News & Research
Stay up-to-date on the latest from OCIA International, our operators, and the organic industry.News: Updates from the Organic Industry
We’ve compiled the latest news from the organic industry to help you stay up-to-date on industry innovations and regulatory updates.
Putting Health First: Askegaard Organic Farm
For couple Mike and Barb Askegaard of Askegaard Organic Farm, organic farming provided a way to balance health in all aspects of their lives- their family, their customers, and the environment. “We decided to certify as organic because we saw the negative effects...
The USDA National Organic Program Recently recognized OCIA International for our work in Organic Certification, awarding us the 2024 National Program Director’s Award
Organic Certifiers Recognized for Quality Data and Collaboration The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) recognized the work of accredited organic certifiers with awards for extraordinary support of the National Organic Standards. The awards were presented at the...
Challenges in the Organic Certification Process
Transitioning a conventional operation to organic can at times feel like a daunting task filled with insurmountable obstacles. While it’s easy to become discouraged, many of the challenges associated with organic certification can be overcome with planning, ingenuity, and perseverance.
OCIA Research and Education awards scholarships and grants
OCIA Research and Education awards first round of 2024 scholarships and grants for those working with organic and sustainable agriculture.
The Communicator: Winter 2024 Edition
The Winter 2024 issue of OCIA’s quarterly newsletter, The Communicator, is now available in English and Spanish.
Mother Parkers: Organic Production Aligns with Values
Mother Parkers’ values paired with their customers’ interest in organic products made obtaining organic certification a logical step. The process did come with challenges, however. For Mother Parkers, which markets their products in Canada and the US, understanding equivalency agreements between the countries presented challenges.
The Communicator: Spring 2024 Edition
A new issue of OCIA International's quarterly newsletter, The Communicator, is available now! You can access the English PDF HERE, and the Spanish PDF HERE. Both versions are also readable below.Spring Communicator -- EnglishSpring...
2024 Annual General Membership Meeting
2024 AGMM to be held in Council Bluffs, Iowa OCIA International’s 2024 Annual General Membership Meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn & Suites at Ameristar February 7-8 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The two-day event will provide OCIA operators opportunities to...
USDA Launches Import Certificate Module in Organic INTEGRITY Database
The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) has expanded the functionality of its Organic INTEGRITY Database (INTEGRITY) by launching a new import certificate module. This new module augments the Trade Partner module, launched in May 2023, and is the second of two recent...