The conference discussions centered on the latest research, challenges and opportunities for organic agriculture and trade in the Americas.
The 9th Annual Inter-American Commission for Organic Agriculture (ICOA) Conference took place from 16th – 18th July in Portland, Oregon. This was the first time this event was held in the United States. This year’s event was hosted and organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Organic Trade Association. The conference discussions centered on the latest research, challenges and opportunities for organic agriculture and trade in the Americas.
The Inter-American Commission for Organic Agriculture (ICOA) is a technical entity created in July 2008 by the Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas via the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Executive Committee, with the aim of contributing to the development of organic agriculture in countries in the Americas and facilitating the trade of organic products.
In terms of providing the tools to grow organic, Graciela Lacaze of Argentina, Executive Director of ICOA stated that “there are currently few Spanish-language resources on organic practices and certification, so having the Organic Trade Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offer this depth of information and training is incredibly valuable.” Lacaze shared that “attendees came away with the tools necessary to strengthen the development of organic activity in their respective countries to further grow trade of their products.”
More information about this event read OTA press release here.
*This post appears in the IICA Delegation in the USA Newsletter – July – August 2017
