FACT: You can eat organic on a budget. FACT: Organic agriculture can help feed the planet. FACT: There are proven health benefits of organic. These are three of the more than 30 research-backed facts that OTA and partners digitally disseminated each day in September as part of its highly successful “Myth-Busting Month” social media festival.

Equipped with fresh science and recent trend data posted as artfully designed daily infographics, the online celebration conducted by OTA and more than 100 member companies reached 15 million consumers, garnering well over 200 million social media impressions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

“Organic is a choice that an increasing number of individuals, farmers and product brands are making each year, but despite the growing demand for organic, our trade must continue to get the message out about the health, social and economic benefits of organic food and farming,” said OTA’s Executive Director/CEO Laura Batcha. “The campaign’s tremendous reach and engagement reveal that not only is the public hungry for organic food and products that reach beyond food, they also are hungry for organic facts.”

Each week, leveraging the #OrganicFestival hashtag, organizers focused on select categories of frequently shared myths, including Organic Labeling, Organic Health, Organic Value, Organic Production and Organic Beyond Food. Each day within that week, OTA and partners posted a myth on their social channels, and “busted” it with a graphic, which they encouraged followers to re-post to create a unified voice across multiple social channels. 

Among the campaign’s daily topics, consumers clearly had an appetite for clarifying the difference between organic and natural. #OrganicFestival facts about the meaning of the USDA Organic Seal received the campaign’s most engagement. Posts busting the myth that there is little difference between organic and natural reached up to an estimated 100,000 people. 

To deepen engagement throughout the month, OTA hosted six Twitter Parties, featuring Q&As with Twitter followers on myth-busting topics alongside co-hosts such as Ashley Koff (a Registered Dietitian), eco-fashion pioneer Marci Zaroff, The Organic Center, and Rodale Institute. One party—focusing on Organic Value— featured 4,500 posts from up to 400 users, reaching more than 650,000 individuals. 

In addition, 31 OTA members awarded randomly selected social media followers who engaged with the content—offering 61 prizes valued from $25 to $350.

All told, more than 23,000 individuals used the #OrganicFestival hashtag, creating more than 36,500 posts. The campaign more than doubled the results of last year’s first industry social media festival— “Organic-Palooza”—a 10-day event celebrating the health, economic and agricultural benefits of organic.

Individuals can access archived “Myth-Busting Month” content from OTA’s website to continue sharing on their own channels in the months—and years—ahead.  //