Originally published February 15, 2024 on Alberta Farmer Express
By Robert Arnason
Industry lobbies government to adopt an organic action plan but concedes it will not happen overnight
Glacier FarmMedia — Organic farming leaders want the federal government to implement a policy similar to Europe, in which 25 per cent of farmland is supposed to be organic by 2030.
That’s considered an unrealistic target for Canada, considering only three per cent of farmland is currently in organic production.
As a result, organic leaders are proposing a different number.
“We’ve bounced around the idea of 10 per cent. It’s sort of an arbitrary number, based on the growth we’ve seen over the last decade,” said Karen Murchison, executive director of Canadian Organic Growers (COG).
“I think we’re looking at 10 per cent by 2030 or 2035.”
That is not an official number, and COG hasn’t made a request to the federal government for a 10 per cent mandate across the country.
However, it has partnered with the Canadian Organic Trade Association and the Organic Federation of Canada to develop an Organic Action Plan.
Recommendation 1.1 in the plan is setting “national targets for organic growth,” including farm area and the number of farmers.
The three organic groups launched the action plan last fall at a summit in Ottawa.
In a document summarizing the plan, they argue it can help the government meet its policy objectives while “safeguarding our soils, waterways, climate and food supply.”
“It is a pivotal time for Canada to recognize the organic sector as the government strives to meet its economic, environmental and social sustainability and climate goals,” said Tia Loftsgard, executive director of the Canada Organic Trade Association.
Last fall, representatives of the organic groups met with politicians to promote the action plan. They will continue to lobby policymakers in 2024.
Murchison said the groups developed the action plan with the help of a consultant from Denmark, Paul Holmbeck.
The plan is necessary because Canada needs to stay competitive with other parts of the world on organic production, Murchison said from her home office on Prince Edward Island.
“We’re far behind the U.S. in terms of policy tools and public investment (in organic) … We’re even falling behind the global south,” she said.
“Those countries are starting to develop organic action plans … to establish more resilient and reliable food supplies.”
The Canadian Organic Action Plan clearly borrows some ideas from the European model.
One is a procurement plan, in which publicly funded institutions are required to buy organic food.
“Include national goals for 60 per cent organic in public sector kitchens … and transition to more plant-based organic meals,” the Canadian plan says.
That sort of procurement requirement could help farmers who are transitioning to organic, Murchison said.
“It’s the easiest and most reliable market channel for those farms in transition,” she said
“It’s low hanging fruit. It’s an absolute, guaranteed market.”
Murchison clarified that a potential target of 10 per cent organic acreage is a work in progress.
In early January, COG helped create a task force of industry experts, farmers and scientists to look at the production target in more detail.
“So we’re not picking 10 per cent out of the air. But we’re really looking at what can our farms and farmers reasonably achieve, over this seven- to 10-year timeline,” Murchison said.
The proposal notes the need to “(identify) the supports and policies that are necessary to achieve those targets.”
One of those supports is more agronomic information and help for organic farmers.
The industry needs experts who can provide the needed extension so producers new to organic can succeed.
“There are thousands of consulting agronomists across the country … very few of them have the knowledge to advise and bring expertise to farms (with) this systems-based approach to food production versus the input-based approach,” Murchison said.
“Without those supports, those transitions (to organic) will fail.”
Persuading the federal government to adopt an organic action plan and possibly an acreage target will not happen overnight.
Government and public policy moves at a glacial pace.
However, an organic production mandate could be part of the next Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), a federal and provincial funding agreement.
The next SCAP is scheduled to begin in 2028.
“The reality is we would probably see an organic action plan that would be connected to the next policy framework,” Murchison said, adding she’s optimistic about the possibility.
“We’re seeing interest both at the government level, but certainly on the ground. Conventional farmers are starting to look at what organic farmers are doing. How are they growing crops without all these inputs? How can I reduce my input costs … by implementing some of those practices?”