WASHINGTON — Tracy Favre, former chair of the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board, has been named president of the Organic Trade Association.
Ms. Favre is currently vice president of sustainability for live operations at Handsome Brook Farms, LLC, which offers eggs from pasture-raised, cage-free chickens. She has been involved in the organics industry for over 30 years and was on the National Organic Standards Board from 2012-17, ending her tenure as board chair. The NOSB considers and makes recommendations on issues involving the production, handling and processing of organic products.
Ms. Favre also worked as an independent organic inspector and served as the global director for Quality Assurance International, an international organic certification company.
“I’m honored to be serving as the incoming OTA board president,” Ms. Favre said. “The organic industry is at a pivotable point in its growth. The Organic Trade Association is uniquely positioned to advocate for our membership, and I’m looking forward to helping support those efforts.”
The board of directors for the Organic Trade Association consists of 15 members. Two incoming members are Heidi Diestel, president of sales and marketing at Diestel Family Ranch in California, and Ed Fish, vice president and general manager of varietal solutions at Bay State Milling Co.
“We heartily welcome our new board president and board and look forward to working with these dedicated volunteer leaders to keep moving organic forward,” said Tom Chapman, chief executive officer of the OTA. “Our new board is an extremely committed and accomplished group of visionary organic leaders who will work together with members and staff to achieve OTA’s mission of growing and protecting organic.”
