News | Organic Council of Ontario

Don’t put profits before sustainable livelihoods

The following Letter to the Editor appeared in the Guelph Mercury on December 3rd, 2012. Re: Genetically engineered foods no threat to consumers — Nov. 13 GMO food labelling poses problems — (letter to the editor) Nov. 16 The grand...

Week of November 19

Developed new CAAP application for an agronomic project looking at naturally occurring bio-products for pest control in organic agriculture. Provided research and an interview for upcoming Better Farming article on local foods and...

Organic Sector Responds to the National Post

From the COG Newsroom To: The National Post Re: “Canada’s organic food certification system ‘little more than an extortion racket,’ report says”, published November 24, 2012 This article covers a report that is an untruthful and...

Have YOUR say in the design and delivery of Growing Forward 2 funding

-Guelph, ON OCO members- Have YOUR say in the design and delivery of Growing Forward 2 funding! If you wish to register your opinion, RESPOND BY NOVEMBER 30th. GF 2 shapes the program priorities for OMAFRA for the next 5 years! OMAFRA...

3rd Organic Dinner & Jazz Night a Huge Success

-Guelph, ON, After countless hours of planning, we have to wonder if events like the Dinner & Jazz Night are worth all the work that goes into them; but then the night arrives and something magical happens! On November 16th we...

Week of November 12

Attended seed saving workshop hosted by the Ecological Farmers Association to network and learn about upcoming opportunities for organic seed saving education in Ontario. Submitted project grant to investigate policy options for...

Week of November 5

Met with the Environment Commissioner of Ontario to discuss recent changes to nutrient management act and plan further meetings on Soil Biodiversity and Health. Wrote grant application for looking at BMPs (Best Management Principles) in...

Week of October 29

Worked with Sustain Ontario task force to plan final stages of “We Want Flocking Options” Campaign. Moderated webinar on Mobile Abbattoir Options for Ontario. Consulted OCO membership for upcoming meeting with Gord Miller, Environment...

Help Wanted: Supporting organic agriculture in Canada

Rod MacRae is no stranger to the realities of farming; as a child he worked on his family’s Cape Breton dairy farm. This perhaps gives this farm boy turned researcher a unique perspective. MacRae is the son of an...

ONTARIO ORGANIC SECTOR RESEARCH

With support from OMAFRA’s New Directions Program, the Organic Council of Ontario engaged in research to help benchmark and quantify the organic sector in Ontario to lead to better business decisions within the organic sector. The...

RR Alfalfa: An Oxymoron

-Kitchener, Ontario Marty Boettcher, a 2nd generation Ontario organic farmer, spoke up and said the following regarding RR Alfalfa. Marty was part of a panel along with the Organic Council of Ontario at the CSTA Co-existence Workshop in...

Week of October 22, 2012

Attended Parliament Day in Ottawa hosted by Canadian Organic Growers and Canada Organic Trade Association to get organics on the radar of Canada’s politicians. Met with MPs and Senators from across the country to discuss the...