Serving Canada's Organic Industry
The Organic Federation of Canada (OFC) launched its activities on October 1, 2007!
To mark its 15th anniversary, the OFC and its members share the highlights and challenges of Canadian organic.
Responsible for maintaining and interpreting the Canadian Organic Standards, and managing Canadian organic agriculture research in partnership with the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, the OFC has laid the essential groundwork for the development of the environmentally sound, sustainable and prolific agricultural production so sought after by consumers in Canada and beyond.
OFC members are the provincial and territorial organizations that bring together and support regional organic farmers according to their type of production and the regulatory environment in which they operate.
In honour of OFC’s 15th anniversary, we present a series of articles that describe the issues, challenges and motivations of each OFC member organization.
You’ll learn about the leaders and heroes of the organic sector across the country, as well as the inspirations that motivate Canadian organic operators who are, let’s not forget, the true pillars of our industry.
We kick off this series of articles by summarizing OFC’s accomplishments and challenges, and highlighting the work of some of Canada’s organic leaders.
Read all the Anniversary Features Here!
The Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) was founded twenty-two years ago by a group of keen and knowledgeable organic producers who farmed in all four Atlantic Provinces (NB, NL, NS and PEI). ACORN’s goal is to enhance the vitality and growth of the Atlantic Canadian organic community through education, networking and advocacy.
In 1990, a group of farmers pioneering the development of organics in Québec formed the Federation of Organic Agriculture, La Fédération d’agriculture biologique du Québec (FABQ), thus assuring and formalising the continuance of the organic movement that had started in the 1980s.
SaskOrganics is a farmer led membership non-profit organization. We serve all certified organic entities throughout the value chain in Saskatchewan by advocating for a sustainable and thriving organic community through leadership in research, market development and communications. We have a dedicated staff, board of directors, and an incredibly supportive organic community.
The Certified Organic Associations of BC (COABC), now operating as Organic BC, was established in 1993 by a group of dedicated farmers who, working with the provincial government, created the first regulated certified organic standard in the country. The COABC has been the designated administrator of the BC Certified Organic Program for almost 30 years.
Ontario is home to a growing number of extremely successful organic entrepreneurs. The Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) is working to build
a voice for this innovative sector and striving to support them all.
OCO started up in 2006 after a conversation between a few early leaders in the organic sector who wanted to see an association that would truly represent the unique needs of the organic sector in Ontario.
Our last article presents The Manitoba Organic Alliance, the PEI Certified Organic Producers Co-operative, Organic Alberta and Growers of Organic Food in Yukon!
