OFRF is issuing this joint release with the Organic Trade Association
For Immediate Release:
April 06, 2010 |
Contact: |
Barbara Haumann
Organic Trade Association
413-376-1220 |
Deputy USDA Secretary
Kathleen Merrigan
kicks off
sold-out Policy Conference
U.S. organic industry to discuss policy, celebrate
milestones during April conference and Hill visits
 WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 6, 2010)—Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan will be the opening speaker at the Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s 2010 Policy Conference and Hill Visit Days April 14 and 15 here in Washington that are set to draw a record number of industry representatives.
“Deputy Secretary Merrigan’s kick-off of the 2010 policy conference underscores the importance of organic as vibrant growing part of our nation’s agricultural economy,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director. The conference, organized by OTA and supported by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, “ is important for our members to keep up-to-date on organic policy issues including funding for the National Organic Program and research, food safety, child nutrition and animal welfare,” Bushway went on to say.
“OFRF is particularly proud to be bringing organic family farmers to the Capitol to tell their stories to policy makers. The OTA Conference and Hill visits represent a tremendous opportunity to support our vision of seeing organic farming and ranching become the leading form of agriculture,” said Bob Scowcroft, Executive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF).
Following Merrigan’s opening address will be a talk by Miles McEvoy, Deputy Administrator of USDA’s National Organic program. Other speakers will include:
- Dr. Temple Grandin, subject of a new biographical HBO film, animal welfare
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), food safety
- Katherine DiMatteo, president of IFOAM’s World Board, an international perspective
- Jorge Garcia-Pratts, Section Head, Fruits, Vegetables and specialty Crops, USDA’s National
- Agricultural Statistics Service
- Keith Jones, Staff Director, House Committee on Horticulture & Organic Agriculture
- Minister Counselor Anders Kl_cker, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Royal Danish Embassy.
- James M. Murphy, Jr., Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs
- Francis Thicke, organic farmer and candidate for Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture
- Darci Vetter, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA’s Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service.
In addition, OTA and OFRF will co-host Celebrate Organic Together, an evening reception April 14 in the House Agriculture Committee Hearing Room on Capitol Hill to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act, the 25th anniversary of OTA, the 20th anniversary of OFRF, and the tenth anniversary of the publication of the National Organic Program’s final rule. At the reception, OTA will present its 2010 Public Servant Award to Congressman Collin C. Peterson.
For more information about these events go to http://www.ota.com/advocacy/events.html.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. 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 the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy (www.ota.com).
About the Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation was founded in 1990 to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems. OFRF sponsors organic farming research and education projects, disseminates the results to organic farmers and to growers interested in adopting organic production systems, and educates the public and policymakers about organic farming issues. The majority of OFRF’s board members are working organic farmers. Additional information available at ofrf.org
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