Best-selling author of BUILT TO LAST, GOOD TO GREAT and GREAT BY CHOICE to deliver opening keynote address

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine announced today that Jim Collins, business expert and best-selling author, will deliver the opening keynote address at the 2012 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference (MUFC). Produced by Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine and Franchise Update Media Group, the 2012 MUFC is the largest national conference exclusively focused on multi-unit franchising and will be held April 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Collins will deliver his keynote address on Day One of the 2012 MUFC, Tuesday, April 24, at 9:00 am in The Mirage.

"We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Collins to keynote the 2012 MUFC," said Therese Thilgen, CEO, Franchise Update Media Group. "Our attendees are serious about growing successful franchise organizations. Collins will provide insight into the strategies of strong and enduring great companies, which is central to this year's conference theme, "Empire Builders."

Having invested nearly a quarter of a century of research into the topic, Jim Collins has authored or co-authored six books that have sold in total more than ten million copies worldwide.  They include BUILT TO LAST, GOOD TO GREAT, and HOW THE MIGHTY FALL.  His most recent book is GREAT BY CHOICE: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, coauthored with Morten Hansen.  Based on nine years of research, it answers the question: Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not?

The three-day MUFC program will also feature over 50 business experts and successful multi-unit operators sharing valuable growth strategies and practical lessons in 30 breakout sessions, workshops, and roundtables. The exhibit hall will be filled with 150 franchisors and business solution providers looking to partner with multi-unit franchisees.

Online registration is available on the MUFC website http://www.mufranchisee.com/2012.  For general event information or sponsorship information, contact Sharon Wilkinson at 800-289-4232 ext. 202.

About Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine

Published quarterly by Franchise Update Media Group, Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine is dedicated exclusively to multi-unit franchisees, today's successful drivers of franchise growth. Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine delivers vital information and business solutions multi-unit franchisees seek to help strengthen their franchise systems, grow their brands, and achieve their business objectives. Visit http://www.mufranchisee.com for more information.

Media Contact: Kimberlie Guerrieri Franchise Update Media Group, 800-289-4232 ext.205, kg@franchiseupdatemedia.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Franchise Update Media Group

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The European Union and the United States announced today that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region. This partnership between the two largest organic-producers in the world will establish a strong foundation from which to promote organic agriculture, benefiting the growing organic industry and supporting jobs and businesses on a global scale.

The organics sector in the United States and European Union is valued at roughly 40 billion euros combined, and rising every year.

Formal letters creating this partnership were signed on February 15, 2012, in Nuremberg, Germany, by Dacian Ciolos, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development; Kathleen Merrigan, U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary; and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator. The signing took place at the BioFach World Organic Fair, the largest trade show for organic products in the world.

"This agreement comes with a double added value," said EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Dacian Ciolos. "On the one hand, organic farmers and food producers will benefit from easier access, with less bureaucracy and less costs, to both the U.S. and the EU markets, strengthening the competitiveness of this sector. In addition, it improves transparency on organic standards, and enhances consumers' confidence and recognition of our organic food and products. This partnership marks an important step, taking EU-U.S. agricultural trade relations to a new level of cooperation."

"This partnership connects organic farmers and companies on both sides of the Atlantic with a wide range of new market opportunities," said U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "It is a win for the American economy and President Obama's jobs strategy. This partnership will open new markets for American farmers and ranchers, create more opportunities for small businesses, and result in good jobs for Americans who package, ship, and market organic products."

"This is a significant step in strengthening our bilateral trade relations," added Ambassador Isi Siddiqui. "I am confident that this arrangement will facilitate and boost agriculture trade between the European Union and the United States – and lead to more jobs in this important sector for both America and Europe."

Previously, growers and companies wanting to trade products on both sides of the Atlantic had to obtain separate certifications to two standards, which meant a double set of fees, inspections, and paperwork. This partnership eliminates significant barriers, especially for small and medium-sized organic producers. All products meeting the terms of the partnership can be traded and labeled as certified organic produce, meat, cereal, or wine.

Leading up to today's historic announcement, both parties conducted thorough on-site audits to ensure that their programs' regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible.

Although there are small differences between the U.S. and European Union organic standards, both parties individually determined that their programs were equivalent except for the prohibition on the use of antibiotics. The USDA organic regulations prohibit the use of antibiotics except to control invasive bacterial infections (fire blight) in organic apple and pear orchards. The European Union organic regulations allow antibiotics only to treat infected animals. For all products traded under this partnership, certifying agents must verify that antibiotics were not used for any reason.

In addition, all products traded under the partnership must be shipped with an organic export certificate. This document will show the production location, identify the organization that certified the organic product, verify that prohibited substances and methods were not used, certify that the terms of the partnership were met, and allow traded products to be tracked.

Both parties are committed to ensuring that all traded organic products meet the terms of the partnership, retaining their organic integrity from farm to market. The European Commission's Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Organic Program—which oversees all U.S. organic products—will both take on key oversight roles.

The United States and the European Union will continue to have regular discussions and will review each other's programs periodically to verify that the terms of the partnership are being met. The EU and U.S. will also begin to work on a series of cooperation initiatives to promote organic production and tackle important topics such as animal welfare and other issues. Both programs will share technical information and best practices on an ongoing basis to further enhance the integrity of organic crops and livestock production systems.

Currently, this agreement only covers products exported from and certified in the United States or the European Union.

For more information, please see:
USDA National Organic
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOPTradeEuropeanUnion
European Commission Organic Farming
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/home_en
Speech by EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/98

SOURCE Delegation of the European Union to the United States

RELATED LINKS
http://www.eurunion.org