The Organic Trade Association

The Organic Trade Association’s mission statement outlines the main goals of the organization: to “promote and protect organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public, and the economy.” Barbara Haumann, press secretary and staff writer for the organization, said that the association provides a network for organic growers and the distributors through which organic food is sold.



Haumann said that a current goal of the organization is to allow farmers to see past the initial costs for going organic. “OTA has asked for money to be provided for a certification cost-share program,” Haumann said. This new plan would pay half of the farmer’s cost to be a certified organic grower.

Another way that the association promotes organic growing is by creating working relationships with seasoned organic growers and younger, traditional farmers to dissuade the thoughts by some farmers that organic cannot produce a profit.

“Costs or production for organics is higher, but the sales are higher,” Haumann said. “Farmers have pre-conceived notions that it will be too hard.” Haumann postulates that this is the reason that most greatly deters farmers from organic growing.

When converting a farm to organic growing, there is a period of time where the land must be weaned off of the previously used chemicals and there will be a major drop in production. However, when the yield returns to its normal level, the profit margin will be greater because organically grown plants have a higher return value than non-organics.

“It’s entirely possible to go organic,” Haumann said.

The association also believes that organic growing is not only better for those who ingest the products, but also for the health of the Earth.

Haumann said that traditional synthetic materials used by non-organic farmers are dependent upon fossil fuels for creation. Haumann hopes that as people’s ideas about food become more progressive, those thoughts will be transferred to care for the Earth.

Another goal of the organization is to make organic food more accessible to all, especially low income people.

“Some farmers’ markets accept food stamp type coupons to get organic food to those who might not get it,” Haumann said. This procedure seems to be taking off in various parts of the country, especially in Chicago. Haumann discussed a low-income neighborhood who grows organic community gardens for sustenance and for a community farmers’ market.

Unfortunately, a program like this would not be able to happen in Bowling Green, Ky. According to Laura Goodwin, manager of the Sky Regional Farmers Market, there are no organic growers who attend this market.

Goodwin hopes that within the next year there will be at least one organic grower and distributor.