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:
- 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.
- Fair Trade and economic justice, not so-called corporate-driven "Free Trade" as the global norm.
- A global moratorium on genetically engineered foods and crops.
- A phase-out of the most dangerous industrial agriculture and factory farming practices.
- Universal health care with an emphasis on prevention, nutrition, and wellness promotion.
- 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.
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