OTA Reports Organic Acreage Expansion

GREENFIELD, Mass.—The Organic Trade Association (OTA) contributed to the eighth-annual report, “The World of Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends 2007”, which noted continued growth in consumer demand for organic products, a need for more organic ingredients, and a 31 million hectare certified organic farmland figure. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) (www.ifoam.org), the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the Foundation for Ecology and Farming (SÖL) worked together to release the report. “OTA continues to look for ways to encourage additional producers to help fill demand. That is why OTA is making such an effort to include provisions to encourage organic production in the United States in the next U.S. Farm Bill,” said Caren Wilcox, executive director, OTA (www.ota.com).