Oser Communications Group

GOURMET NEWS MAY 2019 www.gourmetnews.com SMORGASBORD 2 3 The Organic Trade Association has launched an Organic Fraud Prevention So- lutions program. Through this program, or- ganic businesses may now voluntarily pre-enroll in a program to help minimize or eliminate organic fraud both inside and out- side of the United States. The new program is based on the Organic Trade Association's tested and completed "Organic Fraud Pre- vention Guide," which provides businesses engaged in organic trade with a risk-based process for developing and implementing organic fraud mitigation measures. "Fraud in the global organic supply chain poses a significant threat to the in- tegrity of the organic brand," said Laura Batcha, Chief Executive Officer and Exec- utive Director of the Organic Trade Associ- ation. "For the past two years, the Organic Trade Association has prioritized signifi- cant time and resources into organic fraud prevention solutions. We are fighting fraud on many fronts, including through the 2018 Farm Bill and through private sector initiatives. The more companies that join this industry-driven program, the stronger the organic supply chain will be." The global organic market has been on a steady rise for more than two decades, and has never been bigger. It is now an almost $90 billion market, with the American or- ganic market alone accounting for close to $50 billion. Organic imports into the United States in 2017 totaled around $2.1 billion, up nearly 25 percent from the pre- vious year. In recent years, however, inves- tigations have revealed imported products fraudulently labeled as organic, and gaps in the complex organic supply chain. Organic Stakeholders Stepping Up Already, several organic companies have pre-enrolled in the program. These compa- nies participated in a three-month pilot project last year that tested the program at their operations. The businesses represent the entire organic supply chain, from farm to processor and a diverse range of prod- ucts, services and commodities including fresh produce, grain, dairy, eggs, meat, bev- erages, packaged and prepared foods, fiber and textiles, importers and consulting serv- ices. They include Global Organics Ltd., a handler/importer; Grain Millers Inc., which handles and processes grains; I Was Think- ing, an importer/handler of grains, seeds, legumes and sweeteners. Organic ValleyCROPP Cooperative is also involved, as is the J.M. Smoker Com- pany and Stonyfield, among others. Con- sulting firms Wolf, DiMatteo & Associates and Miles McEvoy, Lacewing LLC have also pre-enrolled in the program as Trusted Ad- visors, a category of professionals that may qualify and partner with Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions and work with en- rolled companies to develop an Organic Fraud Prevention Plan. Trusted Advisors are experts in organic certification as well as in conducting vulnerability assessments and organic fraud mitigation plans. Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions es- tablishes a framework and formal process for businesses to create continuously im- proving internal programs for achieving or- ganic integrity throughout their associated supply chains. The program requires train- ing, an organic fraud vulnerability assess- ment and the development of an organic fraud prevention plan. After a company successfully registers with the Organic Trade Association with the implementation of the organic fraud prevention plan, the company will be considered "Organic Fraud Prevention Enrolled." The enroll- ment process is integrated into the organic certification cycle and maintained annually. The program is not a certification or ver- ification program nor is it a product label. It is a quality assurance program designed to complement and reinforce U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic standards and the work of the accredited certifying agencies. "Everyone plays a role in preventing or- ganic fraud," said Gwendolyn Wyard, Vice President of Regulatory & Technical Affairs for the Organic Trade Association and staff coordinator for the association's Global Or- ganic Supply Chain Integrity (GOSCI) Task Force, the 48-member task force formed two years ago to develop the fraud preven- tion program. "It is critical that organic businesses have robust systems and meas- ures in place that adequately support the promise of providing organic products that people can trust." Enrollment Eligibility To pre-enroll, a company must be an Or- ganic Trade Association member and either certified organic or listed with a USDA-rec- ognized Material Review Organization such as OMRI (Organic Material Review Insti- tute). Eligible operations include farmers, handlers, processors, distributors, traders, retailers and input manufacturers. There are also opportunities for accredited certifiers, consultants and advisors that would like to partner in the program. Pre-enrollment ini- tiates the process, and signs the eligible company up for the first offered training that will take place in late summer or early fall. "Our Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions program will become the industry standard reference for excellence and achieving in- tegrity across complex organic global sup- ply chains," said Batcha. "We all have a responsibility to fight fraud, and the Or- ganic Trade Association is doing everything in its power to address the problem." GN New Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions Program Las Vegas Market will be debuting a dy- namic new floor plan for its temporary ex- hibits at the summer 2019 Las Vegas Market, running July 28 through August 1, 2019. For the first time, The Pavilions at Las Vegas Market will showcase all 500+ gift and home décor resources together under one roof, offering buyers and design- ers a unique way to cross-category shop and source. "We are presenting all of our gift and home temporary exhibits together during the construction of IMC's new Expo Cen- ter at World Market Center Las Vegas," said JoAnn Miller Marshall, Executive Vice President, President of Tradeshow Leasing for International Market Centers. "This concentration of resources will offer buyers and designers a synergistic one- stop-shopping opportunity for gift, lifestyle, home, handmade and vintage products." For Summer Market, the Pavilions will keep the same six core categories: GIFT, DESIGN LIFESTYLE, HANDMADE, DIS- COVERIES: The Antique Vintage Market- place, DESIGN HOME and HOME. GIFT features a full range of giftware cat- egories, including decorative gifts, tabletop, housewares, gourmet foods, jewelry, ap- parel, personal care, stationery and innova- tive lifestyle products. GIFT will showcase more than 180 collections. DESIGN LIFESTYLE will showcase 30 new and proven collections in a juried showcase of contemporary and design- forward gift and home décor resources. Look for emerging designers and for- ward-focused products in this must-see section. HANDMADE will present more than 100 artisans, makers and local made designers. HANDMADE exhibitors emphasize artistry, originality and perfectly imperfect prod- ucts. A highlight of HANDMADE will be the fourth appearance of Aid to Artisans' TEAM (Training for Entrepreneurs in Arti- san Markets) showcase of first-time artisan exhibitors presented in partnership with leading non-profit economic development firm. TEAM will feature a variety of cu- rated, maker-produced goods from interna- tional artisans. In DISCOVERIES: The Antique Vintage Marketplace, buyers can purchase found objects, antiques, repurposed and recy- cled home decor, jewelry, and clothing from more than 125 lines. DISCOVERIES offers cash and carry, order writing and immediate delivery. Additionally, DIS- COVERIES is home to the popular Cash & Carry Shopping Spree, a combined order writing/cash and carry late-night event with shopping and complimentary cocktails from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 29, 2019. Marketgoers can discover design-driven home décor, furniture, and textiles in DE- SIGN HOME. The section is packed with progressive, thoughtful, well-crafted and aspirational product. HOME is a purposeful destination for all things home, especially accent decor, fur- niture, textiles, linens, and decorative ac- cessories. DESIGN HOME and HOME will feature nearly 100 lines. Additionally, the Pavilions will showcase Artisanal LA. The Artisanal LA pop-up show will feature product from Los Ange- les-based makers. In total, the Pavilions will showcase a broad assortment of lines that include: ac- cent furniture; antiques; decorative acces- sories; fashion accessories; faux botanicals; jewelry; home décor; house- wares; gourmet foods; lighting; one-of-a- king products; personal care; rugs; stationery; tabletop; textile; vintage items and wall décor. Beyond products, the Pavilions will in- clude a food court, a seminar room with a robust schedule of events, after-hours events, dedicated programming, a regis- tration area and a free shuttle that con- nects to the main campus. The Pavilions at Las Vegas Market are open Sunday, July 28 through Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sunday to Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. "Exhibitor response to our Winter 2019 Expo Center groundbreaking was overwhelmingly positive," Marshall said. "We are looking forward to its comple- tion in summer 2020 and to having all of our gift and home temporaries presented together in the new 315,000-square-foot facility." GN Las Vegas Market Debuting New Layout for Temporary Gift and Home Exhibit

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