Organic Sector Petitions USDA for Organic Check-off
New research and promotion program could be a major step for organic
In a groundbreaking move for the nation's organic sector, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), in collaboration with the GRO Organic Core Committee, on Tuesday formally petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin steps to conduct a vote on and implement a research and promotion check-off program for the organic industry.
OTA's action reflects three years of dialogue with the entire organic sector and comes 25 years after Congress authorized USDA's National Organic Program. Marking the first time in the 49-year history of U.S. agricultural check-off programs that organic could be recognized as a distinct commodity class based on production practices, it could have significant and game-changing ramifications for the burgeoning organic sector.