Organic Farming
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. I have just purchased or hope to purchase a farm.
I would like to farm it organically. Can you give me some information
on crops that I can grow and what I need to do to be organic?
A1. There are many things that will help you determine
which crops can be grown on a farm, such as farm location, climate,
and soil types. Your farming experience/knowledge and your time availability
will also be factors in determining which crops are most suited to you.
For more information on local crop suitability for your
soils and climate you should contact the Agricultural Information Contact
Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
A first step to determining what you should grow is to determine what
markets are available in your area and what you need to do to supply
the quality and quantity that your customer or selling agency will require.
Organic crops have some special needs and will require more effort to
market them. Grains are generally easier to plant, harvest and market
than fruits or vegetables. General information on organic farming is
in the OMAFRA factsheet called Introduction
to Organic Farming. The ministry also produces other
publications on starting a farm. Also see the factsheets Starting
an Organic Farm and Transition
to Organic Crop Production.
Q2. I want to begin farming organically. How will this
be different from the more conventional farming practices that I already
use?
A2. Organic production of crops is very similar
to regular production for planting, harvesting. Varieties are usually
the same. Fertility, weeds and other pests need to be managed in a more
intensive way. Crop rotation and timing of mechanical cultivation are
critical to success. The integration of livestock, to help supply manure/compost
nutrients will also be a benefit. Consider joining several of the organic
farming associations such as Canadian Organic
Growers (COG) or Ecological Farmers
of Ontario (EFO) to increase your network of organic farming contacts
especially among other organic farmers in your area. The OMAFRA factsheet
called Introduction to
Organic Farming lists organizations and their addresses. For
more information there is also a Directory of Organics available from
COG, and the Guelph Organic
Agriculture Conference that is held each January at the University
of Guelph.
Q3. Are there regulations or standards for organic production?
A3. The Canadian government implemented regulations for organic
products on June 30, 2009. The regulations require mandatory certification
to the revised Canadian Organic Standards (Canadian Organic Production
Systems Standards: General Principles and Management Standards, and the
Permitted Substances List) for agricultural products represented as organic
in import, export and inter-provincial trade, or that bear the federal
organic agricultural product legend or logo. There are several certification
bodies serving Ontario farms and processors. Contact these organizations
to get a information on how to be certified. The cost of certification
is about $500-$1500+/yr per operation depending on your farm size and
the complexity of your operation.
For more information on certification and addresses and links to
details of the organic regulations and standards see the infosheet
Organic Food
and Farming Certification at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/organic/certification.htm
Q4. Is organic farming expanding?
A4. In 2009 there were 716 certified organic farms in Ontario
with approximately 115,000 acres of certified cropland. This represents
a 50% growth in farm numbers since 1998 and farm acreage growth of 90%
over that period. Growth of organic food sales in North America is reported
to be 15-20% per year for the past 10 years and has grown from $5 Billion
to over $27 billion during that period for North America. During this
decade we have also see a growth in the availability and diversity of
organic food products and market opportunities for producers. For more
statistics see Organic Agriculture, Links
to Stats and Facts at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/organic/orglinks.htm#stats
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