Natural Products Expo East 2015

Miles McEvoy
Deputy Administrator
USDA National Organic Program


Miles McEvoy serves as Deputy Adminisrator of the National Organic Program (NOP) since the program’s inception as an independent program area within AMS in October 2009. NOP is responsible for regulating the organic industry, the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture. Since 2000, the U.S. organic food industry has grown 133 percent, from approximately $6 billion in 2000 to over $17 billion in 2009. U.S. demand for organic food has spurred development of organic production and handling operations. To comply with statutory requirements, and meet industry demands, NOP develops new standards to accommodate requests from the organic industry, enforces compliance and conducts audits to maintain labeling credibility, operates and updates a website to keep certifying agents and consumers informed with the latest developments, responds to public requests for information in a timely manner, accredits and oversees certifying agents, domestically and foreign-based, ensures uniform regulatory decisions by the certifying agents, and investigates complaints of standard violations. Prior to joining USDA, Mr. McEvoy led the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Organic Food Program, one of the nation's first state organic certification programs. In 2001, he helped establish the WSDA Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program. From 1993 to 1995, Mr. McEvoy was the founding Director of The Food Alliance, a program that blends sustainable farming practices and social welfare components into an eco-label program. In 1998 he helped establish the National Association of State Organic Programs and served as President from 2001-2004 and 2007-2009. He also assisted the Montana and Oregon Departments of Agriculture in developing their state's organic certification programs. He holds a Master’s of Entomology from Cornell University.

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