A National Organic Action Plan for Canada

As Canada’s organic sector advances, a focused plan is needed to ensure that our future food systems include a strong foundation in organic. We are seeking your input to develop a plan and identify priorities. 

Organic production has positive benefits on climate, biodiversity, and social outcomes. It improves soil health, expands on opportunities for value-added products, builds water retention and resilience, strengthens supply chains, and increases revenues for producers. A focused plan is needed to recognize these benefits, maximize their contribution to Canada’s environmental and economic goals, and ensure that our future food system includes a strong foundation in organic agriculture.

The three national organic organizations, Canadian Organic Growers (COG), the Canadian Organic Trade Association (COTA), and the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC), are developing an Organic Action Plan – an accelerator for growth – that will be unveiled this fall. We are seeking your input to develop the plan and identify priorities.

Canadians are committed to organic – as evidenced by the continued expansion of the organic sector in many segments of the economy. Canada is now the 5th largest organic market in the world worth more than $9.35 billion in 2021 and growing.

Building on similar actions to grow the organic sector in the United States and the European Union, an Organic Action Plan (OAP) is a comprehensive plan that will recognize the important role that organic plays in the future of sustainable agriculture in Canada.

A comprehensive plan for a resilient food system: 

The OAP proposes benchmarks, targets, and policies that look at incentivizing production, reinforcing the organic supply chain, and increasing the overall demand for organic. It will provide a blueprint to mobilize government resources and organic sector stakeholders, by including:

  • Ambitious national targets
  • Organic transition and production supports, knowledge transfer and extension services
  • Investments in research
  • Robust data on production and markets
  • Strong market supports 
  • Efficient collaboration with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency in its development

Contribute to the Draft Framework

We want to hear from you! As a stakeholder in the organic value chain, your input is key. We are seeking your input to develop the draft framework into a full plan and identify priorities. We are collecting input via the survey linked below. The survey will remain open until October 20, 2023 at 9PM EDT. 

The OAP framework will be used as an advocacy tool in discussions with the government. A successful plan depends on the commitment and support of both the organic sector and government.

  1. On August 22nd, 2023, COG, COTA, and OFC hosted a consultation webinar on our proposal for a national framework to accelerate growth of the Canadian organic sector. View the webinar recording to learn about the key elements of a National Organic Action Plan for the growth of Canada’s organic sector. 
  2. Download the presentation slides and summary of the framework.
  3. Discuss and share with colleagues and peers.
  4. Download a copy of all survey questions if you would like to review before submitting your answers online. 
  5. Complete the online survey below (Quick survey – 5 minutes, extended survey 10-15 minutes.)

Note: This is a preliminary draft of the framework for a comprehensive OAP for the long-term development of the sector.

COG’s OAP Focus Area

Throughout the process of developing the Organic Action Plan, COG is committed to ensuring: 

  • High quality training and education support for Canadian producers, including through expanded farmer networks, accessible extension services and train-the-trainer style programs. 
  • Robust financial support and incentives to de-risk organic transition, including grants, loans, and insurance offerings.
  • Climate adaptation and risk mitigation plans and support for producers.
  • Education for all stakeholders along the value chain, including consumers, students, and communities. 
  • An open environment to support all producers – from conventional to certified organic – along the path towards regenerative, organic, and resilient agricultural production.

Questions

Please direct questions about the consultation or survey to:

Katie Fettes
Canadian Organic Growers
Director of Policy and Research
katie.fettes@cog.ca

My-Lien Bosch
Canada Organic Trade Association
Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs Manager
mbosch@canada-organic.ca 

Media

Jenna Spencer
Canadian Organic Growers
Director of Marketing and Communications
jenna.spencer@cog.ca