Diverse organizations play a role in regulating, promoting, certifying or representing organics.
Regulating organics
CFIA:
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the federal government agency overseeing all food regulations in Canada.
Canada Organic Regime:
This regime is a partnership between the CFIA and the organic industry which oversees organics in Canada. The Regime defines organic and helps protect consumers from misleading labeling.
Canadian General Standards Board
Orgainic production systems -- General principles and management standards
and
Organic production systems -- Permitted substances lists
Promoting Organics
COG: the Canadian Organic Growers
OFCM:
The Organic Food Council of Manitoba is a registered charitable association which promotes local, organic food through education and community building in Manitoba. It provides information about how to find organic food and connects growers with information about organics. OFCM is a chapter of COG with a diverse membership which includes producers, consumers, distributors, retailers, gardeners, artists, and entrepreneurs.
Pivot and Grow
Pivot and Grow is a program of the Prairie Organic Grains Initiative which is a program dedicated to achieving resiliency and stability in the prairie organic sector by focusing on increasing the quantity and quality of organic grains, and developing relationships across organic market value chains.
Representing Organics
OPAM:
The Organic Trade Association is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America.
MOA:
The Manitoba Organic Alliance is a membership driven, non-profit association which represents organic farmers, processors, buyers, retailers and researchers in Manitoba. MOA strengthens the organic community through leadership, networking, education, communication and advocacy.
Certifying organics
There are many organizations offering certification services to organic businesses in Manitoba including:
OPAM:
The Organic Producers Association, based in Manitoba
OCIA:
Organic Crop Improvement Association International, based in Nebraska
ProCert:
based in Saskatchewan and Ontario
EcoCert:
based in Quebec
Publications
COG´s free online reference series: Organic seed sources, alternative medicines for dairy cattle, crop transition from conventional to ecological production, and more
COG’s Practical Skills Handbooks: Titles include Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers, Growing Potatoes Organically, Living with Worms in Organic Sheep Production, Record-Keeping for Organic Farmers: how to get and stay certified, Scaling Up Organically (Feb 2011), Growing Strawberries Organically (Nov 2010).
Gaining Ground: Reference book for farmers, whether conventional, transitional or organic, who are interested in organic farming. Gaining Ground covers a wide range of topics from soil-building and planting to certification and marketing.
Organic Field Crop Guide (2nd edition): Practical reference guide for both organic field crop farmers and conventional farmers who are considering making the transition to organic farming.
Organic Livestock Handbook: A reference guide providing the principles of organic livestock husbandry and management tools.
Introduction to Certified Organic Farming - Canadian Farm Business Management Council
Government
Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) Organiculture Page
Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) Organic Production Basics
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Organic Sector Information
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Organic Products page
Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) Canada Organic Food Industry Report
Organizations
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Research
Needs Assessment of Canadian Organic Producers
The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
Nutritional Benefits of Organic Foods from the Organic Trade Association
Resources
Resources on Organic Farming on the Prairies - Prepared by the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada, includes a listing of organic contacts, books, website links, and researchers.
Extension Organic – Organic agriculture section of an online space where university content providers can gather and produce new educational and information resources on wide-ranging topics. (USA)
