Session F6: Room 397 | |||
Wednesday AMFORUM: Achieving Success In Organic Certification | |||
| Moderator(s): | J. Montecalvo, Jr., California Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo | ||
| Panel Moderator(s): | R. Serrano, Grain Millers | ||
| Panelist(s): | C. Schreiner, Oregon Tilth G. Wyard, Oregon Tilth, Inc. C. Karr, Oregon Tilth, Inc. G. Marroquin, Marroquin International J. Pierce, Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative | ||
| Time: | 9:00 AM | ||
| Since 1997, sales of organic foods have grown between 17% and 21% each year. The Organic Trade Association’s 2004 Manufacture Survey found that the U.S. organic industry grew 20% to reach $10.8 billion in consumer sales in 2003. A market study from Packaged Foods predicts U.S organic food sales will grow to over $32 billion by 2009. The USDA’s implementation of a National Organic Program has added a level of legitimacy to the organic label in the eyes of many consumers as well as larger manufacturers. As organic foods become part of the American mainstream, market demand prompts manufacturers to research the prospects of developing organic product lines. Once product formulations are established and ingredient suppliers are identified, most manufacturers find only minor challenges in adapting Good Manufacturing Practices to satisfy requirements of organic standards. One challenge for many operations involves supporting documentation for ingredients. Another challenge involves the sourcing and availability of organic forms of minor ingredients that meet the quality specifications for a given product. Five panelists will share their expertise and experience in achieving success in organic certification. The panel will focus on: 1) benefits of organic processing; 2) the certification process; 3) basic requirements of the USDA National Organic Standards; 4) certification costs; and 5) common challenges to maintaining certification. In addition to providing information on the process and requirements of certification, the panel would like to establish an agenda of research needs to propel continued innovation and success in the future of organic food production. | |||
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana