
Peggy Baillie Three Forks Farm Having practiced organic farming for our whole career, we didn’t pursue organic certification until about 5 years ago when the cloudiness around claims became so difficult to manage that we felt the best way to be open, honest and transparent was through certification. When a customer purchases from us, they know that we have been audited by a third party to ensure that we are practicing in accordance to the legislation. We are constantly faced with customers who inform us of farmers who claim to be organic, but who we know use prohibited substances. This is both dishonest to the customer, dilutes the label of organic, and could pose health risks to consumers. If this bill were passed, these farmers would not be allowed to use the term organic, or make these claims to their customers. Sarah and Barry Harrison Mazak Farms "When producers claim to be organic, consumers must be aware that unless they are buying from a certified producer the products they are paying a premium for have not been vetted by a third party. The consumer is taking a risk in trusting that the organic claim is valid. That risk is eliminated when you buy from a certified producer; you know exactly what you getting when buying certified." Jessie Sosnicki Sosnicki Organics "Ben and I have worked very hard to produce our certified organic vegetables for over a decade now. The certification is something that makes us proud and we take all standards very seriously. It has always saddened us when others use the word "organic" but do not pay the fees, do the paperwork, or make the time for an annual audit/ inspection. We are raising small children, paying debt down and farming a lot of food. It's hard, but we know that it is the only fair way for us to use the label "organic." Catriona Ffrench Cookstown Greens "While there are responsible growers making such claims due to lack of regulation, it is still a buyer beware environment. As well, the lack of regulation discourages some farmers from taking the extra step towards certification because they are able to skirt on the borders of organic selling without it." Mario Fiorucci The Healthy Butcher / RealFoodToronto.com "Today's food industry is bursting with marketing terms that confuse consumers. The organic certification system is the only system in Canada that provides true legitimacy to products farmed and produced to higher ecological standards. It's imperative that any loopholes in the regulation system be fixed so that consumer confidence in organic food remains high." Peter Finch Rolling Hills Organic "Keen to see firm action from MPs and the Ontario government to warrant renewing organic certification for our farm. After seventeen years of our certifying at great expense and with little or no government support, we are looking for strong regulation backed up by enforcement. The public and true organic farmers deserve it." Mike Schreiner Leader, Ontario Greens "Healthy soil, like clean water, is a finite resource. We must protect Ontario's precious soils and support the farmers who enrich it if our farm lands are to produce food for future generations. That's why the Green Party of Ontario is in favour of organic regulation: because in order to improve our soils and protect our waters, it is important for this province to protect the organic farmers who are investing in our future." Peter Tabuns MPP Toronto-Danforth "The growth of organic farming is critical for environmental sustainability. Organics help in the battle against climate change and can substantially reduce mass use of pesticides. Both are critical to a liveable world. Helping organic producers and consumers with honest labelling will make a difference in Ontario." Sylvia Jones MPP Dufferin-Caledon "Bill 153 represents an opportunity for farmers, producers, legislators and consumers to work together to create a 'Made-in-Ontario' approach to ensure the continued consumer confidence in organic labelling. I am looking forward to working with my colleague MPP Peter Tabuns, the Organic Council of Ontario and the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that Bill 153 addresses the inconsistency in organic labelling, while ensuring small local producers can continue to provide local, high-quality products to Ontarians." Paul Miller MPP Hamilton East-Stoney Creek "There is a hole in Ontario law and it needs to be fixed! As it stands, food products being sold in this province do not have to meet many requirements to be labeled “organic”. This means that some producers and vendors can call a product “organic” without a lot of evidence to support that claim. This does not seem fair to Ontarians wanting to purchase organic food. Luckily, if passed, the Organic Products Act, also known as Bill 153, will fix this hole. Among many changes, this bill will ensure that all organic products have gone through a well-defined, province-wide certification process before being approved. I look forward to supporting this bill as it makes its way through the legislature in the coming months. This is needed legislation!" |
Organizations that support regulating organic:
Canada Organic Trade Association
Canadian Organic Growers
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
Ecocert
Farm & Food Care Ontario
Farmers’ Markets Ontario
Greenbelt Farmers’ Market Network
Ontario Apple Growers
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association
Ontario Tender Fruit Growers
National Farmers Union – Ontario