Canadian organic products sold internationally or inter-provincially are subject to federal organic products regulations, which have made certification to the Canadian organic standards mandatory since 2009. While these regulations don't apply to products that stay within a province, provincial governments are increasingly supporting organic farmers and consumers with clear provincial programs that support the federal law.
The British Columbia government, for example, will require all food and agricultural products marketed as organic in B.C. to be certified under either a provincial or national certification program beginning in 2018.
"The demand for organic products has increased rapidly in the last 10 years, and our requirements for businesses producing and marketing agrifoods products as organic need to reflect current consumer and business expectations," says B.C. agriculture minister Norm Letnick. "We are committed to ensuring consumers in B.C., Canada and around the world can enjoy organic B.C. agrifoods with the full confidence and certainty that they are produced to recognized organic standards."
This means that producers and processors of organic food and agricultural products – including farm gate sales and farmers markets – will require documentation verifying that their products have organic certification.
"By becoming certified, new entrants to organics are joining a brand of recognized standards that consumers can purchase with confidence," Letnick states, adding that the B.C. government will work with the Certified Organic Associations of B.C. (COABC) to assist farmers and growers interested in achieving organic certification by 2018.
"There are growing domestic and international market opportunities for B.C. organic food producers and we are working with stakeholders to help position the B.C. organic sector to best take advantage of those opportunities," says Letnick.
In addition to B.C., provinces that endorse the Canadian organic legislation – and require in-province certification – are Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick. It is expected that other provinces, including Nova Scotia, will follow suit.
"The Nova Scotia department of agriculture supports the organic community and is working on the development of organic regulations for Nova Scotia," says Keith Colwell, Nova Scotia minister of agriculture. "We are working closely with our organic sector partners and will announce the details of the regulations as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, we're looking forward to the proclamation of this year's Organic Week and increasing public awareness of the importance of the organic sector."
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