Press Release

August 10, 2004

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Jeanne Ikemoto, COPES Program Manager
(831) 476-2434
jikemoto@copes-ca.org

Jake Lewin, COPES Marketing Manager
(831) 423-2263, ext. 21
jlewin@copes-ca.org

Agricultural Attaché of USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Kevin Latner, to Present Keynote Address at Organic Export Seminar

Visit www.copes-ca.org/seminars.php to register and to get more information about the COPES program and seminar series.

Santa Cruz, CA (August 10, 2004) - Kevin Latner, Agricultural Attaché of the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, will present the keynote speech at an upcoming organic export seminar hosted by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Co-hosts include Western Growers Association, Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) and California League of Food Processors. James Riddle, Vice Chair of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), will also address, "Protecting the USA National Organic Standards at Home and Abroad." The seminar, "Succeeding in the Global Marketplace," is part of the Certified Organic Product Export Strategy (COPES) program. It is open to all California growers, processors, shippers, and other interested parties. It will be held on Friday, September 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency of Orange County, 11999 Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, Calif. Visit www.copes-ca.org for additional information or to register online ($40 per person; includes lunch).

Latner, with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the USDA, most recently represented U.S. agriculture in Japan. In that capacity, he negotiated the equivalence agreement between Japan and the United States as well as provided significant marketing assistance to help develop the Japanese market for the U.S. organic industry. In previous work with the FAS, Latner represented U.S. agriculture in the World Trade Organization on labeling standards. A California native, Latner earned degrees in Agricultural Economics and Law from the University of California at Davis.

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA) have combined their networks and resources to develop and implement the COPES program. COPES includes extensive marketing assistance to certified organic California companies to initiate and increase export activities, including key trade shows in Europe and Asia, foreign and reverse trade missions and seminars covering export topics such as overcoming trade barriers.

This is the fourth in a series of eight organic export seminars hosted by COPES, and this is the first seminar to be held in Southern California. These seminars offer vital information about how to sidestep potential export barriers and successfully deliver organic products to the global marketplace. Previous seminar attendees report that they have benefited from their COPES learning experience.

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About CCOF
CCOF, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1973 and is one of the nation's largest and oldest third-party organic certifying agencies. CCOF's purpose is to promote and support organic agriculture in California and elsewhere through:
o A premier organic certification program for growers, processors, handlers, and retailers.
o Programs to increase awareness of and demand for certified organic product and to expand public support for organic agriculture.
o Advocacy for governmental policies that protect and encourage organic agriculture.

About MBITA
MBITA is a non-profit international trade association dedicated to promoting business networking and education in the greater Monterey Bay Region. MBITA provides access to global resources and utilization through the latest technologies in order to maximize their members' profits in the global economy.

Funding for this project has been made available by the Governor's Buy California Initiative, the CDFA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The content of this press release does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CDFA or USDA, nor does any mention of trade names, commercial products and organizations imply endorsement of them by CDFA or USDA.