News | Organic Council of Ontario

Food for thought from the asparagus field

[caption id=”attachment_10206” align=”alignright” width=”103”] By Sarah Harrison[/caption] This is a guest post from an OCO member, and doesn’t necessarily reflect the official position of OCO...

Guest Research Review: How does organic mitigate climate change?

[caption id=”attachment_10208” align=”alignright” width=”96”] by Kristen Howe, MES[/caption] Organic production does mitigate climate change. The question is not if, but how. The Washington-based...

Organic: More than just marketing

[caption id=”attachment_10109” align=”alignleft” width=”300”] Want to share this message? Order some postcards - and use them to ask Minister Leal for organic regulation in Ontario.[/caption] There...

Supporting small-scale organic producers in Ontario

This fall, the Ontario legislature is considering a bill that would regulate use of the term “organic” in the province. If passed, Bill 153 would help fill gaps in federal regulations that currently allow products made and...

Making Sense of "Organic" Labels For Non-Food Products

It’s hard enough, sometimes, trying to determine whether the food you buy is indeed organic. But what happens when the term gets applied to non-food items, like skin cream, pet food or even dry cleaning? The short answer is —...

CBC News: Proposed law would close Ontario's organics labelling loophole

CBC News covers Bill 153, the Organic Products Act, and efforts to close the loophole that allows for fraudulent organic claims in Ontario. The online article quotes MPP Peter Tabuns, the NDP co-sponsor of the Bill, as well as OCO...

Radio-Canada: L'Ontario veut réglementer l'utilisation du mot « biologique »

Radio-Canada featured OCO and the campaign for organic regulation in Ontario in a piece for radio and online. The article quotes Tom Manley, OCO President, sharing details on the need for organic regulation in the province, along with...

Brantford Expositor: Organic bill would create organic regulations

Michael-Allan Marion, of the Brantford Expositor, highlights the shortfalls of the organic sector in Ontario and the private member’s bill that would introduce regulation. Read the piece here.

The Green Party of Ontario Endorses Bill 153

A third opposition party in Ontario has stood in support of Bill 153, the Organic Products Act. “Healthy soil, like clean water, is a finite resource. We must protect Ontario’s precious soils and support the farmers who...

OCO Director publishes piece in True North Living

OCO’s Executive Director, Carolyn Young, has been published on Media Planet’s truenorthliving.com talking about the “Ontario Organic Act”. The Private Member’s Bill, introduced on September 13th, 2017, is...

Blackburn News: MPPs Suggest Organic Bill

OCO’s push to regulate organic products in Ontario is covered by Steve Sabourin in a piece for Blackburn News. OCO President Tom Manley is quoted expanding on the the details of the bill, including protections for businesses that...

Ontario Organic Day at Queen's Park 2017

September has been an exciting month for organic producers in Ontario. On September 13th, the Organic Council of Ontario organized Ontario Organic Day at Queen’s Park. The purpose of the day was to raise awareness about the state...