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The Ministry of Agriculture in B.C. is looking to grow the organic sector in the province, and to do that, they're looking at defining what “organic” actually means.
The ministry is currently working with the organic sector to create an approach to strengthen both the awareness and reputation of B.C.'s organic foods. A proposed change would mean that all products that are marketed as organic would have to be certified through either a provincial or national certification program.
A company that produces and sells their organic products only within the province would need provincial certification. Those with customers in other provinces or countries would need certification by a federally accredited certification body, as they already do.
(Photo Credit: KelownaNow)
The provincial program will follow the same standard as the federal one, but the province says that there will be streamlined record keeping and documentation practices. “Provincial certification offers growers access to the local organic market with less paperwork, while still ensuring B.C. consumers have certainty when purchasing organic foods,” says the statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The currently discussed model would, after a certain transitional period, not allow producers to use the word “organic” for their products unless they were certified. This system would apply to farm gate sales and farmers markets in addition to retail stores. The government would investigate reports of uncertified products being described as “organic” when those products were exclusively produced and sold in B.C.
(Photo Credit: KelownaNow)
The model also includes transitional strategies for certification, business strategy and market development programs, and discussions about a brand to market B.C. organic foods. The ministry will soon be distributing an e-survey about the proposed changes to organic farmers.
Certified Organic Associations of BC (COABC) has been in the consultations with the provincial government. “Clarity in the marketplace will improve by requiring that everyone using the term organic is certified through an accredited certification body,” says COABC co-president Susan Snow. “It will ensure that consumers have better information when making their purchasing decisions and it will also encourage continued growth of organics in B.C."
The organic sector in B.C. is varied and includes vegetables, dairy, fruit and berries, spices and herbs, grains and seeds, and livestock.
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