Lincoln, NEโ€" The Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) International is restructuring its organization in order to provide expanded services to its membership and the global organic industry.
โ€œWith the organic industry growing at such a rapid pace, there is a decided need for not only quality certification services, but also education, research and promotional support,โ€ said Debbie Miller, OCIA International President. โ€œBy restructuring our organization, OCIA will have the flexibility it needs to meet the needs of this thriving industry.โ€
Adopted by the OCIA membership at the recent Annual General Membership Meeting, the restructuring decision creates three distinct OCIA bodies: OCIA International, Inc., OCIA International Custom Certification Services, Inc. and the OCIA Research & Education, Inc.
OCIA International, Inc. will remain the existing member-owned/controlled body. While this branch remains responsible for the implementation of the OCIA International certification program, it does not have direct oversight of the OCIA National Organic Program (NOP) certification program. Instead, OCIA International Custom Certification Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, will oversee the NOP certification program. In compliance with the NOP's conflict of interest requirement, this body's board of directors will not be certified to OCIA's NOP program.
The third body, the OCIA Research and Education, Inc. will be a charitable organization whose activities will focus on crop improvement, public relations, education and research. This organization may also participate in lobbying and other activities not allowed under the other two OCIA bodies.
โ€œOCIA International began as a small grassroots organization dedicated to providing organic crop improvement information,โ€ said Miller. โ€œIn keeping with our original purpose, we are branching out to ensure that we can serve all segments of the organic industry, no matter of size or location.โ€
OCIA International, a nonprofit, member-owned organic certification agency, is an accredited world leader in the certified organic movement. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, it is the largest organic certification agency in Canada and the United States. OCIA International currently certifies thousands of farmers, processors and manufacturers from 20 countries in North, Central and South America and Asia.
For more information on organic certification and the organic industry, please contact OCIA International at 402-477-2323 or info@ocia.org. Information is also available at www.ocia.org