The National Aronia Council (NAC) purpose is a newly formed organization to promote the growing, marketing and uses of Aronia. It represents the interests of all segments of the Aronia industry—individual farmers, cooperatives, associations of growers, manufacturers, retailers and consumers. Among its anticipated services will be: the holding of forums through which all components of the industry can develop and share information relating to Aronia; the creation of educational material relating to the production and utilization of Aronia in food, beverages and other products; the advocating for public and private research on the cultivation of Aronia and its potential health benefits; the collecting, preserving, and circulating of information relating to Aronia and the working with government agencies, education institutions, non-profits and private industry to further the interests of the growers and users of Aronia. The NAC intends to establish the National Aronia Foundation (NAF) a non-profit entity to fund scientific research on Aronia.
Among the goals of NAC is obtaining one or more Federal marketing orders for Aronia. Marketing order regulations, initiated by industry and enforced by USDA, bind the entire industry in the geographical area regulated if approved by producers and the Secretary of Agriculture. Marketing orders and agreements (1) maintain the high quality of produce that is on the market; (2) standardize packages and containers; (3) regulate the flow of product to market; (4) establish reserve pools for storable commodities; and (5) authorize production research, marketing research and development, and advertising.
It is anticipated that NAC's offices will be located at 101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001.
