The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) introduction of updated standards for organic livestock and poultry production. The standards are expected to create “a […]
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The Organic Trade Association’s Organic Leadership Awards recognize individuals making a tangible difference to the U.S. organic industry. For organic producers, the highest accolade is Farmer of the Year, which […]
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10 April 2023: A comprehensive analysis of the organic industry since 2000, from policy to production.
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The funding will help NRCS provide farmers with the advice and knowledge they need to change their production methods.
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The National Organic Program provides rigorous standards, under the widely-recognized USDA Organic seal, for the production of organic crops and livestock products, giving consumers confidence that the organic foods they […]
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15 December 2022: Based on a census of producers certified organic or transitioning to organic certification, this report provides the latest statistics on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States.
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The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Black Farmers Index, the largest public listing of black agriculturalists in the U.S., have joined forces to diversify organic agribusiness, a large and growing industry in […]
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. The program will provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production, which USDA says will bring environmental benefits and enable producers to demand a premium in the marketplace.
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The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 8,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. Organic products represented include organic foods, ingredients and beverages, as well as organic fibers, personal care products, pet foods, nutritional supplements, household cleaners and flowers.
OTA’s member organic businesses work together through networking, advocacy, and other initiatives to encourage and protect organic farming practices, and to share messages about the positive environmental and nutritional attributes of organic products with consumers, the media, and policymakers.
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Amy is one of five recipients of a prestigious Organic Leadership Award, recognized for her “significant contributions to support and advance organic agriculture and trade at the farm-level.”
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The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) introduction of updated standards for organic livestock and poultry production. The standards are expected to create “a […]
Read more
The Organic Trade Association’s Organic Leadership Awards recognize individuals making a tangible difference to the U.S. organic industry. For organic producers, the highest accolade is Farmer of the Year, which […]
Read more
10 April 2023: A comprehensive analysis of the organic industry since 2000, from policy to production.
Read more
The funding will help NRCS provide farmers with the advice and knowledge they need to change their production methods.
Read moreThe National Organic Program provides rigorous standards, under the widely-recognized USDA Organic seal, for the production of organic crops and livestock products, giving consumers confidence that the organic foods they […]
Read more
15 December 2022: Based on a census of producers certified organic or transitioning to organic certification, this report provides the latest statistics on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States.
Read more
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and Black Farmers Index, the largest public listing of black agriculturalists in the U.S., have joined forces to diversify organic agribusiness, a large and growing industry in […]
Read more
. The program will provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production, which USDA says will bring environmental benefits and enable producers to demand a premium in the marketplace.
Read moreThe Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 8,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. Organic products represented include organic foods, ingredients and beverages, as well as organic fibers, personal care products, pet foods, nutritional supplements, household cleaners and flowers. OTA’s member organic businesses work together through networking, advocacy, and other initiatives to encourage and protect organic farming practices, and to share messages about the positive environmental and nutritional attributes of organic products with consumers, the media, and policymakers.
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Amy is one of five recipients of a prestigious Organic Leadership Award, recognized for her “significant contributions to support and advance organic agriculture and trade at the farm-level.”
Read more
When Cedric Porter, a journalist from the UK, visited Nebraska, he found a state committed to sustainable agriculture where standards far exceed those required by law. Most grain farmers have […]
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David Green, Executive Director of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance, discusses sustainable food systems, mirror clauses, and their meaning Through summer and the fall, U.S. farmers will harvest their crops, many […]
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We spoke to Shannon about her fishing heritage, the culture she is proud to be part of, and the industry practices that will help protect Alaska’s seafood bounty for the future.
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Kevin Krentz, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, outlines the practices he uses to promote employee wellbeing, maintain soil health, reduce waste, and conserve natural resources.
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DATE: October 2023 SECTOR: Farming, Food Production, Waste Management SOURCE: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) TOPIC: Food waste SUMMARY: An environmental evaluation of eleven food waste management methods
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DATE: October 2023 SECTOR: Farming SOURCE: The University of California, Davis and Cornell University, via the Environmental Research Communications journal TOPIC: Soil carbon sequestration SUMMARY: The role of enhanced rock […]
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DATE: October 2023 SECTOR: Agriculture, Forestry SOURCE: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) TOPIC: Voluntary carbon markets in the United States SUMMARY: A comprehensive look at current market activity, barriers […]
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3 October 2023: An annual report on global agricultural productivity.
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How does the sustainability of U.S. food systems compare with the EU? What is being done to make beef production more climate-smart? How can academics help advance sustainability knowledge? Those […]
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According to prune grower Sandra Mitchell, Northern California is the perfect place for producing high-quality prunes due to the fertile soil, warm and dry growing season and cool winter temperatures. […]
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The impacts of human-caused climate change are far-reaching and getting worse across every region of the United States. That’s according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, hailed by President Biden […]
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The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), a USSA member, and Farm Journal Foundation, a non-profit organization, are joining forces to help Native American cattle farmers and ranchers adopt climate-smart grazing. The partners have introduced […]
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Whilst the USSA members work to exceed regulatory requirement, U.S. laws and regulations provide a robust framework, developed over many years, to ensure and promote the sustainability of its crop, livestock, seafood and forestry sectors. The policies look to immediate impacts on the environment and beyond to cover topics from employment to biodiversity to endangered species. The following pages provide context and an introduction to key federal legislation.
Focused on conservation and environmental stewardship, the USDA, working with The Natural Resources Conservation Service on technical assessment and the Farm Service Agency for enforcements, uses grant management to deliver best practice. A particular focus is on erodible lands and wetlands, with ‘sodbuster’ and ‘swampbuster’ rules, requires presentation of conservation strategies prior to conversion of lands to agricultural use. One result, that soil loss has been halved since 1982.
The U.S. recognizes that sustainability has many facets and action is required in explicit areas. This has resulted in the enactment of a wide range of laws from the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act to the Endangered Species Act, to research and regulatory action on Insecticides and Fungicides and Rodenticide Act; and, with the Lacey Act a focus on illegal trafficking of plants, fish and animals.
In the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability, we hear from two multi-generational farmers – an eleventh-generation grains farmer from Maryland and the owner of a centennial cattle farm in Louisiana – about how they have moved with the times while staying true to their roots. We cover rotational grazing, no-till cultivation, water conservation, biotech seeds, and more. And we discuss why going back to the natural cycle is sometimes the best approach.
Tune in to the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability to hear how Paul Catanzaro and Professor Tony D’Amato work together to reach family forest owners and ensure they have the information and resources to make the right decisions about their land. And learn about the vital role Tim Stout, a Vermont landowner, plays in amplifying their message.
Tune in for the lowdown on the innovative, often surprising ways the almond industry and the wider food sector are reducing waste. Jet fuel, beer, water filters and peat moss to grow mushrooms – these are just some of the many applications in use and under development.
Hear directly from noted seafood chef and author Barton Seaver about the sustainability of the American lobster industry.
Watch nowThe new Rewind documentary series from Real Leather Stay Different. aims to provide some balance in the debate about the use of our land, fast fashion and our future.
Watch nowThis video highlights the emphasis on sustainability by the U.S. beef industry. Watch this story of beef farmers’ and ranchers’ multi-generational commitment to the environment with buyers and consumers around the world.
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