The Organic Trade Association held a discussion on “Women Leading the Organic Way” last Thursday at Expo Milano. From left are Liz Neumark, founder and CEO of Great Performances & Katchkie Farm; OTA Executive Director and CEO Laura Batcha; Ariane Lotti, farmer and agricultural entrepreneur; USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Anne Alonzo; and Monique Marez, OTA’s associate director of international trade. (Organic Trade Association)

Anne Alonzo, the administrator of the Agriculture Department’s Agricultural Marketing Service, joined three organic industry women leaders at an Organic Trade Association event at Expo Milano last Thursday, OTA said in a news release.

The theme of the world’s fair in Milan, Italy, is “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”

Besides Alonzo, the panelists were Laura Batcha, executive director and CEO of OTA; Ariane Lotti, an Italian farmer and agricultural entrepreneur; Liz Neumark, founder and CEO of Great Performances & Katchkie Farm, and Monique Marez, OTA's associate director of international trade.

“USDA is committed to supporting organic agriculture in the global marketplace and providing all organic producers and businesses with the tools and services they need to succeed,” Alonzo said, according to the news release.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse and Batcha also participated in a Expo Milano panel discussion on “Agricultural Innovation — Planting the Seeds for a Sustainable Future,” OTA said.

Expo Milano began May 1, and continues through October 31.

OTA is also hosting an all-organic pavilion to promote American organic products at the Anuga Food Show in Cologne, Germany, this week.

OTA is an official cooperator in USDA’s Market Access Program to promote U.S. organic products abroad, the group noted.