International promotions for US organic back on the road

After a robust year of trade events held largely behind computer screens, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is gearing up for a busy 2022 of in-person events and opportunities to show off US organic products abroad.

As the nation’s only organic-focused trade association, OTA has been the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) go-to partner for promoting organic products internationally for nearly twenty years. This year, USDA awarded OTA with $906,379 in Market Access Program (MAP) funds to support the association’s international promotion efforts, the largest MAP award OTA has received to date.

“OTA is proud to continue to represent the face of US organic abroad as a core partner of USDA’s Market Access Program,” says OTA Associate Director of International Trade Alexis Carey. “Just as venues are reopening their doors to in-person events, the global economy is reopening to more robust trade opportunities. There’s an overwhelming global demand for organic products, and OTA looks forward to helping connect US-based producers with customers worldwide.”

According to tracking data from USDA, the value of US organic exports nearly doubled between 2011 and 2019 – increasing from just over $400 million in 2011 to nearly $700 million in 2019 thanks to increasing global interest in the benefits of organic. Canada and Mexico are the United States’ largest export partners, with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the EU, and United Arab Emirates all making the top 10 list for US organic exports.

OTA will leverage MAP funding to bring US organic companies to international markets where demand is strong, increasing consumer awareness of US organic products. As the global community searches for ways to better balance agricultural production with growing climate change concerns, US organic stands out as the gold standard of sustainable production.

Key promotional events for US organic in 2022 include:

• Biofach in Nuremburg, Germany. The world’s largest trade fair for organic food will take place February 15-18, 2022 alongside the Biofach Congress, where OTA will participate in various panels and presentations.
• Food and Hotel Asia in Singapore. A new trade show for OTA that targets buyers from across Asian markets, taking place September 5-8, 2022. The U.S. exported over $5 million USD worth of organic products to Singapore in 2020.
• SIAL in Paris, France. As the largest food and beverage event in the world, SIAL Paris provides unparalleled opportunities to connect key retailers and distributors from around the world. This mega-event will take place October 15-19, 2022.

OTA will also host a wide range of consumer promotion projects across Asia and the Middle East, with events geared toward importers, distributors, and consumers. OTA’s member companies provides the bulk of all U.S. organic exports. The market promotion activities administered by the Association are open to the entire organic industry, however, not just members. For more information or to sign up for activities, visit OTA’s website.