Working Together for a Regenerative and Resilient Food System
As a national organization COG engages with and contributes to a variety of coalitions, committees, and advisory groups that share our commitment to ecological agriculture. Our approach is rooted in shared values, collective action, and a focus on long-term impact, ensuring that our advocacy efforts contribute meaningfully to the advancement of organic and regenerative movements and food systems. Please reach out if you are interested in partnering.
Organic Engagement
As Canada’s oldest organic association, COG has been pivotal in the progress and prosperity of the organic movement and sector in Canada. Our policy efforts over the last 50 years have directly supported the sector’s establishment and growth. Representing over 6,000 certified organic producers in a growing Canadian organic market worth over $10 billion annually, COG works closely with organic partners to advance organic policy at local, regional and national levels.
COG’s policy work has always been deeply rooted in the organic sector. From the 1980s to the mid-to-late 2000s, COG engaged in persistent federal policy and advocacy to develop a national definition and regulatory framework for organic in Canada. In 1988, COG hosted a conference titled “An Organic Food System for Canada” with a mission to develop a definition for organic in Canada. This definition was presented to the federal government and an official definition of organics was federally recognized and published in the Food and Labelling Guidelines of Consumer and Corporate Affairs in 1989.
In 2004, COG appeared before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to push for a national regulation of “organic.” In 2009, COG joined the Organic Value Chain Roundtable and was involved in the development of the first Canadian Organic Standards. After almost three decades of advocacy work, COG was extremely pleased to see the Canadian Organic Regime and the Canadian Organic Standards come into enforcement on June 30th, 2009. Today, we advocate for the needs of existing and prospective organic and regenerative farmers.
Canadian Organic Alliance
The Canadian Organic Alliance (COA) includes the three national organic associations: Canadian Organic Growers (COG), Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA), and the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC). Together, we proudly represent nearly 8,000 organic operators across Canada, collaborating on issues of shared importance and working closely with our provincial partners. Learn more about the Organic Action Plan.
Canadian Organic Standards
The Canadian Organic Standards (COS) are reviewed every five years, managed by the organic sector under the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC), with support from AAFC. Anyone can propose revisions to the COS. Once the new COS are published in 2025, COG will release an updated Guide to the COS. OFC also manages the Organic Standards Interpretation Committee (SIC) in partnership with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which is designed to help organic operators interpret the organic standards.
IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements)
COG is a proud member of IFOAM, a worldwide organization advocating for organics, with over 700 affiliates in more than 100 countries and territories. We work together with IFOAM members to empower, mobilize, and lead the global organic movement and its allies to drive transformative food and farming systems changes and policies for the benefit of people and the planet.
Broader Engagement
While COG’s work is deeply rooted in organic advocacy, we are also committed to supporting broader agriculture policy issues. Since incorporating regenerative agriculture more significantly into our vision in 2019, promoting and advocating for regenerative agriculture has become a key priority, enabling us to better serve a wider range of producers and engage in wider coalition efforts. We advocate with our coalition partners on cross-sectoral issues such as climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience, pathways for new, young and underserved farmers, supply chain resilience, local and regional food systems, food security, and addressing corporate influence.
Farmer’s for Climate Solutions
COG is a founding member of Farmer’s for Climate Solutions, a national farmer and rancher led coalition that advances pragmatic solutions to support farmers and ranchers in making the transition to low emissions, high resilience approaches to agriculture.
COG engages and collaborates with FCS on agricultural policy issues as an advisor on FCS’ leadership team and a member of the Policy Working Group.
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network
COG is a member of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, which brings together 15 members to research, monitor and raise awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming.
COG engages and collaborates with CBAN on their priority issues including Corporate Control, Farm Income Crisis, Democracy and Government Regulation, GE Trees, GE Alfalfa and International Solidarity.
Coalition for Healthy School Food
COG is a member of the National Coalition for Healthy School Food, where we work with hundreds of partners across the country to develop public procurement strategies that support local farmers and sustainable food systems.