Agreement will expand markets for organic farmers
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
An agreement between the United States and Switzerland that will streamline trade of organic products comes into effect on Friday, July 10th after only being signed on Thursday, July 9th.
The agreement between the two countries means that certified organic products in the United States can be sold as organic in Switzerland and vice versa. It will strengthen organic agriculture and support job creation.
"The U.S. organic industry has made significant progress under this Administration," said U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. "This is another chapter in the success story of organic agriculture, providing new economic opportunities for American producers, choices for consumers, and jobs in rural communities across the country."
The organic equivalency arrangement with Switzerland is in addition to the four signed by the United States since the Obama Administration has been in office which include Canada, the European Union, Japan, and Korea.
The arrangements have streamlined access to more than $35 billion in international organic markets.
There are more than 19,000 organic businesses in the United States, worth nearly $39 billion annually in sales.
"This arrangement is an important step in strengthening our economic relationship with Switzerland, in one of the fastest-growing segments of the agriculture economy. The opportunities provided by the arrangement will build on this trend and yield important benefits for producers and consumers alike," said United States Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator Darci Vetter.
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