Oser Communications Group

GourmET nEWS oCTobEr 2016 www.gourmetnews.com HoT ProDuCTS 2 6 The Organic Trade Association has un- veiled a new and enhanced "International Organic Trade Resource Guide." This valuable resource, accessible online to all at no cost, provides the most comprehen- sive and up-to-date market, policy and trade information on global organic mar- kets available for American organic ex- porters and importers. The enhanced guide features in-depth information for 40 countries and 38 trade regions along with key marketing and policy data on each specific region. From the trade guide's interactive map, users can pick a country and quickly under- stand the growth and demand for organic products, top retailers and brands, and consumer de- mographics in that mar- ket. This data will help exporters strategize for success and com- pare high opportunity regions with con- sistent data points across the regions. The guide also provides organic busi- nesses participating in the international market—and those businesses just begin- ning to explore opportunities outside the U.S. -- with the latest data on a country's organic regulations and standards, spe- cial requirements for imported organic products, certification information, con- tact connections for government agen- Organic Trade Association Releases Enhanced Guide to International Resources cies, and more. "Around the world, the desire for traceable, sustainably produced food is growing, and global demand for U.S. or- ganic has never been stronger," said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Or- ganic Trade Association (OTA). "One of OTA's most important missions is to promote organic, and part of that mission is helping to connect U.S. farm- ers, ranchers and businesses with inter- national buyers that are eager to bring the USDA Organic seal to their market. The better the set of data that organic businesses have to work with, the better able they are to connect with those global buyers and to compete on the world mar- ket." The new guide contains specific coun- try pages that include current qualitative and quantitative market information, ed- ucational infographics, detailed and in- depth policy information and informative "Go to Market" reports. It integrates data and analysis relevant to the organic sec- tor from the respected Euromonitor, the world's leading independent provider of strategic market research. Funding for this significant upgrading to the resource guide was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program (MAP) and the depart- ment's Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program (TASC). Demand for organic in the United States has been booming, with organic sales in 2015 hitting a new record of $43.3 billion. Demand for organic around the world has been exploding as well; U.S. organic exports in 2015 reached $3.2 billion. The U.S. has organic equivalency arrangements with Canada, the European Union, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Switzerland. These arrangements allow organic products certified in one country to be labeled and sold as organic in an- other country without additional inspec- tions or paperwork and without compromising the organic integrity of the products. "The complex task of understanding foreign government regulations, along with the challenges of obtaining accu- rate information about a non-U.S. mar- ket and the difficulties in locating and connecting with buyers, are all fre- quently cited as barriers to organic ex- ports," said Monique Marez, Director of International Trade for OTA. "The new Global Organic Trade Resource Guide equips U.S. businesses with a baseline for success." Since the mid-1990s, OTA has worked to help promote organic agricultural products in global markets and to con- nect buyers and sellers. OTA has been an official cooperator in USDA's Market Ac- cess Program since 1999. OTA's member- ship represents about 85 percent of U.S. organic exports. The market promotion activities administered by OTA are open to the entire organic industry. GN www.globalorganictrade.com

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