5 OTA.COM HAPPY SPRING! This edition of the Organic Report has much to say about the power of leadership to drive organic forward. It is always inspiring to hear about those whose careers have taken them beyond the day-to-day to break new ground for organic, their communities and the planet. This year’s Organic Leadership Awards introduce us to six individuals whose care, creativity, and tenacity have expanded organic’s impacts in meaningful ways (Page 6). Given the enormity of the challenges humanity faces—pandemic, changing climate, supply chains strained to the brink, not to mention issues unique to organic such as the regulatory stall that threatens to undermine consumer trust (see Page 26), our obstacles can feel overwhelming. Yet if we step back, there is progress to report for organic: needed improvements to crop insurance (Page 44), help for farmers making the transition to organic (Pages 8 and 16), new ways technology can benefit organic (Page 32), a gradual return to international trade activities (Page 49), and a revitalized presence for organic at retail (Page 24) are all worth celebrating. This year will see the retirement of several of organic’s Congressional champions (Page 14). This echoes what is happening in the private sector as many of the forerunners of organic seek their next chapters. The organic community is grateful for their contributions and welcomes the next generation of leaders to make their mark (Page 53). While we’ve made some inroads, there is still so much to do! We are moving into Farm Bill season (Page 36) when advocacy from our member community is of critical importance. Meanwhile, two leaders well known to the organic sector have joined USDA in prominent positions. You can read more about the new roles for Jenny Lester Moffitt and Marni Karlin on Page 16, as well as the initiatives they will be called to advance during their time at the department, including moving forward on long-delayed rulemaking, reducing barriers to organic transition and certification, and promoting organic’s climate benefits. Finally, to re-center us on one of the many reasons organic matters, The Organic Center’s Social Justice Intern, Jayson Porter, shared some insights around the devastating effects of agrochemicals on communities of color (Page 30). Give that a read, and see if you don’t come back newly invigorated to fight for an agricultural system that benefits the many. In gratitude, Angela Jagiello Editor Angela Jagiello Leading Through Challenging Times Front Piece OTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS president Paul Schiefer • Amy’s Kitchen secretary Britt Lundgren • Stonyfield Farm treasurer Domenic Borrelli • Danone North America Doug Crabtree • Vilicus Farms Kim Dietz • Firmenich Inc. Matthew Dillon • Clif Bar & Company Tracy Favre • Fig Hill Farm Consulting Ann Marie Hourigan • Whole Foods Market Kellee James • Mercaris Bob Kaake • Slice of Kaake Consulting David Lively • Organically Grown Company Michael Menes • True Organic Products Adam Warthesen • CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley Javier Zamora • JSM Organics contributors: Laura Batcha, Alexis Carey, Cassandra Christine, Danielle Coté, Megan DeBates, Aliçe Diehl, Reana Kovalcik, Mallory Krieger, David Lively, Libby Mucciarone, Jayson Porter, Jeff Schahczenski, Jessica Shade, Darci Vetter, and Rebekah Weber copy editor: Barbara Haumann editor: Angela Jagiello design: LLM Publications Copyright © 2022, Organic Trade Association Printed on paper from sustainably managed forests with inks that are 30% renewable. The Organic Report is published by the Organic Trade Association as a service to its members and the organic community. Re-publication of short excerpts is permitted without fee. Contact OTA staff to arrange for the use of longer material. The material contained in this magazine is for the information of the organic community. Although the information is believed to be correct, OTA disclaims all responsibility for any damage or reliance on the information contained in this publication, nor is the appearance of advertisements a warranty, endorsement or approval of the products or services advertised. The Organic Trade Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/family status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information, should contact us at info@ota.com. ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION headquarters: Hall of The States, 444 N. Capitol St., NW Ste 445A, Washington, DC 20001 phone: 202-403-8520 locations Brattleboro, VT • Santa Cruz, CA • Corvallis, OR web: www.ota.com • email: info@ota.com TheOrganicReport.com
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