USDA’s Foreign Ag Service has approved $1.6 million in Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops funding over 5 years to the Organic Trade Assoc., in partnership with Sustainable Strategies, for projects that analyze and address trade issues for U.S. organic products. The association will use the funding to oversee the development of various comparative GAP analyses and overviews of international markets for U.S. organic products. Comparative GAP analyses are detailed, side-by-side comparisons of the U.S. national organic standards and those of designated countries. Each analysis identifies the barriers to exporting U.S. organic products to specific international specialty markets. In the 1st year, Foreign Ag Service will provide $220,000 to the 2 partners. Activities will include developing and delivering an online International Organic Trade Technical Resource Guide, with resources to help U.S. producers, processors, certifiers and traders of organic products to be successful in export endeavors. In addition, the association will develop international trade issue assessments and strategic advice, establish an International Organic Equivalency/Technical Trade Barrier Task Force and conduct international organic trade seminars and workshops to support Foreign Ag Service, U.S. Nat’l. Organic Program and U.S. Trade Representative’s Office on behalf of the U.S. organic industry.
Photo courtesy of Organic Trade Assoc.