthew Dillon. “The creation of valuable educational content and marketing resources will continue to benefit organic producers and brands, while the consumer promotion and education campaign will yield a lasting impact by expanding the community of informed organic consumers to create a growing and stable market for organic.”

    The Organic Market Development Grant Program is part of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative, a $300-million initiative launched in 2022, to help existing organic farmers and those transitioning to organic production and processing.

    About the Organic Trade Association

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing more than 500 organic businesses across 50 states and 9,500 farmers through its Farmers Advisory Council. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect ORGANIC with a unifying voice that serves and engages its diverse members from farm to marketplace.

    About The Organic Center

    The Organic Center is a nonprofit research and education organization whose mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center works to fill critical industry knowledge gaps by managing research projects and providing tools and training to help organic farmers and businesses thrive. Its research projects focus on climate change mitigation and environmental health, human health, and building tools and solutions to support organic operations. The Center operates under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

    About Organic Voices

    Organic Voices is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help consumers better appreciate and eliminate confusion about all the benefits of Organic. It is dedicated to educating consumers about the significance of the USDA Organic seal, ROC certification, and GOTS certification through its Only Organic campaign. It creates compelling educational content tailored to inform and engage consumers, using multiple online channels to reach new audiences through large-scale consumer-facing campaigns. Partnering with brands, retailers, farmers, and consumers, Organic Voices strives to amplify the message of the benefits of organic and establish a unified voice throughout the organic industry.

  • “Organic Night Out” Puts Spotlight on Organic Trend-Setters, Groundbreakers

    The best of organic – from innovative entrepreneurs and established organic brands to cutting-edge organic research and visionary scientists – will be honored next month at organic’s premier event at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim, California.

    Hosted by The Organic Center and Organic Voices, “An Organic Night Out: Honoring the Year’s Best in Organic” on March 13 will recognize and celebrate the success of organic brands and companies in communicating the impact of organic to consumers, as well as showcase the latest organic research being conducted by The Organic Center and its partner scientists.

    The honorees at the first-ever “Organic Oscars” – all nominated and chosen by their peers – will reflect the huge diversity of today’s organic sector. Over 70 organic companies have nominated more than a hundred organic businesses and champions: organic farmers of all sizes producing everything from dairy products to wine; organic makers of meats, chocolate, spices, coffee and more; and organic entrepreneurs marketing dog treats, vitamins, baby blankets and mattresses! Groundbreaking organic research will be honored with an Excellence Award going to the most impactful organic research of the year.

    Awards will be given in eight categories: Best New Organic Food/Beverage Product; Best New Organic Non-food Product; Best Organic Messaging: Better for the Planet, People or Animals; Best Organic PR or Social Media Activation; Best Retailer Organic Activation; Most Impactful Organic Research Result or Finding; Emerging Organic Entrepreneur of the Year and Organic Company of the Year.

    Award-winning actress, philanthropist, and co-founder of the organic, next-generation children’s nutrition company Once Upon a Farm, Jennifer Garner, will emcee the awards ceremony with organic visionary, advocate, and co-founder of the world’s largest organic dairy company Stonyfield Farm, Gary Hirshberg.

    “The organic community is so excited to be recognizing these incredible organic game changers,” said Hirshberg. “The response from the organic industry to celebrate and honor the work of their peers truly demonstrates the creativity, generosity and dedication of our sector to create a greener and healthier future for our planet.”

    Celebrating the Science Behind Organic  

    “To grow the organic industry and its positive impact on people and the planet, we all must understand the value of organic and the holistic benefits when we buy products carrying the USDA Organic seal. This event will showcase the brilliant science that demonstrates those benefits and helps organic farmers succeed,” said Dr. Amber Sciligo, Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. “The celebration of leaders in the organic industry, in combination with the spotlight on the latest organic research, promises a meaningful and unforgettable evening.”

    The evening will feature an interactive science fair demonstrating research being conducted by The Organic Center and other scientists. Attendees will see first-hand the real benefits organic practices have on crop production and the health of our planet and people. Displays will show how organic farming protects the health of our pollinators with a live bee observation hive, how choosing organic cotton is good for our environment, how the organic industry is leading the charge to tackle the devastating citrus greening disease without the use of toxic chemicals, and how organic farming helps protects consumers against contamination of pesticides, antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones in their milk and dairy products. To learn even more about the many benefits of organic, attendees can spin the Organic Wheel of Sustainability.

    An eye-catching installation at the science fair by artist Cynthia Minet will remind attendees of the copious amounts of plastic used and wasted across the food chain and the need to dramatically reduce its production. The Organic Center has partnered with stakeholders across the industry to tackle the use of plastic in agriculture products. In 2023, The Center’s signature conference event, “Organic Confluences,” focused on reducing plastic across the organic supply chain. The activating message symbolized so effectively by Minet’s installation is at the heart of the work The Organic Center will continue throughout 2024 in an effort to provide tools and solutions for the organic industry to reduce their reliance on plastic.

    Bringing together hundreds of organic visionaries, activists and businesses, the occasion is the single biggest fundraising event for The Organic Center and Organic Voices, both nonprofit organizations that work on important research, education and communication with the organic industry and with consumers.

    Sponsorship opportunities for this incredible evening are still open. Join the list of organic brands and champions who are making this event possible: Alexandre Family Ecodairy Farms, Amy’s Kitchen, Back to the Roots, Cal-Organic, Ciranda, Daves Killer Bread, Driscoll’s, Egg Innovations, Environmental Working Group, Forager Project, Gallant, General Mills, Global Organics, Handsome Brook Farms, Harmless Harvest, Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, Just Ice Tea, National Co+op Grocers (NCG), Nature’s Path, Naturepedic Organic Mattresses, New Hope, Once upon a Farm, Orgain, Organic Valley, Pete & Gerry’s, SPINS, Stonyfield, Taste For Life Publications, Thrive Market, Tradin Organic, Traditional Medicinals, True Organic Products, Inc., Uncle Matt’s Organic, Vivify Specialty Ingredients, WearPACT and Whole Foods Markets.

    For sponsorship opportunities, contact Cassandra Christine (cchristine@ota.com)

    About The Organic Center

     The Organic Center‘s mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

    About Organic Voices

    Organic Voices is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help consumers better appreciate and eliminate confusion about all the benefits of Organic. It is dedicated to educating consumers about the significance of the USDA Organic seal, ROC certification, and GOTS certification through its Only Organic campaign. It creates compelling educational content tailored to inform and engage consumers, using multiple online channels to reach new audiences through large-scale consumer-facing campaigns. Partnering with brands, retailers, farmers, and consumers, Organic Voices strives to amplify the message of the benefits of organic and establish a unified voice throughout the organic industry.