O.C.O.
organic search   search  
Member id: Password:    login      Join  
About Us Membership Standards About Organics Directory Resources Events
About Us Membership Standards About Organics Directory Resources Events

Questions and Answers


What does organic mean?

Organic agriculture is a holistic production system which uses sustainable farming methods, respecting ecological balance. Organic food is produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation or genetically modified organisms.

How do I know if something I buy is organic?

Certification bodies inspect and designate farms as “certified organic” based on a set of guidelines meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements set out by the National Organic Standard. No prohibited materials may be used for 3 years prior to certification. Once a farm is certified organic, it labels its food with the name of the certification body or the certification number. At the moment, Canada is developing regulations for organic agriculture which will limit the use of the word “organic” on products and provide a “Canada Organic” logo to be displayed on organic products.  The new regulation is to come into effect on June 30, 2009.  For more information on the new Canada organic standards please click here.

How does a farmer become certified organic?

Organic certification addresses the need for assurance that organic food is grown and processed in accordance with specified organic standards. A certification body assesses the farm or processing facility to ensure that it is adhering to these standards. In order to become certified, a farmer must not use any prohibited materials for 3 years prior to certification. The farmer pays a fee for an inspector to review the history and setup of their operation, and to conduct an inspection of their facility. If the operation is found to be in compliance with the standards, a certificate of certification will be issued. Annual updates and inspections are required to maintain certified organic status.

Why does organic cost more?

Organic food does not always cost more than conventionally grown products. In fact, many items are equivalent in cost to their conventional counterparts. However, there are several factors that make some organic items more expensive:

  • farming organically tends to be more labour intensive
  • organic production avoids vaccines and veterinary drugs, which can make caring for livestock more cost intensive
  • no synthetic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers are used
  • farms are often smaller and do not benefit from the same economies of scale as larger operations
  •  farms tend to have higher costs and lower yields as organic operations often place a focus on environmental stewardship and responsibility for the long-term health of the soil, air and water

Last Updated: 2009-12-18 02:44:44