In the E-News this month...
Canada
 Ottawa area organic growers get $25,000 from province
Pesticide lawsuit may not hit New Brunswick
Canada-wide organic food standards kick in
Health
AMA prescribes sustainable food chain
Biotech
Canadian farmers opposed to GM wheat: Survey
Monsanto, Dole to collaborate on veggies
Research
Shoppers seek savings on organic food purchases
Organic shift would drive healthier diets: UK report
Production and Retail
A strawberry's journey: From West to feast
Whole Foods Market seeks non-GMO seal
Global
Fair-trade, organic Palestinian olive oil 'ticks all the boxes'
UK organic sector to coordinate on key messages
France, Paris region to treble organic farming surfaces
Coming Events
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Canada 
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Ottawa area organic growers get $25,000 from province
Full story: Ottawa Citizen
| Local organic green-thumbs will be moving more of their produce into daycares and retailers soon, thanks to a $25,000 provincial grant to the Ottawa chapter of Canadian Organic Growers. While the amount may seem like peanuts in comparison to the funding large-scale producers receive, COG Ottawa farm outreach co-ordinator Colin Lundy says it's a big improvement. Lundy says the funding will help establish a distribution network between organic producers and local retailers. Existing agriculture infrastructure is almost entirely geared toward large-scale producers, he says, and the money will help the COG bring in food from smaller independent growers in the area. Part of the funds will also assist COG's farm tours. Lundy said the group was "very excited" when they learned that their March application to the Ontario Market Investment Fund was accepted. "I think they (the McGuinty government) are recognizing a trend in the local and organic food movement, and are supporting it."
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| Ottawa Citizen - 07/06/09 |
Pesticide lawsuit may not hit New Brunswick
Full story: Moncton Telegraph-Journal
| A chemical company that is challenging the legality of government bans on cosmetic pesticides says it doesn't have any immediate plans to add New Brunswick to its legal battles. Dow AgroSciences, a U.S. company with offices in Calgary, filed suit this year seeking the repeal of a 2006 Quebec ban on lawn pesticides containing 2,4-D. The company is also seeking $2 million in damages. Former Environment Minister Roland Haché announced [recently] that the New Brunswick government will ban the use of 2,4-D as well as 200 over-the-counter lawn-care pesticides. Premier Shawn Graham said the province is prepared to defend the ban in court if Dow AgroSciences attempts legal action. [Dow's] action alleges Canada breached its obligations under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico.
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| Moncton Telegraph-Journal - 06/25/09 |
Canada-wide organic food standards kick in
Full story: CBC
| New rules compelling organic food producers to comply with Canada-wide certification standards went into effect June 30. The new regulations, mandated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, cover any organic food product - including fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat and processed food. Only products that have at least 95 per cent organic content are allowed to be advertised as organic, organically grown, organically raised, organically produced, or any other similar labels or abbreviations. Producers can still label individual products as organic on the ingredient list if they comply with the CFIA standards. Producers can also opt to stamp their products with a "Canada Organic" logo that indicates to customers that the product has been certified by the CFIA. All produce will have to be completely organic to be stamped with the logo, while products with multiple ingredients must have 95 per cent organic content. Farmers who want their produce to carry the new "Canada Organic" label have to apply in writing for certification. The logo will also be used on USDA-certified organic products imported from the United States.
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Health
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AMA prescribes sustainable food chain
Full story: Environmental Leader
| The American Medical Association (AMA) has approved a new policy that supports a healthy and sustainable food chain within healthcare systems at a recent AMA meeting in Chicago. AMA also plans to work with healthcare and public health organizations to educate their community and the public about the importance of healthy and ecologically sustainable food systems. The AMA's new Sustainable Food policy builds on a report (pdf) from its Council on Science and Public Health, which indicates that locally produced and organic foods "reduce the use of fuel, decrease the need for packaging and resultant waste disposal, preserve farmland ... [and] the related reduced fuel emissions contribute to cleaner air and in turn, lower the incidence of asthma attacks and other respiratory problems."
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| Environmental Leader - 06/18/09 |
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Biotech
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Canadian farmers opposed to GM wheat: Survey
Full story: Reuters
| Canadian farmers oppose the introduction of genetically modified wheat until market conditions change, a Canadian Wheat Board survey has found. In the CWB's annual survey of 1,300 Western Canadian farmers, only 9 per cent said GMO wheat should be grown as soon as it's available, with the majority saying it shouldn't be grown until conditions are met such as proving benefits to farmers and demonstrating market demand. Nineteen per cent said it should not be grown in Canada. Farmers were close to evenly split when asked how interested they are in growing GM wheat. "My sense is that farmers are mostly taking an economic look at it," said CWB chairman Larry Hill, a farmer in the western province of Saskatchewan. [Another] new publicly funded academic study shows Canadian farmers were overwhelmingly opposed in 2004 to Monsanto's aborted proposal for herbicide-resistant genetically modified wheat. That study surveyed 1,566 Prairie farmers five years ago and found 83 per cent disagreed Roundup-Ready wheat should be commercially developed.
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Monsanto, Dole to collaborate on veggies
Full story: Reuters
| Monsanto Co. and Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. are formalizing a partnership to breed vegetables that are more attractive to consumers. The five-year collaboration will focus on creating variations of broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and spinach, the companies said. The results could include vegetables that are more colorful, tastier, less susceptible to bruising and have a longer shelf-life. A Monsanto spokeswoman stressed that these new variants will not be genetically modified like the company's much larger corn seed and soybean products. Monsanto has been aggressively growing its vegetable business with recent moves such as the 2005 acquisition of Seminis, which gave Monsanto control over more than 30 per cent of the North American vegetable seed market. In 2008, Monsanto acquired Netherlands-based De Ruiter Seeds, whose focus is in greenhouse vegetable growers as opposed to the open-field expertise of Seminis.
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Research
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Shoppers seek savings on organic food purchases
Full story: Progressive Grocer
| [A recent U.S.] poll, conducted by organic product promotions company Mambo Sprouts Marketing, found that while 87 per cent of respondents desire to maintain their healthy consumption habits, many are now much more selective when buying organic goods. Forty-five per cent of consumers report taking up more frugal buying behaviors, such as purchasing organic items on sale (65 per cent), using coupons (50 per cent) and sticking to store brands or private labels (48 per cent). Only a little more than half (54 per cent) report no change in their organic product and vitamin supplement consumption. Additionally, a majority of consumers (52 per cent) plan to continue these economical buying behaviors for the long term. Even if the economy takes a turn for the better, only 36 per cent plan to increase their spending on organic products.
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| Progressive Grocer - 06/21/09 |
Organic shift would drive healthier diets: UK report
Full story: Food and Drink Europe
| A major shift towards organic agriculture in the UK would cause a shift in the commodity mix - and subsequently be accompanied by healthier eating options, concludes a new report. The report, compiled by Reading University's Centre for Agricultural Strategy and commissioned by the Soil Association and an independent trust, set out to examine the likely impact of full organic conversion on the domestic food supply. While critics have argued that organic agriculture could not produce enough food to feed the world, the report concludes: "Food production losses would not be as great and increases in on-farm employment would be higher than might be supposed." Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, said: "If we want to continue eating huge quantities of cheap chicken, pork and dairy products and other mass produced foodstuffs, organic faming cannot deliver. But continuing this diet, with its potentially severe consequences for human health, would saddle us with huge human, economic and environmental costs."
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| Food and Drink Europe - 06/24/09 |
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Production and Retail
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A strawberry's journey: From West to feast
Full story: Toronto Star
| Not long ago, strawberries were synonymous with June in Ontario. They were small, delicate bursts of summer. They were a luxury. Today, they are a staple in grocery stores. They outlive salami in your fridge, and instead of June, they conjure California. How do they grow them so big? How do they get across a continent unblemished? How do they grow in November? We went to California to find out. What we discovered was a finely-tuned production line involving geneticists, mechanical engineers, laboratory technicians, patent lawyers, chemists, plant biologists and lobbyists. A simple fruit Romans picked wild to cure melancholy, the strawberry has become a symbol of both human ingenuity and recklessness. Strawberry farming in California is highly mechanized. Before planting, every field is fumigated, often with methyl bromide. It's a toxic, ozone-depleting gas that kills everything down to 2.4 metres - weeds, fungi, bugs. [The article reviews the production process and the subject of "food miles" in depth; a video is also available at the link.]
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Whole Foods Market seeks non-GMO seal
Full story: Food and Drinks Europe
| Whole Foods Market has partnered with the Non-GMO Project to test for the presence of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in its private label products in order to independently verify them as GM-free. Although the USDA requires that certified organic produce must also be GM-free, there is no government requirement for labeling of foods containing GM ingredients in the non-organic sector. And for some crops, it is becoming increasingly difficult for manufacturers to source non-GM versions. GM soy, for example - the most widely grown GM crop - now accounts for 90 per cent of soy produced in the U.S. Whole Foods Market has said it will use the Non-GMO Project's Product Verification Program (PVP). The PVP has already caught the attention of some food manufacturers, which have sought to avoid using GM ingredients in their products on the back of consumer pressure. It is anticipated that the project's non-GMO verification seal will start appearing on products from October this year. Whole Foods Market will hold an educational webinar on August 26 to provide industry with more information about the Non-GMO Project and PVP.
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| Food and Drinks Europe - 07/09/09 |
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Global
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Fair-trade, organic Palestinian olive oil 'ticks all the boxes'
Full story: Telegraph (UK)
| Is this the most ethical product ever produced? [UK supermarket chain] Sainsbury's will [soon] start selling an extra-virgin olive oil that is not only organic and fair-trade, but also produced by beleaguered farmers in Palestine. The supermarket said it "ticked an awful lot of boxes" for ethical consumers, who were keener than ever to know the provenance of their food and to ensure producers were receiving a decent wage. Nasser Abu Farha, the Palestinian entrepreneur who is exporting the Equal Exchange oil, said: "This will become one of the main exports for Palestine, and it really will make a difference to the farmers."
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| Telegraph (UK) - 07/11/09 |
UK organic sector to coordinate on key messages
Full story: Food and Drink Europe
| The UK's organic sector is waking up to the need to market its key messages and is planning a conference to examine consumer attitudes and share experiences. According to the Soil Association, UK organics were worth £2.1bn in 2008. Although there has been steady growth in recent years, concern has been raised recently that the essential messages are not being effectively communicated - and consumers may be confused. The aim of the one-day conference, called Selling Organic: What's the Story?, is to work out the essential messages that the sector should communicate to consumers in unison. It will look at consumer attitudes and academic research on promotion and marketing. Individuals and companies that have successfully sold organics as a brand will share their experiences.
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| Food and Drink Europe - 07/09/09 |
France, Paris region to treble organic farming surfaces
Full story: GreenPlanet.net
| The local government of Ile-de-France, the region around the French capital Paris, recently approved a development plan for 2009-2013 concerning organic farming, which aims at trebling the surfaces devoted to organic cultivations. Currently the region accounts only 84 certified organic structures, for a market that involves some 12 million consumers and a consumption that have been growing by 10 per cent a year in the last ten years. Besides promoting the conversion to organic of agricultural areas, the plan also provides for the introduction of organic products in school restaurants.
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| GreenPlanet.net - 06/18/09 |
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| Coming Events
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Bowmanville Community Organic Garden - Grow Your Own Organic Fruit & Vegetables
Bowmanville, ON
The Canadian Organic Growers, Durham Gardeners, would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to take part in the Bowmanville Community Organic Garden (BCOG). Founded several years ago through the hard work of COG members, the garden provides space for organizations and individuals who would like to explore nature through the art of gardening.
For more information, call Vincent Powers at 905-263-9907 or Peggy Clark at 905-623-5278.
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Summer 2009 - Saturdays and Sundays
Local and Organic Market Stand
9am-12:00pm, Diversity Gardens, 1528 Notre Dame Drive (between St. Agatha and Petersburg), Ottawa, ON
Stop by for locally sourced, organically grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, and more from Diversity Gardens and organic farmers in the region. Stay up to date on what is available by reading our garden blog.
Website: Diversity Gardens Blog
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Summer 2009
CRAFT - Summer Farming Internship Opportunities
Ottawa, ON (area)
There are still a few spots left for people to become an ecological farm intern this summer!
Are you interested in being an intern on an ecological farm in the Ottawa area this summer? CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) connects interns with farms who will take them in a season-long exchange of work for knowledge. Farms usually offer a weekly stipend and room and board, while interns are expected to be motivated, hard working and committed to the ideals of ecological agriculture. Interns will also have the chance to participate in a series of on-farm training workshops and visit other farms in the region. Summer interns exchange their labour for room, board, a stipend and education that touches on all aspects of farming.
Please visit the CRAFT website for the details on farms in the Ottawa area and elsewhere in Ontario, and to learn more about a CRAFT internship.
Website: www.craftontario.ca
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Summer, 2009
Farm Life Ecology Program Seeking Applicants
Green Mountain College is seeking applicants for its Farm Life Ecology Summer Program. The 13-week, 12-credit summer intensive program allows students to manage all elements of the farm's operation while gaining a strong curricular foundation in sustainable agriculture. Details at the website.
Website: Green Mountain College
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July 26, 2009
Growing Up Organic Farm Tour to the Worm Factory
Westport, ON
Presented by Canadian Organic Growers - Ottawa Chapter. Gerrie is a self proclaimed "worms' rights advocate," but wants to focus her energies on education programs for youth regarding earthworms and vermicomposting. Therefore, this tour has two objectives: 1- to observe the benefits of building soil through structured worm composting and growing organic crops year round in this large, innovative greenhouse; 2- to explore immediate business opportunities being offered by Gerrie. This tour is open to all who want to learn, but those wanting more information about this business opportunity can contact Gerrie Baker (613-273-7595). See the website below.
This tour is free. For information and/or registration, please contact Colin Lundy, COG Ottawa Farmer Outreach Coordinator, at 613-489-2948, 613-513-7651 or email, or visit the COG Ottawa webiste.
Website: www.rayandgerries.com
Email: Colin Lundy
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July 26, 2009
Come Taste the Future with COG Perth-Wellington-Waterloo
Join COG PWW for an afternoon of exploring the future of our food:
*Guided tours of Diversity Gardens - COG's demonstration organic garden
*Local organic food systems research
*Local organic food displays
*Entertainment
RSVP to email below
Email: RSVP
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August 6, 2009
COG National Annual General Meeting
5:30-8:30pm, The Herb Garden, Almonte, ON (3840 Old Almonte Road, Almonte: for directions, visit their website below
Join COG for a summer evening in a lovely outdoor venue in the Ottawa Valley. You'll have a chance to ask questions about COG's plans, hear about our finances and learn about the new Organic Productions Regulations from Elizabeth Corrigan, Regulatory Standards Officer for the Canadian Organic Office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Mail in your ballot (ballots received on or before August 6th will be counted) or bring it with you. Snacks will be available. This invitation is open to all COG members (application forms will be available for those interested in joining).
Website: Directions to The Herb Garden
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August 18, 2009
Growing Up Organic Farm Tour to Van Cleek Hill, ON
Presented by Canadian Organic Growers - Ottawa Chapter. This tour will highlight two farms and other activities associated with the Growing Up Organic Project in Prescott-Russell. First stop will be McAlpine Farm, a long standing certified organic farm focusing on soybeans, small grains, lamb and poultry (among other projects). Next will be a stop at the Vankleek Hill Farmers' Market (website below) followed by a tour and picnic at the Village Green. This is a large new community, communal and educational organic garden literally in the heart of Vankleek Hill. The afternoon will be spent at Ferme de Ruisseau, an off-grid and truly mixed commodity farm, though with a focus on organic vegetable and greenhouse production.
This tour is free but advanced registration is required by the Monday before the tour. For information and/or registration, please contact Colin Lundy, COG Ottawa Farmer Outreach Coordinator, at 613-489-2948, 613-513-7651 or email, or visit the COG Ottawa webiste.
Website: Vankleek Hill Farmers' Market
Email: Colin Lundy
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August 25-28, 2009
First International IFOAM Conference on Organic Animal and Plant Breeding - BREEDING DIVERSITY
Sante Fe, NM, USA
Visit the IFOAM website for more information.
Website: IFOAM
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August 29, 2009
COG Perth-Waterloo-Wellington's Seed Saving Garden Tours
10:00am and 1:00pm
Bring a bundle of envelopes and join us on a seed saving walk through our heritage flower and vegetable gardens. You will learn about pollination and how to save seeds for a wide variety of ornamentals and vegetables. Take seed home with you. Save Seed and Save the Future! Contact us at the email below for more information.
Email: cogpww@sympatico.ca
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August, 2009
Growing Up Organic Camps
Ottawa, ON
Presented by COG Ottawa in partnership with Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG).
Food & Garden Camp
-August 17-21, 2009, Ages 12-16, $140
Youth Farm Apprenticeship Camp
- August 24-28, 2009, Ages 12-16, $199
Register now. Visit the website for more information, or call 613-233-8713.
Website: www.gnag.ca
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September 13, 2009
Feast of Fields Ottawa
12:00-4:00pm, Vincent Massey Park, Ottawa, ON
Presented by Canadian Organic Growers - Ottawa Chapter. The theme for Feast of Fields Ottawa 2009 is Community Shared Agriculture (CSA). 25 local organic farmers team up with top area chefs to highlight the best of the harvest (vegetables and meat).
Ticket prices:
Adults: $40 in advance / $50 at the gate.
Youth: $25 in advance / $30 at the gate.
Tickets will be available online beginning July 1st and at various local businesses August 1st.
For more information visit the website below or contact Michele Green at 613-244-4000 or email.
Website: Feast of Fields
Email: Michele Green
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Note:
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Whenever possible, stories are linked to the original source. Some sites may require registration, and/or not archive the stories. All links were active at the time of publication.
Articles reprinted in this newsletter are not necessarily endorsed by Canadian Organic Growers.
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This newsletter is produced by Canadian Organic Growers.
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