Dear CCOF Members and Supporters,
I want to express my gratitude for the continued resilience and dedication of our community; together, we’ve adapted to meet the evolving needs of a growing global organic marketplace. In 2024, CCOF focused on maintaining the integrity of the organic label, developing new markets, educating consumers, and supporting American farmers transitioning to organic or expanding their organic production.
Maintaining organic integrity
As the global organic market continues to grow, so does the need for robust systems that support integrity and transparency. On March 19, 2024, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) implemented the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule to safeguard confidence in organic products and minimize fraud throughout the organic supply chain.
To implement the SOE rule, CCOF overhauled our certification processes for importers, brokers, processors, and handlers. We released a series of bilingual educational videos, self-assessment materials, office hours, and other resources to support our members in a smooth transition to complying with the USDA rule and upholding the integrity of the USDA Organic seal.
Fostering market development and consumer trust
Consumer demand for organic is soaring as shoppers seek safe, healthy, and minimally processed products. Yet consumer data also shows that consumers do not always understand how organic food production aligns with their health and sustainability values. To help address these challenges, CCOF launched a new scope of work focused on market development and consumer education.
Market development and consumer education initiatives in 2024 included:
- Building an unprecedented consumer education campaign, including a series of nationwide video ads featuring CCOF clients, which are now being broadcast on streaming platforms like Roku and YouTube and are projected to reach over 50 million views by the end of 2026.
- Launching a new CCOF website on Earth Day 2024 to better serve visitors and educate consumers about the value of organic farming and products.
- Introducing an improved CCOF member directory, enabling consumers to directly connect with producers and handlers to find organic products, processed products, and services certified by CCOF.
- Leading our first organic trade mission to Mexico, connecting 10 certified organic producers with buyers in Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Our market development work aligns with research from the Organic Trade Association highlighting trends in Gen Z consumer behavior: even as more labels enter the market, younger consumers still trust the USDA Organic seal above all other agricultural labels. The findings reinforce the importance of CCOF’s work to ensure that the organic label remains a symbol of quality and integrity.
Supporting American farmers and U.S. production
The growth of organic sales continues to outpace the growth of organic farmland in the U.S., creating both an overreliance on imported organic food and inputs and a ripe opportunity for more American farmers to transition to organic production. In 2024, as a lead in the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), the CCOF Foundation helped transition nearly 70,000 acres of conventional farmland across the southwestern and western U.S., including underserved crops like cotton
Moving forward together
We recognize that our community is facing rising competition, increased costs, and more complex paperwork than in previous years. CCOF is committed to supporting you through these challenges. Your success is our priority, and we will continue to advocate for and support the growth of organic agriculture in partnership with you.
Kelly Damewood
CCOF, Inc. CEO
