On 7 June the OPTA, Organic Processing and Trade Association, was founded in Milan, Italy. It’s the first European association for organic trade companies and processors. Volkert Engelsman, general manager of Eosta, is one of the new members of the board: “The association’s goal is to further the development of organic food and agriculture in Europe, in close cooperation with our customers, growers and other partners in the supply chain.”
According to Engelsman, the new association has an important social task. “The organic food and agricultural system with its strong values is best equipped to lead the transition to a more sustainable food system. The current system of food production, which is driven by externalising costs, is a dead-end. The OPTA will encourage the sustainable innovation and quality development of organic products, based on the principles of the organic movement: ecology, health, care and fairness. We need a powerful supply chain with active processors and trade companies to build a future-proof food and agricultural system in Europe.”
OPTA’s management consists of five members, coming from four European countries. The Netherlands is well-represented in the association, by six of the 15 founding members. Besides Eosta, the Dutch Trading Organic is also part of the association’s management. One of OPTA’s goals is to bring the organic sector into the picture as a major economic player with the politicians in Brussels. The new organisation will work closely with existing national and European lobby organisations. They will also work with the IFOAM EU Group, the European branch of the international organic umbrella organisation IFOAM.