BioFach Signing Ceremony
NUREMBERG, February 15, 2012 - Every Generation has the sacred duty of handing over unimpaired to the next generation the heritage of a fertile soil.
These are the prophetic words of Sir Albert Howard that have inspired me, and all of us who have worked in, and on behalf of, organic agriculture throughout the decades and they ring true to me today.
I'm honored to be here with this gathering of the world's industry and government leaders in organic agriculture to sign this important arrangement, bringing together in partnership the world's two largest organic markets. A partnership that is rich in opportunities to cooperate, collaborate and expand organic agriculture around the world, still in the service of that sacred task expressed by Sir Albert.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to address the Global Organic Market Access (GOMA) conference, and I'd like to thank the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) for the opportunity to help guide the development of regional organic standards and international trade agreements. USDA is all for bringing folks together, to do good things through mutually beneficial trade agreements.
Today is the culmination of a decade of negotiations, collaborations and cooperation that have brought this document to the table. This arrangement connects organic farmers, companies and communities on both sides of the Atlantic with a wide range of new market opportunities. In the United States, almost half of the organic farmers and food companies surveyed in 2011 planned to create new positions. Our signing today will continue to create opportunities for job growth in the United States and throughout the European Union. Equally important is that consumers' access to and awareness about organic foods will be heightened. Consumers will have more organic food choices, and by creating larger markets we are helping expand the entire industry.
Ten years have passed since USDA launched its National Organic Program (NOP). The program combines strict organic standards, a rigorous oversight system, and access to the U.S. market for conforming organic products. The integrity of this system has helped propel strong growth in consumer demand for certified organic products. And this growth has extended globally, creating significant opportunities for international trade.
Achieving equivalency arrangements requires a high level of diligence by all parties. However we believe the results are well worth the effort. This partnership with the EU is the second venture into equivalence for the United States, our first being with Canada, our neighbor to the north and our largest organic export market. We expect the benefits to organic producers and consumers will only increase as more agreements are reached.
We see the benefits of achieving equivalence among nations to include both economic returns and support for sustainable production systems. Equivalence agreements are important for increasing the ability of small holders to export. Access to larger markets is the incentive for developing organic systems, and sustainable production systems, that will provide fertile ground for family farmers, rural communities, cooperatives, and agricultural economies. By minimizing duplication of certifications, equivalence agreements can provide great cost-saving for even the smallest of producers.
The challenge of equivalence is not just about comparing standards, but also about the ability of certifiers and governments to verify the integrity throughout the organic value chain. This integrity is critical to maintaining the trust of consumers in all markets.
I congratulate the U.S. and EU negotiating teams for their steadfast and persistent efforts to thoroughly review one another's organic programs and find their way to this important place. I also applaud the inclusion of a series of technical cooperation initiatives in this arrangement to continue to improve the organic production systems on both sides of the Atlantic. To prepare for this arrangement, both parties conducted thorough on-site audits to ensure that each other's programs' regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible while maintaining the integrity of our own systems. The United States and the European Union will continue to have regular discussions and will review each other's programs periodically to affirm that the terms of the arrangement are being met.
I'd also like to acknowledge the work of our U.S. organic industry advisors and the Organic Trade Association, who partnered with us as we compared the standards, and let us know how important and significant this agreement is to their industry.
I invite you to attend the conference session "US/EU Trade Update" scheduled for Friday, February 17th, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, where our negotiators and certifiers will discuss further details of the arrangement.
The United States remains committed to organic food and agriculture, and effective regulation to assure the values which the organic label promises to consumers. We are equally committed to harmonious international organic trade. Combining these goals supports the continual growth of the organic market and the economic well-being for organic farmers in the U.S., the EU and around the world.
In closing, I return to the wisdom of Sir Albert Howard calling each of us to embrace our sacred obligation to future generations by paraphrasing Mahatmas Gandhi and calling on each of us to "Live like you'll die tomorrow" and farm like you'll live forever!
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