May 25, 2023

Pair of organic veterans form new technical and regulatory team at OTA

Two veteran organic experts are joining the Organic Trade Association to form a new technical and regulatory team.

Joelle Mosso is the new senior director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, while Scott Rice is the new director of Regulatory Affairs.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Joelle and Scott join the OTA team,” OTA CEO Tom Chapman said in a news release. “We are confident that their solid experience and in-depth knowledge of organic will enable us to keep pushing organic forward in these challenging times and be a vital source of support for our members looking to grow their businesses or navigate increasingly complex organic regulations.”

Mosso was most recently chief scientific officer for the Eurofins Produce segment of international analytical testing services company Eurofins Scientific. She has also served as a leader in the quality management team at Earthbound Farm.

She sits on the Center for Produce Safety Technical Committee, International Fresh Produce Association Food Safety Council, USDA National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods and has served on the USDA National Organic Standards Board.

“Organic food production and regulation are my personal and professional passions, and I am thrilled to be joining OTA and continuing to directly support the organic community and contribute to its ongoing growth and success,” Mosso said in the release.

Rice most recently oversaw outreach and external affairs at the Washington State Department of Agriculture Organic Program. While there, he conducted input material reviews for the program’s nationally recognized input list, coordinated the program’s USDA accreditation and aided certified businesses in navigating international trade challenges.

He also served on the executive committee of the NOSB and chaired the Accredited Certifiers Association.

“I am looking forward to building on OTA’s strong history of regulatory engagement and advocacy on behalf of its members, many of whom I’ve enjoyed working with across my career,” Rice said in the release.

Gwendolyn Wyard, current OTA vice president of Regulatory and Technical Affairs, is leaving to start a new business, Strengthening Organic Systems, which aims improve the resilience and integrity of global organic supply chains.

“We are deeply grateful to Gwen for her more than a decade of service for OTA and her incredible contributions to the organic industry,” Chapman said.  “We wish her great success in her new adventure.”