organic farming Archives

Organic growers push for recognition in federal agriculture strategy

By Geralyn Wichers May 31, 2024

The Canadian Organic Growers are pushing the federal government to recognize their sector in the federal Sustainable Agriculture Strategy, set to be published later this year. "The [Sustainable Agriculture Strategy] is and can be a big opportunity, and organic and regenerative have a lot to offer," said Katie Fettes, COG's director of policy and research, in an online presentation yesterday.

Crops, News

Organic farmers invited to soil health benchmarking study

By Geralyn Wichers May 15, 2024

Organic farmers across the country are invited to measure the benefits of soil management practices on their farms as part of a study led by Prairie organic organizations.

Crops, Markets

Organics: Planting decisions still to be made

By Adam Peleshaty April 1, 2024

In the midst of dryness in Western Canada and an organics market stuck in a standstill, organic growers are making decisions on what to plant in the coming weeks. Chances are, they may be dictated by their own rotations.

Crops, Markets

Organic operators down, acreage up: new industry stats

Total organic sales in 2022 was $10.26, billion up from $9.35 billion in 2021

By Geralyn Wichers November 15, 2023

The number of Canadian organic producers and processors fell by nearly 300 in 2022 according to the latest industry stats. “There’s people coming in and there’s people going out,” said Tia Loftsgard, executive director of the Canadian Organic Trade Association (COTA).

Laura Van Eerd shows the difference between corn grown on cover-cropped soil versus non-cover-cropped soil in this composite photo.

Crops

Long-term Ontario studies show value of cover crops

Boosting organic matter in soils proved to boost profit margins and reduce yield variation year to year

By Geralyn Wichers December 24, 2021

A series of long-term studies in southern Ontario are showing the value of cover crops and boosting soil organic matter. When combining data across experiments and research stations, University of […] Read more

Moving more land into hay and pasture can make organic transition easier.

Crops, News

Hay and forage can help ease organic transition

A program in eastern Ontario aims to help farmers going through the three-year period before certification

By Stew Slater February 12, 2020

Having a plan for making money from either hay or pasture can significantly ease the financial strain of transitioning from conventional to organic production. That was one message delivered by […] Read more

At the Israel family’s Drayton-area organic farm, delayed maturity of the rye meant that roller-crimping had to occur in early July, well after the emergence of the soybeans. A side-by-side comparison on July 22 showed the soybeans were delayed, but had come through the mat of rye in good health.

Crops

OSCIA-supported trial examines no-till organic soybeans

Despite difficult spring, growers persist with planting into roller-crimped rye

By Stew Slater September 16, 2019

Delayed soybean emergence and the seed costs for a lush cover crop of rye are the main reasons why one innovative approach to no-till farming might not make financial sense […] Read more

News

Farm couple each head organic organizations

Gillian Flies takes over as president of Canadian Organic Growers

By Stew Slater September 10, 2019

Dinner-table discussions at The New Farm near Creemore are taking on a heightened significance for Ontario’s organic farming community in 2019, as both members of the farm’s husband-and-wife management team […] Read more

Organic soybeans are mostly moving around the world for animal feed.

Crops, News

Replacing U.S. imports of organic soybeans unlikely

The rapid growth of U.S. organic livestock production has resulted in massive imports of soymeal

By John Greig May 9, 2019

American organic soybean imports, especially as meal, continue to dwarf import of other organic crops. In fact, if American farmers tried to grow that many soybeans to make into meal, […] Read more

Justin Bell (left) and John Brunsveld were speakers at the recent South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium.

Livestock, News

Dairy farmers find opportunity in organic

At the 2019 South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium two farmers shared why they decided to transition to organic dairy

By Jennifer Glenney March 19, 2019

John Brunsveld and Justin Bell found opportunities in the Ontario organic milk market, and they talked about it at the recent South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium. Brunsveld produces organic milk […] Read more

Tag Archives organic farming

Organic growers push for recognition in federal agriculture strategy

Organic farmers invited to soil health benchmarking study

Organics: Planting decisions still to be made

Organic operators down, acreage up: new industry stats

Long-term Ontario studies show value of cover crops

Hay and forage can help ease organic transition

OSCIA-supported trial examines no-till organic soybeans

Farm couple each head organic organizations

Replacing U.S. imports of organic soybeans unlikely

Dairy farmers find opportunity in organic

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