What Is Organic?

Organic agriculture in Canada is based on principles that are enshrined in industry-developed standards approved by consumers and verified annually by third party organizations. As of 2009, federal organic standards are backed by government regulation and oversight.  Organic standards are based on seven general principles:

  1. Protect the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease pollution, optimize biological productivity and promote a sound state of health.
  2. Maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for biological activity within the soil.
  3. Maintain biological diversity within the system.
  4. Recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise.
  5. Provide attentive care that promotes the health and meets the behavioural needs of livestock.
  6. Prepare organic products, emphasizing careful processing, and handling methods in order to maintain the organic integrity and vital qualities of the products at all stages of production
  7. Rely on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems.

What About Local AND Organic?

Sadly, “local” and “organic” have had the misfortune of entering our vocabulary as separate concepts and then getting jumbled into one, unclear concept. Canadian Organic Growers and its chapters and affiliated organizations are about local AND organic. Local organic food sources for the Ottawa region are listed in our Organic Food Directory.  The national COG website also has national-scale directories.