US: USDA grant looks to promote organic exports

By: just-food.com | 9 October 2009

The US government has awarded the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Sustainable Strategies US$1.7m in funding to "analyse and address" international trade barriers for the country's organic products.

"This funding will be used to help further understand hurdles that impede the trade of US organic products and help work toward finding solutions to opening trade options for US organic producers," said Christine Bushway, OTA's executive director.

With the funding, OTA will oversee the development of various comparative GAP analyses and overviews of international markets for US organic products, comparing US national organic standards to those of overseas standards, the organic body said.

In the first year, activities will include developing and delivering an online International Organic Trade Technical Resource Guide, with resources to help US producers, processors, certifiers and traders of organic products to be successful in export endeavours.

In addition, OTA will develop international trade issue assessments and strategic advice, establish an International Organic Equivalency/Technical Trade Barrier Task Force, and provide international organic trade seminars and workshops to support FAS, the US National Organic Program, and US Trade Representative's Office on behalf of the US organic industry.

Sectors: Baby food, Bakery, Chilled foods, Commodities & ingredients, Confectionery, Dairy, Food safety, Fresh produce, Health & wellness, Meat & poultry, Natural & organic, Retail, Seafood, Snacks, Sustainability & the environment