About the OCA: Who We Are and What We're Doing
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OCA Policy and
Advisory Board:
Ronnie Cummins
OCA National Director
Will Allen
Vermont Organic Farmer
Maude Barlow
Council of Canadians (Canada)
Jay Feldman
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (DC)
Jim and Rebecca Goodman
Wisconsin Organic Farmers
Jean Halloran
Consumers Union (NY)
Tim Hermach
Native Forest Council (OR)
Julia Butterfly Hill
Author & Forest Activist (CA)
Annie Hoy
Ashland Community Food Store (Oregon)
Mika Iba
Network for Safe & Secure Food & Environment (Japan)
Pat Kerrigan
Emergency Food Shelf Network (MN)
John Kinsman
Family Farm Defenders (WI)
Bruce Krug
Dairy Farmer (NY)
Frances Moore Lappe
Author
Small Planet Institute
Howard Lyman
EarthSave (VA)
Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (TX)
Jill Richardson
La Vida Locavore
Robyn Seydel
La Montanita Co-op (NM)
Vandana Shiva
Research Foundation for Science, Technology, & Natural Resource Policy (India)
John Stauber
Center for Media and Democracy & Author (WI)
Organic Consumers Association (OCA)
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics. We are the only organization in the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers.
The OCA represents over 850,000 members, subscribers and volunteers, including several thousand businesses in the natural foods and organic marketplace. Our US and international policy board is broadly representative of the organic, family farm, environmental, and public interest community.
The Organic Consumers Association was formed in 1998 in the wake of the mass backlash by organic consumers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's controversial proposed national regulations for organic food. Through the OCA's SOS (Safeguard Organic Standards) Campaign, as well as the work of our allies in other organizations, the organic community over the last eight years has been able to mobilize hundreds of thousands of consumers to pressure the USDA and organic companies to preserve strict organic standards. In its public education, network building, and mobilization activities such as its Breaking the Chains campaign, OCA works with a broad range of public interest organizations to challenge industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, and the Wal-Martization of the economy, and inspire consumers to "Buy Local, Organic, and Fair Made."
OCA's overall political program is the Organic Agenda 2005-15, a six-point platform calling for:
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The conversion of American agriculture to at least 30% organic by the year 2015, including major reforms in agricultural subsidies and appropriations to help family farmers make the transition to organic, develop local and regional markets, and adopt renewable energy practices.
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Fair Trade and economic justice, not so-called corporate-driven "Free Trade" as the global norm.
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A global moratorium on genetically engineered foods and crops.
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A phase-out of the most dangerous industrial agriculture and factory farming practices.
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Universal health care with an emphasis on prevention, nutrition, and wellness promotion.
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Energy independence and the conversion of US and global agriculture, transportation, and utilities to conservation practices and renewable energy.
Our website, publications, research, and campaign staff provide an important service for hundreds of thousands of consumers and community activists every month. Our media team provides background information, interviews, and story ideas to television and radio producers and journalists on a daily basis - from national television networks to the alternative press.
Privacy Policy:
In Summary:
The Organic Consumers Association does not sell, lease, give-away, disclose or otherwise release your email or other information to other organizations or individuals. Our practice is to send very minimal email, normally 2-3 per month.
In Detail:
The Organic Consumers Association is a non-profit, grassroots organization and receives contact information through various means, such as, online volunteer signup, donations, newsletter subscriptions, and other outreach. This contact information is used by our "individual coordinators" and "coalition partners" (NGO's/ organizations) around the United States and world to achieve our mission:
The Organic Consumers Association is a public interest organization dedicated to promoting health justice and sustainability. A central focus of the OCA is building a healthy, equitable, and sustainable system of food production and consumption. We are a global clearinghouse for information and grassroots technical assistance.
OCA may contact you concerning our work or the work of our coalition partners. We will not give your name to other organizations. You may be notified about participating with outreach educational activities such as: lectures, media interviews, demonstrations, teach-ins, phone trees, newsletters (Organic Bytes), website updates, leaflet distribution, book sales, etc.
Our volunteer management system is designed to allow you to participate with us in areas of your choosing. If you have not submitted/updated your choices, please do so in order for us to best work together.
National Grassroots Network:
We currently have over 850,000 people in our data base, including subscribers to our electronic newsletter, members, volunteers, and supporters, and 3000 cooperating retail coops, natural food stores, CSAs, and farmers markets.
Support the OCA with a tax-deductible contribution
Contact the Organic Consumers Association
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