California Ag Network

Tag: USDA Organic

  • Colin O’Neil Joins Organic Trade Association Leadership Team to Head Public Affairs

    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has hired Colin O’Neil as Senior Vice President to lead public affairs where he will direct legislative and regulatory efforts, political advocacy, and stakeholder engagement for the membership-based trade association representing organic farmers and businesses throughout North America. In this new role, O’Neil will help drive growth of the $76 Billion organic sector by leading public affairs initiatives to build trust in organic, reduce barriers to adoption, strengthen the credibility of the USDA Organic seal, and expand opportunities for organic farmers and businesses. He will also oversee OTA’s political action committee.
    The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has hired Colin O’Neil as Senior Vice President to lead public affairs where he will direct legislative and regulatory efforts, political advocacy, and stakeholder engagement for the membership-based trade association representing organic farmers and businesses throughout North America. In this new role, O’Neil will help drive growth of the $76 Billion organic sector by leading public affairs initiatives to build trust in organic, reduce barriers to adoption, strengthen the credibility of the USDA Organic seal, and expand opportunities for organic farmers and businesses. He will also oversee OTA’s political action committee.
    Based in the Washington, DC area, O’Neil is an accomplished public affairs strategist and coalition builder across the food, agriculture, environmental, and public health sectors. Throughout his nearly 20-year career, O’Neil has brought together businesses, policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to advance federal policies addressing organic agriculture, agricultural conservation and climate change, food labeling, chemical regulation, and food safety.
    Some of O’Neil’s early priorities at OTA will be to advance the association’s Farm Bill priorities and key policy initiatives such as the Domestic Organic Investment Act (DOIA). Introduced in 2025, O’Neil will help advance the bipartisan, bicameral DOIA legislation that aims to establish a permanent USDA program to expand and modernize the US organic supply chain by providing grants to support domestic organic production.
    “Having known Colin for years, based on his successful track record leading policy and advocacy work, we are thrilled to have him join OTA’s leadership team as his expertise and passion for the organic sector will bring tremendous value to our members,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO, Organic Trade Association. “With strong consumer demand and momentum for organic food and fiber, Colin is joining OTA at an excellent time to help us accelerate growth and drive meaningful results.”
    — Story contributed by the Organic Trade Association

  • Hazelnut Farmer Sues Federal Gov’t Over Credibility of Organic Claimed Foreign Imports

    Organic farmers in the US undergo some of the most strict regulations and certification procedures in the world in order to obtain the consumer-trusted “USDA Organic” logo on their harvested crops, naturally commanding a premium price; however, when imported foreign products hit the US market and secure “USDA Organic” status, can consumers trust that those products came from farms that met the same criteria as required by US organic farms?  Bruce Kaser, an organic hazelnut grower in Oregon would beg to differ and is suing the federal government over what he claims not only comprises the integrity of the entire organic sector, but is also financially damaging to the American farmer. Watch this brief interview as Pacific Nut Producer Editor Matthew Malcolm meets with Bruce to discuss the details.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor George Packing Company for their industry support.