PACIFIC GROVE, CA - Can’t wait until the 2017 EcoFarm Conference to soak up all that knowledge on organics? The Organic Trade Association (OTA) will host a Pre-Conference Organic Produce Meeting Series in Pacific Grove, California, on Wednesday January 25th at the Asolimar Conference Grounds prior to the big event. Get ready for two sessions covering some of the sector’s hottest issues.

First, a morning session from 10 to noon will give organic celery growers in California the opportunity to address what the OTA refers to as an urgent need to develop an organic substitute to the currently allowed use of non-organic celery powder to cure organic processed meats such as organic bacon and sausage. The session will be led by OTA's Celery Powder Working Group.

After lunch, an afternoon session from 2:00 to 4:30 pm will provide an informative and solution-oriented conversation covering a wide array of critical topics for the organic produce sector. According to a press release, topics covered will include the following:

• Container Production and Hydroponics
• Farm Bill Priorities
• Transitional Certification 
• The proposed GRO Organic Checkoff
• Organic Seed Usage Requirements

There is no cost to attend the pre-conference meetings, and a separate lunch from noon to 2 pm is available for $18 per person. Register today at this link, and be sure to attend the 2017 EcoFarm Conference from January 25th to the 27th.

Any questions can be directed to OTA’s Events and Projects Manager Tracy Campany at [email protected].

Organic Trade Association