Episode 41: Organic Trade Association Matthew Dillon - What Is The Organic Trade Association?

Matthew Dillon is the co-CEO of The Organic Trade Association.   Matthew was raised in an agricultural family and community in Nebraska and has held diverse roles in organic food and farming, working from seed to shelf. He headed Abundant Life Seed, one of the first certified seed companies in the U.S. and founded Organic Seed Alliance. He worked for over ten years at Clif Bar & Company in several roles including Vice President of Impact and Government Affairs. He most recently served as Chief Sustainability Officer for organic poultry producer Farmer Focus. As co-CEO for OTA, Matthew oversees the organization's public relations, policy agenda, member engagement and fundraising.   TOPICS EXPLORED 0:00 – 0:20 – Introduction 0:20 – 1:15 – Matthew Dillon's bio 1:15 – 3:04 – What is the Organic Trade Association? 3:04 – 4:57 – How did the Organic Trade Association get started and how has it evolved over the years? 4:57 – 9:09 – Why is organic agriculture important? 9:09 – 15:23 – Why should small and medium farms become USDA certified organic and what are some of the challenges they face? 15:23 – 18:04 – Can you tell me about the Organic Trade Association's role as a National Partner for the U.S. Agriculture Department's (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and how it helps farms transition to organic practices? 18:04 – 26:56 – What are some of the challenges related to domestic and international organic agriculture? 26:56 – 32:12 – What are some of the key findings of the 2026 Organic Trade Association Organic Market report including market trends and global trade dynamics? 32:12 – 40:36 – How is the regenerative agriculture movement similar or different from the organic agriculture movement? 40:36 – 43:13 – What are some of the biggest things the Organic Trade Association is working on this year, and how can people become involved? 43:13 – 46:20 – What do you see as the future of the organic agriculture movement? 46:20 – 47:16 – Things to share and wrap up   ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION: https://ota.com/   RESOURCES Organic 101: https://ota.com/organic-101 Organic Trade Association Resources: https://ota.com/resources Organic Trade Association Membership: https://ota.com/membership   FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1 RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet   TAGS Food Environment Health Podcast Sustainability Farms Farming Organic Organic Agriculture USDA Certified Organic Organic Trade Association