Interest Advocacy Briefing The Organic Consumers Association What kind of organization is the Organic Consumers Association?

McKenna Koon PS 414

Formed in 1998, the Organic Consumers Association is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability(OCA.org). A 501(c)3 interest group is an American, tax-exempt, non-profit corporation or association under the internal revenue code. This definition creates barriers for the group including prohibition from engaging in partisan activity, campaign contributions, and candidate endorsement (in other words, they are prohibited from participating in the electoral process). What issues does the Organic Consumers Association deal with, and what are its goals? The issues that the OCA deals with are food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, childrens health, corporate accountability, fair trade, environmental sustainability, and various other topics inside those realms of interest. They also aim to challenge industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, and the Wal-Martization of the economy, as well as inspire consumers to Buy Local, Organic, and Fair Made(OCA.org). The Organic Consumers Association has a six-point platform, meaning that as an organization it has six main goals. As collected from the OCAs official website, those goals are: 1) 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. 2) Fair trade and economic justice, not so-called corporate driven Free Trade as a global norm. 3) A global moratorium on genetically engineered foods and crops. 4) A phase-out of the most dangerous industrial agriculture and factory farming practices. 5) Universal health care with an emphasis on prevention, nutrition, and wellness promotion.

6) Energy independence and the conversion of US and global agriculture, transportation, and utilities to conservation practices and renewable energy. Who are the Organic Consumers Associations members? The Organic Consumers Association has 850,000 members, subscribers, and volunteers. It also has a United States and international policy board that is representative of the organic community, family farm community, environmental community, and public interest community. What is the setting that has led to an interest group for organic consumers, such as the Organic Consumers Association? The sphere of interest concerning food politics and regulation of food policies, as well as the growing number of consumers who are nutritionally-minded is a recent movement that exists today, and is only getting more prevalent. It has led to like-minded people who are interested in the issues that the Organic Consumers Association deals with to join forces and take action. What are the Organic Consumers Associations strategies and tactics in an effort for achieve their goals? The Organic Consumers Association motivates its members, as well as policy-makers, to help achieve their goals using a variety of tactics. They have a Take Action network consisting of an OCA Action Center where members can learn how to get involved (i.e. letters to the editor, how to contact government officials, etc.), and share news about food policies. They also have a number of campaigns going on at all times, along with a web forum where members can interact with one another via the internet, a variety of sponsors, a press center where they connect with the media, as well as newsletters, leaflets, supermarket rallies, petitions, and governmental fact sheets. They also use boycotts as a tactic when companies are going against the issues that they stand for. Who are the Organic Consumers Associations enemies and rivals? Large genetic engineering corporations like Monsanto (they currently have a campaign against them titled Millions Against Monsanto), industrial farming, and various other non-organic/sustainable corporations

like Wal-Mart are large rivals that the Organic Consumers Association combats. However, the OCa does not have many rivals. They claim to be the only organization in the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the nations estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers (OCA.org), but they do work with other organic organizations that may be smaller, and the majority of their sponsors are organic product companies. Evaluation After researching the Organic Consumers Association, it becomes apparent that it is a very well organized interest group that is definitely making great strides in achieving their goals. They network well and update their website often, so that members can be up to date on what is going on involving the issues that the organization deals with. They also have a variety of different tactics that they provide for their members when trying to make a change. However, because they are going against the status quo it can often be difficult for an organization such as this is make huge changes in a short amount of time, so its members must be patient and passionate if they want to achieve their goals, but I believe that they are on the right track.