In Search of the Next Organic Idol: Organic Industry Launches National Hunt for Spokesperson

In Search of the Next Organic Idol: Organic Industry Launches National Hunt
for Spokesperson

No Celebs Allowed: The Organic Institute Seeks Everyday Consumer for
First-Ever Spokesperson

GREENFIELD, Mass., April 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Are you a dad choosing
organic food to nourish your family and yourself? A mom just wanting to do
your part to help the environment? A foodie baking organic treats for friends?
A family farmer raising organic food to help foster a more sustainable planet?
The organic industry may want you as its "organic idol."

The Organic Institute is conducting a truly organic search for the industry's
first-ever spokesperson - calling on everyday individuals nationwide to submit
videos explaining why they feel organic products are worth it.

The Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) -
the non-profit and educational arm of the 1,700 member Organic Trade
Association (OTA) - will then designate the star of the top video as its
official pitch person for its Fall 2009 consumer marketing campaign. The
winner also will receive a trip for two to Chicago to serve as official
industry spokesperson at the All Things Organic trade show June 17 and 18.

Participation is easy. Now through May 8, individuals can join the Organic
Institute's YouTube group at www.youtube.com/group/organicidol and submit a
30-second video explaining "the moment you realized organic was worth it."
Heartfelt, creative and quirky videos are welcomed, and encouraged.

The OTA will consider the top 12 videos with the most views by 11:59 p.m. EDT
on May 8 as the initiative's program finalists. Then, representatives from
OTA's member organizations will select the winning spokesperson, who they will
unveil at All Things Organic in Chicago.

The winner's story will be shared on the Organic Institute's consumer
awareness Web site, www.organicitsworthit.com. And, he or she will be featured
in the Institute's next consumer advertising campaign, currently set for Fall
2009.

For full details, visit http://www.organicitsworthit.com/getinvolved.html.

The Organic Institute is launching the initiative on the heels of its
first-ever national consumer advertising campaign, which launched last month.
"Organic. It's worth it." is an online marketing effort highlighting the
benefits of organic food, farming and home products.

"Despite a down economy, organic sales grew at a near double digit pace last
year, and behind the numbers are more and more individuals each year who are
realizing organic food is worth it for their health, their families and the
environment," said Christine Bushway, president of the Organic Institute and
executive director of the OTA. "We know there are myriad individuals with
distinct and amazing stories on why they choose organic products. Through
these efforts, we want to share their story with the world and encourage
others to choose the same."

About the Organic Institute
The mission of the Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute
(Organic Institute) is to educate about the attributes, benefits and practices
of organic agriculture and products today for better environmental and
personal health tomorrow. To achieve its mission, the Organic Institute
focuses on informing, educating and training agriculturalists, processors,
academics and other professionals, as well as students, consumers and the
general public in order to increase the amount of farmland under organic
production and the number of people choosing organic products.
www.theorganicinstitute.org

About the Organic Trade Association
Founded nearly 25 years ago, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the
membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in
North America. Its 1,700 members include growers, shippers, processors,
certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters,
consultants, retailers and others. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the
growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and
the economy. www.ota.com

SOURCE Organic Trade Association

Renee Kelly, +1-612-372-6450, renee@habermaninc.com, for Organic Trade
Association