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CCOF Press Releases
Press Release
January 12, 2011
For Immediate Release |
Contact:
Robin Boyle
CCOF Director of Marketing, Member Services and Development
(831) 423-2263, ext. 27
rboyle@ccof.org
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CCOF Launches a Conversation on How to Grow the Organic Market
(January 12, 2011) Santa Cruz, CA –CCOF, one of the country’s oldest and largest organic certification agencies, has released a new client-wide online organic certification management tool, MyCCOF. MyCCOF is the first service of its kind and will revolutionize how CCOF conducts organic certification and works with clients.
CCOF’s 2011 Annual Convention, Growing the Organic Market, takes place February 18 – 20, 2011 at the Ventura Beach Marriott in Ventura, California. This year’s convention agenda launches a conversation with the organic community on how to grow the organic market and address the barriers to market access and penetration. The convention kicks off on Friday, February 18, with the CCOF Annual Meeting and welcoming reception. Annual Meeting attendees will learn about the accomplishments of CCOF in 2010 and can provide input to the organization. The meeting, which is open to CCOF members and the general public, will be followed by a reception featuring certified organic food and beverages from throughout the Ventura/Oxnard area.
The Education Conference will begin Saturday, February 19, with “The State of the Organic Union,” which will address the current state of the organic market in California and beyond, as well as provide current statistics, studies, and experiences. Speakers include Christine Bushway of the Organic Trade Association, Ron Strochlic, Independent Food Systems Consultant, and Judith Redmond of Full Belly Farm. The opening panel will be followed by concurrent breakout sessions, featuring hands-on workshops and panel presentations in five market areas: Wholesale/Distributor/Retail, Farmers’ markets, CSAs, Chefs/Restaurants/Schools, and Export markets. Following an organic lunch is the “Thinking Outside the Box: Changing the Food Distribution System” panel, which will include an interactive activity to directly address some of the key barriers to expanding the organic market. The “Telling Your Story: Best Practices in New Marketing Tools” panel will share case-studies from CCOF certified members who are using public and media relations, websites, and online marketing tools like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter to ‘tell their story,’ and build their customer loyalty and brand to grow their market share. An exhibitor showcase will occur throughout the day featuring suppliers to the organic sector.
This year’s keynote speaker, Rayne Pegg, Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, will conclude the first day of the Education Conference with a discussion on current growth trends, limitations in the US organic market, and US relations with trading partners. Pegg is excited about participating in CCOF’s annual convention since she started her career in agriculture policy in California. “This is an important meeting because California plays a crucial role in the US Organic market,” said Pegg. “I’m looking forward to being in Ventura in February and reconnecting with many colleagues and friends at this important event.” In addition to talking about big-picture issues, Pegg will give an update on the National Organic Program, including funding for federal market programs.
The second day of the Education Conference features farm tours of CCOF certified operations in the Ojai Valley. Attendees will visit Earthtrine Farm and Gozo Farm and enjoy an organic lunch at Farmer and the Cook restaurant. The tour will include a stop at the Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market, which has provided local and organically farmed produce, flowers, and gourmet food directly to the community of Ojai for over 18 years. Participants will have a hands-on opportunity to interact with local CCOF certified operations and learn about their marketing methods and experiences.
This year’s Annual Convention is sponsored by Earthbound Farm, UNFI, Converted Organics, Oro Agri Inc., Monterey AgResources, ESP, Airstrike Bird Control, True Organic Products, Westbridge Agricultural Products, Western Growers, Organic Valley, and San Miguel Produce. More information on CCOF’s Annual Convention can be found on the Education and Events section of the CCOF website, www.ccof.org.
About CCOF
CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1973 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest third-party organic certifying agencies. CCOF certifies, educates, advocates and promotes organic through:
• A premier organic certification program for growers, processors, handlers, and retailers.
• Programs to increase awareness of and demand for certified organic product and to expand public support for organic agriculture.
• Advocacy for governmental policies that protect and encourage organic agriculture.
CCOF certifies more than 2,160 organic operations in 34 states and four countries and serves over 350 supporting members - consumers, suppliers, businesses and individuals - interested in supporting its work.
More information: About CCOF, CCOF History, CCOF Fact Sheets and Statistics.
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