Organic growers across the country are busy filling out applications for federal certification — a program that could see Canadian-grown organic produce peddled further afield, including in Parisian markets and Tokyo grocery stores.

'It will allow us to go international into European markets, into the Asian markets.'—Patricia Shapka, Sunny Boy

Patricia Shapka — the president of Sunny Boy, a cereal company based in Camrose, Alta. — says she hopes the new certification label will help her company tap into growing foreign markets. Before the federal government announced the certification and regulation plan, in December 2006 the European Union had threatened to ban Canadian produce.

The Certified Organic Growers Association says there were 3,618 certified organic growers in Canada in 2005.
(CBC)

"It is hugely important that we have that standard," Shapka said. "It will allow us to go international into European markets, into the Asian markets."

Under the old system, Canadian organics were accredited by an assortment of authorities, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Quebec and British Columbia were the only two provinces to regulate organic produce.

The new rules require farmers to submit an application for certification with information on the substances used in production and farming methods. Farmers who meet the criteria will be given a Canada Organic label to put on their product.

Dawn Boileau, who runs Sunrise Gardens near Edmonton, has just sent off her applications. She says certification should help boost business.

"I'm following organic farming practices regardless of being certified and personally I think [consumers] want to know that someone is checking on me," she said.

Certification not crucial for everyone, grower says

But Gwen Simpson — who owns Inspired Market Gardens in Carvel, west of Edmonton — said that while she farms organically, she won't seek certification and will instead use a grassroots marketing approach. 

What qualifies as an organic food?
Organic foods are grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics. The products have been grown without the use of technologies including genetic engineering or radiation.
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

"I believe in direct farm marketing and talk to your local person and come out and see how they farm," she said. "That is more real to most people. That's how I prefer to do it."

Still, she acknowledged that for growers hoping to ship to foreign markets, the certification program is essential. Simpson also said the new standards might force organic growers to be more transparent about how their farming practices.

"We needed it desperately to sell into the European market and that's the biggest market at the moment for organics if we want to export that's where it is," she said.

"I don't think it's important for everybody to be certified but I think it's important for everybody to be really clear about how they're producing their products."

Organics a growing market

Organic foods have grown in popularity in recent years, according to the Certified Organics Report released in May by the Nielsen Company. It found that more than half of Canadian households purchased organically grown food in 2006, saying they were primarily driven by concerns over pesticides in non-organic foods.

The Canadian Organic Growers say there were 3,618 certified organic growers in Canada in 2005, with another 241 farmers in the process of converting their conventional farms to organic.

More than 530,000 hectares of land are dedicated to growing organic food, the largest crop being wheat.