Western Organic Groups Merge
May 21, 2012 
California Certified Organic Farmers, CCOF, and Oregon Tilth, two of the nation’s leaders in the organic movement and certification, announced Monday they plan to merge. Together, the two organizations, as CCOF Tilth, hope to strengthen the visibility and voice of organic.
According to a press release, merger benefits include:
– Creation of the strongest organic certification program in the country committed to preserving organic integrity and serving the full range of organic producers, handlers, and processors, including the small farmer.
– A highly engaged membership of more than 4,200 organic farmers, processors, handlers, and retailers, along with 550 supporting members advocating on behalf of organic and sustainable agricultural practices.
– Ongoing education and research programs – Oregon Tilth is a leader in organic farming education and research. By merging, their combined education and research efforts will provide members with extensive and useful information about new organic farming techniques, crops, and regulations.
– Both CCOF’s and Oregon Tilth’s boards of directors have approved merger terms that their memberships will be asked to ratify prior to Oct. 31. They say they are committed to maintaining high quality customer service throughout the process of integrating the two organizations.