Petition: Support organics in Canada!
The Canadian organic industry needs a Canada Organic Program
to grow Canada’s competitiveness and increase adoption of sustainable agriculture
In the video "Cross Canada Organic Checkup",
Canadian organic farmers talk about their green practices
and call for support from the Canadian government.
A Canada Organic Program is needed to grow sustainable agriculture
and to compete in international markets
Canadian farmers are already experiencing serious negative impacts of climate change due to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, forest fires, and ocean acidification.
Aligned with what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) proposes in terms of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), the Canadian Organic Standards (COS) are enforcing one of the most effective food-sector-related strategies to foster the emergence of a carbon-neutral economy.
Resilient agriculture delivers ecological services and sets the path for food security amid climate change turmoil by:
- reducing our agricultural sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
- sequestering atmospheric carbon in soils and
- increasing biodiversity, while buffering the impact of climate change by improving the soil’s resilience to both drought and flooding, and increasing farm-based income.
How do I Get Involved?
- Sign the petition and share it with your networks!
- OFC has developed a one-pager that succinctly explains the issue, as well as an in-depth backgrounder. Share these documents with your networks to help spread the word: the federal government must adopt a Canada Organic Program.
- Write to your MP, the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Download the OFC template to draft your letter, urging our Agriculture Minister to support organic farmers, processors, and operators.
- Share the video Cross Canada Organic Checkup, a genuine information tool!
- Follow OFC on Twitter to stay up to date with all of the latest advocacy news and updates: @OFC_organic
Canada is considered to be the 6th largest organic market in the world; our organic sales are growing at an impressive rate ($8.1 B in 2020). Despite a steady increase in production, supply is not keeping up with demand, both domestically and internationally. This offers great opportunities for the future.
Our federal government is reducing support to organic farmers and processors, the operators who rely on sustainable and resilient practices
- The COS, referenced by law, defines ecological agriculture as the basis of the whole industry; the standards need to be maintained and updated, but the current government is abandoning the funding for this essential regulatory reference.
- Under the Canada Organic Regime (COR), the Standards Interpretation Committee (SIC) harmonizes the certification process by providing independent guidance to CFIA on issues related to the standards. But CFIA is cutting funding to the SIC.
- The growth of the market depends on the creation of a permanent database to identify certified organic operators, protect organic integrity and enforce the value chain.
- Organic operators grow our food while protecting air and water quality, soil health and human health, while increasing biodiversity. They should be reimbursed for their certification fees because they deliver these sustainable services
The Canadian organic industry needs a Canada Organic Program to grow Canada’s competitiveness and increase adoption of sustainable agriculture
- The USDA and EU fund the maintenance of their organic standards.
- The European Commission has set a target of ‘at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming and a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030’.
- The USDA funds the Organic Cost Share Certification Program (OCCSP) which provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers and has created the USDA Organic Integrity Database to promote the growth of agricultural ecological practices and prevent fraud.
A Canada Organic Program is a must: organic agriculture maintains soil health,
prevents climate change and promotes biodiversity.
This is the responsibility of our federal government as this affects organic consumers,
processors and the thousands of farmers who grow organic food and feed!
