Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces New U.S.-EU Partnership on Organic Trade

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Media Advisory No. 5040.12

 Contact:
Office of Communications (202) 720-4623

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces New U.S.-EU Partnership on Organic Trade

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2012–TODAY, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will brief the press on a new partnership between the United States and European Union that will recognize the two organic programs as equivalent and allow access to each other’s markets. After the briefing, Merrigan will be available to take questions from interested media. Formal letters creating this partnership were signed earlier today in Nuremberg, Germany, by Merrigan; Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development; and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator. The signing took place at the BioFach World Organic Fair, the largest trade show for organic products in the world.

Under President Obama, USDA has continued to expand markets for American goods abroad, worked aggressively to break down barriers to trade, and assisted U.S. businesses with the resources needed to reach consumers around the world. Together, the U.S. and EU organic markets are valued at more than $50 billion. Under this agreement, estimates show the market for U.S. organics sales to the EU could grow substantially within the first few years. In 2010, the U.S. organic market grew nearly 8 percent to nearly $28.6 billion. And USDA has worked to promote international organic trade. Organic exports reached approximately $1.8 billion in 2010, and that number is expected to grow 8 percent annually over the next several years. Today, more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers buy organic products at least occasionally, and 28 percent buy organic products weekly.

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012

11:30 a.m. EST

 

WHAT:          U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will brief U.S. press on the new U.S.-EU partnership on organic trade.

 

DIAL-IN:       800-857-5233

                       Passcode: AMS (Given Verbally)

Troubleshooting: 202-720-8560

 

All callers using the above pass code will be placed in listen only mode. To join the Q&A portion of the meeting, callers are instructed to press *1 on their touch tone phone.

 

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