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Wolf & Associates 
This issue covers results from the first month of the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations, a report on TOPP activities, opportunities for energy and equipment funding for rural small businesses, and more.
Our latest issue is bursting with news, including a summary of the Organic Trade Association’s consumer research, standards updates in Canada, and California’s efforts to define “regenerative agriculture.” The Strengthening Organic Enforcement rules brought changes to the National Organic Program’s Handbook and to the Organic Materials Review Institute’s operations. Read it here, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter over on the Contact Us page so you’ll get the next one by email.
Japan is using organic farms to further climate goals; the European Union drops their pesticide reduction plan, and everyone in Denmark buys organic. This issue is stuffed with international news, plus information on grants of interest to the organic community and our COO’s take on recent industry events.
The new year brings the deadline for the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations—get our take on how it’s going. Organic vegetable exports are down, but there are bright spots in the USDA’s “Vegetable and Pulses Outlook: December 2023.” Concerned about how much time organic paperwork requirements take? Chime in by January 22 on ways to reduce the paperwork burden. Plus, news from Europe, award recipients, and a shift in upper management at OTA.
Bill Wolf remembers our friend and colleague Roger Blobaum this month. There’s also plenty of news from around the world, including new organic pet food rules in the European Union and a campaign in the United Kingdom to make organic products available and affordable for everyone.
The October newsletter from Wolf & Associates includes research recaps—with one study highlighting the super powers of earthworms. We also take a look at one way to boost markets for organic agricultural products by requiring more items on the national list to be subject to the commercial availability clause. National Organic Program updates, community news, happenings from Washington and India round out the issue.
Adopting this software tool is timely, given that both the US and EU are implementing stricter organic regulations to prevent fraud and assure supply chains can be trusted. Check Organic provides state of the art, cloud-based fraud detection and ingredient traceability and can help US organic brands comply with the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) regulatory changes that come into full force in March of 2024.
Our Associate Joe Dickson shares his thoughts on building consumer trust in an era of skepticism. Get up to speed on the Fall 2023 National Organic Standards Board agenda, and learn about the impact soil health can have on a farm’s bottom line.
This is an overview of 2023 Farm Bill developments and initiatives concerned with organic production and regulation. Suggested action items are provided at the end of the article.
In an interview with Margaret Scoles, you’ll get an insider’s view on developing a pool of well-qualified organic inspectors to meet the needs generated by the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations. Europe’s organic imports have changed in the past year. You’ll find opportunities to learn, too.
We deliver the strategic expertise to help organic, socially- and environmentally-responsible products and projects reach their full potential — and flourish.